Before first-year interdisciplinary sculpture student Kory Johnson turned 21, he sometimes only had access to the stage when performing with his Baltimore-based band, Sun Club.

For him, turning 21 was “free, liberating.”

And, he said, others seem to respect him as an adult more.

Twenty-first birthdays are a milestone in American society, as they come with new legal rights.

With their newfound freedoms, students choose to celebrate their 21st birthdays in a variety of ways.

“The biggest problem is a lot of people overdo their 21st,” second-year psychology student Tevin Paige, who is in his 20s, said. “Because they figure, ‘Oh, whatever, I’m 21 now and for some reason that just gives me a license to do whatever.’”

America’s legal drinking age has been 21 since 1984, when Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act.

Twenty-one-year-olds also may gamble at Maryland casinos. At 18, only the lottery, bingo and races are legal to play.

Starting this month, the legal age to buy e-cigarettes and tobacco products in Maryland will be 21.

Not every 21-year-old celebrates the big birthday with alcohol, however. Others said they plan to travel instead.

“I’m not really a drinker, so, like, I don’t even fantasize [about excessive drinking],” third-year nursing student Alayshia Florida said.

“But I am going to Las Vegas for my 21st birthday. My cousin, he’s also turning 21 too, so me and him and my older cousins [are going].”

Another perk of turning 21: Licensed drivers with three years of experience are allowed to supervise learning drivers.

Drivers with Maryland provisional licenses issued before they turned 21 must renew them within 60 days after their birthdays.

Provisional licenses for those younger than 21 are vertical and display an “under 21” restriction on them. Full driver’s licenses for 21-year-olds are horizontal and do not show the “under 21” restriction.

Although it is not state law, many bars and restaurants do not serve alcohol to those with a vertical driver’s license.

“It’s up to restaurants to determine whether they will accept [vertical driver’s licenses] or not,” said Ashley Sokolowski, a bartender at Libations in Millersville who graduated from AACC in May.

“Most places in [Anne Arundel] county do not.”

This doesn’t just affect newly turned 21-year-olds, either. “I’ve actually turned away people who, according to their birthdate on their license, were 25,” Sokolowski said.

“I do recommend if someone’s turning 21 that they fill out the paperwork to get [a renewed license] sent in for their birthday. … It would make my job easier,” Sokolowski added.