Don’t Expect Shot-Drinking on Your 21st Birthday in State College

Not that Paper Trail condones it, but drinking a shot on your 21st birthday is a rite of passage for many college students. But if you go to Penn State University, don't expect a celebratory shot on your birthday in State College, Pa., anymore.

Phyrst, the last bar in State College to serve shots to customers turning 21, has changed its policy and will no longer serve straight shots of liquor to its turning-21 customers, the Daily Collegian reports. Customers will be served only beer and mixed drinks. The policy is part of a larger charge in State College to fight heavy drinking among college students, especially on their birthdays. It's become a tradition for many students to drink 21 or more shots of liquor on their 21st birthday, a dangerous amount of alcohol.

It's just the latest move by city officials and Penn State to curb excessive drinking. Earlier in March, the school tried to reach out to students before State Patty's Day weekend, a popular drinking event on Penn State's campus, in an effort to raise awareness about drinking-related problems.

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