On Birthday Parties

During elementary school, birthdays were mentioned during morning announcements so that no one’s birthday was forgotten. On my birthday, my dad would buy two dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for everyone in my class. I remember one of my popular classmates reacted with a big, “Yes’ when he saw the donuts enter the room. In retrospect, he was more excited for the donuts than my actual birthday, but it still felt great to celebrate with my classmates.

In high school, there were no announcements about birthdays, and I didn’t have Facebook to share mine. As a result, it was difficult for my friends to know when my birthday was. I didn’t make an effort to inform anyone either. Back then, I didn’t anticipate my birthday because not receiving any birthday greetings, even from my closest friends, made me feel invisible.

Last year, I had a small birthday dinner with three close friends. While I enjoyed it, I also wished I could’ve celebrated with more friends in the city. I love the food, energy, and creativity of NYC, but it’s the people who made my time special. I wanted to share this incredible experience with more friends who have made my time here so memorable.

Today was my first time hosting a birthday party in my small apartment. Although space was limited, it was awesome to celebrate with many of my friends.