Although 21st birthday bar tours are a rite of passage praised by some Penn State students, the tours are one tradition local police and watering hole operators are trying to bring to an end.

Amy Kraus (sophomore-information sciences and technology) said she can't wait for her bar tour.

"When you hit 21 you're finally able to go out and enjoy the bar scene," Kraus said. "I'm definitely going on a bar tour when I turn 21, it's what you're supposed to do."

Robert Robson (senior-crime law and justice) turned 21 in September 2000.

"All my friends were already 21 and they kept talking about how they were going to take me out for birthday," Robson said. "Bar tours are a Penn State tradition."

After consuming eight beers and 15 shots that evening, Robson said he doesn't really see bar tours as dangerous.

"As long as you're out with your close friends who you can really trust they'll watch out for you and keep you safe," Robson said.

Cpl. Rick Ososkie of the State College Police Department said friends of the 21-year-old can not always keep each other safe on their first night of legal drinking.

"Unfortunately, their friends usually aren't experienced enough to recognize when they're in need of medical attention," Ososkie said.

"There was an incident a few years ago when police officers stopped a group of students, who were carrying their friend home after her bar tour," he said. "Luckily the officer realized that the girl needed to go to the hospital. If her friends would have brought her home to 'sleep it off' she may have died," he said.

Jerry Prater, an educator at the Centre County Community Hospital, also sees bar tours as dangerous. If friends are taking out the recently turned 21-year-old on a bar tour they have to be a true friend and take care of them, Prater said.

"At least one person in the group should remain sober and monitor the drink and food intake of their friend," he said. "Also, stretch the bar tour out over a longer period of time because when you drink too fast your body can't keep up."

Some bars in State College enforce their own restrictions to keep bar tourists safe.

"We no longer allow people to come in within the first hour of their birthday," said Brian Estep assistant bar manager at The Gingerbread Man, 130 Hiester St. "You can't enter and drink until the first full day of your birthday."

The Gingerbread Man won't serve liquor to people on their 21st birthday. Also the bar hasn't been having problems with bar tour illness since they instituted the rule, he said.

Estep's advice for 21-year-olds on a bar tour -- moderation. "How much fun can it be to drink 21 shots in a half hour and end up going to the hospital to get your stomach pumped?"

The Phyrst, 111 1/2 E. Beaver Ave., is watchful of 21-year-olds on their birthdays and follows the same rules as The Gingerbread Man.

"If the bouncer sees it's your birthday from your ID, he'll alert the bar tender and manager so that we can make sure that that individual does not receive any liquor," said Chad Smith, Phyrst manager. "And if it's too busy that night for us to keep a watchful eye on the group, we'll turn them away."

Smith hopes that the bar tour tradition is short lived.

"All of the area bars are trying to eliminate bar tours," he said. "While they won't stop until the students themselves stop them, the actions of the bars and pressure from the university has helped."

Smith said there is a lot of pressure from friends to go on bar tours and drink too much.

"It's become a State College, Penn State coming of age thing," Smith said. "And I think all students feel that pressure."