The age at which a person should have his or her first “legal” drink has been debated since July 17, 1984, when the National Drinking Age Act changed it from 18 to 21.

Most recently, it surfaced last month when the Associated Press reported that about 100 college presidents, led by Middlebury College President John McCardell, called for reconsideration, saying the current law encourages binge drinking and pushes alcohol into the shadows.

An Aug. 21 AP story in the San Francisco Chronicle said the list had grown to 123 presidents, with Mothers Against Drunk Driving accusing the presidents of “seeking to avoid the unpleasant work of cracking down on campus lawbreakers.”

The day I turned 18, I missed the cutoff for voter registration. I didn’t want to celebrate by buying cigarettes, so I bought some lottery tickets and scratch-offs, instead. But that excitement only lasted a couple hours.

I didn’t understand why I had to wait three more years (which seemed like forever) to sit at a bar with friends.

My parents had told me about their college experiences, and even though they sometimes got out of hand, I thought I needed to drink to make my college years really memorable.

Having recently turned 21, however, I understand why the law is this way. Although I still have some maturing to do, I have grown so much and know how to use discretion in various situations.

I no longer repeatedly say “yes” when my parents’ lecture me and now make my own choices based on caring for others around me. At 21, I know how wrong it is to be impaired behind the wheel, compared to when I was 18.

A study published in the journal, “Accident Analysis and Prevention,” in its July 8 issue showed the importance of the higher drinking age.

The 21-year-old age limit has contributed to an 11 percent decrease in alcohol-related traffic deaths among young people, according to the study. Many people in my generation believe they and their friends are invincible, but the facts do not support that belief.

Anyone is at risk for an accident whether he or she has just had one drink or 10. Every time I go out, I now make sure my friends and I have a designated driver.

Even so, we choose not to drink too much, since we know we can have fun without alcohol in our systems.