Things you can do when you turn 18

[THParent]

There are two (2) things that you should do when you turn 18;

1. Register to vote (Optional, but seriously you need to do this!)
2. Register with the Selective Service (This is not optional, even if you're going to I-Day!)

Here is a list of 20 other things you will be allowed to do (a few will preclude you from attending any Academy, and a few are just stupid) ;

1. Donate blood or plasma
2. Rent an apartment or buy a house
3. Go to Jail or Prison (This is one not to do, and it will DQ you from an SA)
4. Get a tattoo or piercing (Depending what and where it is, may DQ you!)
5. Buy pornography (What would your mother say?)
6. Go to a strip club (See #5)
7. Be a stripper (See #5)
8. Sue somebody
9. Get a hotel room
10. Buy a lottery ticket or gamble at a casino
11. Go to another country and drink alcohol (quite a few countries allow drinking at age 18)
12. Go skydiving (Jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft is an unnatural act)
13. Adopt a child or pet (The child will DQ you from an SA)
14. Go to a pawn store and pawn your stuff (They won't give you much)
15. Get married (Automatic DQ for an SA)
16. Smoke or chew, or dip tobacco (Come on, we're almost 2 decades into the 21st Century)
17. Get called for jury duty (which typically happens after you register to vote)
18. Go bungee jumping (That's just a little insane)
19. Light fireworks (yeah, it was illegal when you did it before)
20. Purchase a motor vehicle

 

[Old Navy BGO]

2. Register with the Selective Service (This is not optional, even if you're going to I-Day!)

> Funny story. Draft Registration was just reinstated when I was a Plebe. I received a notice to see Midshipmen Personnel. I went to Personnel, and they asked why I hadn't registered. I had spent the previous year as an E1/E2 at NAPS , straddling the registration phase in period. I think I signed my draft registration as Midn 4/c, USN

 

[AF6872]

But you can drive a Tank but still can't rent a car. When I went for induction we were all in a large classroom after following the red lines down all the halls and rooms. Gunny comes in the room and says all enlistees stay in you seats. Everyone else against the wall. He walked down the line and picked out six of the biggest guys. Hello Marines. One guys question was I was drafted into the Army and his answer was You were drafted son nobody told you where you were going. Next stop Paris Island. I was told that 68 was the first year they drafted Marines since WWII.

 

[justdoit19]

True story: I am traveling Sunday to another state, with eleven 18yr olds bc they COULDN’T rent a hotel room. Couldn’t find a single one in the city where they are going to attend a concert that rented to under 21. And nowadays ID is required to check in. So a 5 hr drive for me (I am renting the rooms). There is also a 20yr old (my oldest son), and he wasn’t even old enough....

 

[THParent]

I should clarify. Since the Selective Service requirement was reinstated (in 1980) only men are required to register.
Women are unable to register, even if they wanted to.
The law refers only to "male persons" being eligible for the draft.

 

[New@This]

19. Light fireworks (yeah, it was illegal when you did it before)

Not all states are that way. My home state is 12 - 15 with adult supervision and 16 without supervision.
But, great list.

Also, I always find it odd that a young person could rent a house or apt (or even buy a house in most states) but can not rent a hotel room until 21.

 

[Humey]

True story: I am traveling Sunday to another state, with eleven 18yr olds bc they COULDN’T rent a hotel room. Couldn’t find a single one in the city where they are going to attend a concert that rented to under 21. And nowadays ID is required to check in. So a 5 hr drive for me (I am renting the rooms). There is also a 20yr old (my oldest son), and he wasn’t even old enough....

Because my younger son goes to college on the opposite coast from where i live, we usually fly him in on Saturday incase the weather is bad and to give him time to acclimate back . He cant get into his dorm until Sunday. The first time we did this, we mention to someone that my son would be staying at a hotel when he arrived. They told us to check witht the hotel as they wont allow anyone under 21 to check in by themselves. It was true and I had to scramble to find him a place in Boston that would take him. Luckily we found a nice hotel near school that would take him. The difference being that their normal rooms have no minibars and that is the issue with those who are 21 and younger. The minibars have alcohol