Once you turn 21, it seems as if there is a whole new set of Wake Forest traditions. You tend to go to fewer house parties and spend more time at the bars. You can count on Thursdays to be a busy evening among the bars as Wake Forest students go and hit up the local drinking scene.

With summer almost here, baseball has started and now Thursdays have gained another fun aspect as the Winston-Salem Warthogs begin playing. One might ask: what does baseball have to do with going to the bars? And the answer would be very little. But minor league baseball isn’t the point. What they do have is Thirsty Thursdays, which draws quite a crowd.

You begin your evening at the Ernie Shore Field, which is just next to Groves Football Stadium. Games generally start at 7 p.m. and provide a good time. Since the Warthogs is a minor league team, games are often more exciting than MLB games where players make fewer errors. With the Warthogs you get a more lively game where mistakes are all part of the fun.

Ernie Shore Field has all the standard stadium concessions, including a great beer garden featuring Foothills beers as well as plenty of others, as any good beer garden should. But the appeal of Thirsty Thursdays is the drink prices. All drinks are only $1, including Yuengling. Admission (with a student ID) is only six dollars.

A Warthogs game is a great way to start off you evening, particularly if the weather is nice. You can check out the team's website for a complete schedule and other event information.

After the game, head over to Foothills Brewery for some dinner and trivia. Trivia starts at 9 p.m., so sample some of the great beers and team up with some friends to try to win Beer Bucks (basically gift certificates for free beer). Foothills has a full menu that’s sure to have something for everyone.

After dinner and trivia, make your way to the West End Opera House for a large Wake Forest crowd. Opera House has pool tables and darts, though when it starts getting crowded, they shut those down. Opera House is a Thursday night tradition for Wake students, so you’re sure to run into friends from a variety of social circles. Check out their mixed drinks; a favorite due to the generous pours.

Thursday night out is a fun tradition that is definitely worth checking out, if you’re 21 of course. So get a group together and head out; you'll no doubt run into lots of friends. But make sure to have a designated driver as well, since there’s driving involved.