Where are you going on a Friday night? If you’re 21, you already know the answer. Aunt Chiladas, on Whitney Avenue, is a ‘do or die’ kind of bar.

For those of you who are now upperclassmen, you can remember back to your freshman year when you came to college with those puppy-dog eyes and a water bottle full of really cheap vodka and Hawaiian Punch. You knew about Aunchies (the preferred nickname for the Quinnipiac favorite), but also knew that by stepping foot in there you’d automatically be that awkward freshman who got lost on your way to Gotham.

Of course, those were the glory days—having a handle of alcohol in your possession made you the kingpin of your dorm. But, secretly, you’ve been waiting for the moment where you get your 21-year old bracelet at Toad’s.

I’m sure a lot of you will say that your hometown has better bars than Aunchies, especially if you’re only a train ride away from New York City or Boston. But we’re in Hamden, and sometimes you can’t resist a bar that has an open deck and a dance floor all in one.

Plus, isn’t it nice to finally go where all your fellow seniors are guaranteed to be? The bittersweet moment of graduation is rapidly approaching, so enjoy a penny draft while you still can.

Aunchies is also a no pressure kind of hangout. You can wear heels or the shirt you wore last weekend, and I guarantee no one will care in the least. But, the fact that the kid in your senior seminar is going to be there, as well as every person who lived in your hallway freshman year, makes you want to look like you tried somewhat to stay fashionable.

You can drink Ice House or get a mixed drink, dance or sit at a patio table, and then get Mexican for lunch there the next day. It’s all about convenience, friends.

Saturday mornings will usually recall a few good laughs if you spent your Friday at Aunchies. Hey, a lot can happen in between a deck and a dance floor, and you never know who you’re going to run into while waiting on the longest bathroom line in history.

For all of you who are still underage, there’s no need to worry. You’ll get to Aunchies eventually. But don’t try to ruin a good thing by jumping the gun and using a fake ID to get in. Chances are it won’t even work, and seniors won’t want you there anyway.

#quinnipiacproblems