Voice of London

The year is 2019, it is the age of Tik Tok’s and Hinge dates and things couldn’t be more advanced. 

When I was 12, my main concerns revolved around not having enough time to watch Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney Channel after school due to math homework assigned to my class by Mr. Connolly. 

It was a time of simplicity and innocence, a time where Dylan and Cole Sprouse from Suite life of Zack and Cody were my “Man Crush Monday”s and my platonic husbands and eating gum in class was the most rebellious thing I was capable of doing. 

Evolution is necessary and unavoidable, and with it, a change in the mind-set of new generations. 

Discos, clubs, and bars have existed for years, although the concept and culture of clubbing has differed over the years, what started off as an establishment that welcomed adults to a night of dancing, enjoying music and drinking has turned into a platform of completely different motives. 

Getting drunk to new extremes and taking individuals home is what the current concept of clubbing involves. Those who still come to such establishments to enjoy the old concept still exist, however, the numbers are decreasing and each day, more and more people join the group of members who enjoy clubbing for contemporary reasons. 

The first time I entered a club was when I was 16 years old. The neon lights were bright, blindingly bright, the music was loud and the stench of sweat was scattered around the area. It was great. 

This is what people around me had been talking about for what seemed like an entire lifetime. The first five minutes were great, I was finally inside a club, a youngsters club meant for people of my age, but never mind that. 

I had made it inside the lion’s den, and I was officially popular. That was until reality came crashing down and people’s armpits were shoved against my face due to the lack of space and my not so helpful height. 

Perhaps clubbing as a kid just wasn’t meant to be, and maybe clubbing as an adult was just a whole new thing. After all, what’s the point of clubbing if you can’t drink right?

The night of my 18th birthday was the first time I entered a club as an adult. Try two, here we go. 

My feet stepped inside the lovely establishment of Cargo after paying £20 despite having already paid for a ticket before and welcomed the freshness of…adult sweat. Wait, what? 

Maybe I just wasn’t drunk enough, which obviously then lead to a round of shots, which essentially lead to a disappointing night of complete sobriety.

As years have gone by, realisation has struck me that clubbing is a concept through which we experience all sorts of situations. Creepy guys hitting on you, friends puking on the street, having the strong urge to pee when drunk, friendly conversations with Uber drivers, awkward conversations with Uber drivers and many more. 

Which leads to the bigger question: what is clubbing really all about? Why do people club? And is it overrated? 

Here is what the people of London think:

Drunk, sober or tipsy, clubbing is a unique experience for everyone. Whether or not it’s overrated the large queues with drunken people outside waiting to bust inside establishments with overly loud music will forever remain. 

Always remember, puking in an Uber can have costly consequences.

Words: Neha Bharwani

Images: Markus Spiske on Unsplash, Jillian Keith

Source & Charts: Neha Bharwani