Last week I turned 23. I have not made a big deal of my birthday since I was younger, but as an adult, it’s a great way to get friends together you haven’t seen in a while. I always try to organize an event I know all of them will enjoy. I also use this as a way to introduce old friends to new friends and grow our social circles.

I kept the birthday celebration close to home by going axe throwing at the Bensalem location of Bury the Hatchet. For $40 a person, you get to spend two hours learning, practicing and then throwing an axe. I thought this was a unique idea for a get-together. All of my friends were excited, too.

To reserve a private lane, you need a group of nine people or you might get a couple strangers thrown in. Luckily, I had eight friends attend, so together we were enough to fill a lane. There are no walk-ins, and reservations have to be made a minimum of 24 hours in advance.

It was so much fun learning how to throw an axe with their professional trainers. All of us were terrible at first, so it led to a lot of laughs. Our final showdown was an enjoyable experience. One of my friends won, but we all felt like winners as we said our goodbyes. Overall, it was one of the best birthdays I’ve had in the past few years.

— Nia Scott, intern