When Buppies Go Out During the Week

Excuse my manners, let me reintroduce myself. I am Dr. J, and i'm in my mid-twenties doing my young professional in DC. I try and stay out of the spotlight, unless i've been drinking Henny and listening to Plies. However, I try to be provocative, but at times i'm sure i'll just flat out piss you off. But there's a science to this madness. My personal blog is at, thebookofjackson.blogspot.com and i'm also on singleblackmale.net. Please indulge me in your comments, I love them. Any that's enough about me, more about buppies. Keep it 100.

Have you ever been to Fly on a Monday? Eye Bar on a Tuesday? Josephine's on a Wednesday? I think that at Thursday the weekend begins. Some people don't have to work the next day so they can hang out late, plus we've been trained since college to enjoy Thirsty Thursdays. I've been out on a Monday and the first thing I notice is that there are several different crowds in the place. There's one crowd who looks like they are there for a bday or just to hang out for a special occasion. They usually arrive at close to 10 and depending on the night try and get out of there around midnight. The real question, Who are these people who just showed up at 12?

Sometimes I sit there and watch these people who roll in to a club at 12AM, and i'm like OK you clearly don't have a job. I look at some of the outfits that some women wear and i'm like, you don't have a job. Because what you do not realize is that at ANY TIME, someone in your professional network can touch your social network. I have heard stories where someone says, "Hey I think I saw your co-worker on my friend's facebook album. They were in the background with their ass out and dancing on the couch." And then joof. So anyone with tact is going to keep that to a minimum.

I'm also concerned when I know people who are at every event a certain promoter has. Back in the day, people used to be very careful with the WERUNDC circuit, because it was all the same people every night. EyeBar, 1223, Pearl, Love/Avenue and Republic Gardens, Tuesday-Saturday without fail. If you saw someone at one, chances are you saw them at them all. Fly on Mondays was always the secret that people didn't want to share because they wanted to act responsible. Now when I see you at these events every night, I know i'm a damn fool for being out every night, but i've never done it consecutively like that. I just get tired of hanging out in one crowd too long, but WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

And you know there are some people who are just party-goers. They don't really have real jobs and some don't have jobs. Some are in school. Some are like myself just always out everyday, but now in my olden years, i'm like, nah chill. I be at home sipping hot tea and doing work until 10PM and tired as hell. My advice to the new class of Buppies who are entering into this social life, please be mindful that not everyone you party with has the same responsibilities as you. It's been many a nights, that I let some idiots convince me to stay out until 2am in a club on a Tuesday and then I struggled the next day at work. It's one thing to be hungover on Friday, it's another on Wednesday.
For those of you who don't have jobs. I can see you. I wonder why you showed up to a young professional networking event anyway. (Sidenote, I don't believe that networking event marketing ploy one bit. I have very rarely ever met someone I would consider in my professional network at one of these happy hours, open bars, etc. Most times, I just see ignorant people with no jobs.) You know you can tell someone definitely doesn't have a job by sometimes what they wear and when they show up. If you just showed at 12AM, in tee shirt and tennis shoes, i'm wondering what's going on???

And another thing, doesn't it bother you that when you go out during the week and you have on clothes that suggest you have a job and some type of sense of responsibility... you also take the time out to be dressed according to the arbitrary dress code on the flyer or email, and then you see people in the club in tee shirts, jeans and sneakers. Like seriously, it all lets me know the dress code is arbitrary and negotiable. I don't know that's just my pet peeve.

In conclusion, when you first get out of school it's OK to get all that recklessness out of your system. When you realize that you want to do better in your career and just your life, you'll fall back. On occasion you will find yourself out far later than you expected, and that's OK, there's nothing wrong with that. If you find yourself out every day of the week. Especially in a uber-lounge or club setting, reevaluate. I know several people who go out every night, but they go to restaurants and cool bars. Those are low key and low energy level. And you guys know I love me some Rick Ross, but if you hear it in the club, please exit Avenue (now Lux Lounge) as soon as possible.