Ratchet wit yo friends.

Sometimes I just wanna get ratchet with my friends. I laugh thinking about the surprised face people get when they realize I turn up with the best of them. I think my mom is just now starting to get it. Recently, I took her shopping at Rainbow and politely told her that I was looking for some tight jeans and something to lift up my boobs in case I had too much side cleavage while I was jamming to trap music.

Most times you’ll find me sitting by myself writing, reading, or eating. I think my coworkers have learned that I’m friendly enough, but I’ll happily choose my own company more often than not. When I do go out with friends it’s typically things like brunch and baseball games. It’s only occasionally that I get the opportunity to get ratchet. You can say it’s a bit of a special event.

I’m excited because, this weekend is a special occasion. It’s time to turn up with my sorority sisters and I’m super ready. The plan? Pack a really big bag, drink til’ I can’t feel my feet, take mass selfies, and “pop it, flick it, drop a pin, send a location.” I have whole playlists dedicated to these times. Admittedly, my playlists are relegated to a bunch of oldies like “Freek-a-leek” and “Go Head,” but I’ve recently added “Rake It Up” to the rotation. Special events like these get me hip to the all the turn up music: “RIP,” “Birthday Cake,” “679,” “Caroline,” and “Floatin,” to name a few.

Turning up has been one of my favorite pastimes since college. Before then the most exciting party I’d been to was prom (and watching everyone “Superman that ho” was actually painful). My freshman year of college, though, I experienced my first icebreaker. I bought a corset, grabbed some friends, and stepped into the student center. There was a sea of black people and DJs who rotated more “Gucci bandana” than “Crank that” and more Gucci Mane than Flo Rida. It was just different. Then came the after party. Oh, I loved the after parties. Going to someone’s apartment or house and swapping sweat with sexy strangers? I lived for it.

Pledging my sophomore year amplified my development in more ways than one. I became a better leader, a better organizer, a better friend, and a better turn up queen. In the weeks immediately after I pledged, I learned how much greater going out can be when you have a group of friends with the same purpose. My sorority sisters would link up, get bad, drive across town, and turn up. Easy.

I was always the youngest and that held me back a bit. I didn’t drink more than a jello shot before I turned 21, and I was still a tadpole in the party game. I thank goodness that in my time after college I had more outlets for the other side of my personality. I have one friend in particular who took me under her wing. We went to apartments, we went to straight bars, we went to gay bars. She was the first friend to get me to dance on a bar and to ride a bull, and I thank her for that. Now it’s nothing but a thing, but I had to start somewhere. Today if I have it in my mind to kick it, best believe I’m prepared.

So, it’s safe to say I’m hype for this weekend. I asked my sorority sister what I should wear and she said “ratchet classy.” I got the message. My bag is overflowing and I plan to give it all I’ve got. I don’t always party with my friends, but when I do, you could say my other side comes out.