What Does Nasty 19 Mean? Everything You Need to Know

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Plus, 19th birthday party celebration ideas

Co-authored by Kamila Tan and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 Fact Checked

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Meaning

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Usage

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Celebrating Nasty 19

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Coping with Nasty 19

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Other Milestone Birthdays

Your nasty 19 can be one of the most exciting celebrations of your life, as it marks your last year as a teenager and highlights the transition into adulthood. You may hear the term nasty 19 everywhere and think to yourself, “Man, what does it actually mean?” Well, we’re here to answer your questions. In this article, we explain what nasty 19 means, how it’s used, how to celebrate your nasty 19, and more.

What does "nasty 19" mean?

Your nasty 19 is your 19th birthday. It’s mainly called nasty because it’s the last time you can wild out as a teenager. Since it’s your last year as a teen, nasty 19 is often marked by big, fun parties with friends. Some call it the nasty 19 because of the tough, nasty feelings that they deal with as they grow older.

Section 1 of 5:

What does nasty 19 mean?

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Like your sweet 16, your Nasty 19 is a celebratory birthday that marks the end of your teenage years. Like the sweet 16, the nasty 19 is typically marked by a big celebration filled with friends, drinks, and potential partners. People often view the nasty 19 as the last year to mess around with potential partners and wild out as a teen.
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Nasty 19 can also refer to the difficulties that come with being age 19. Others view the nasty 19 as nasty because the final year of being a teenager is often filled with tough transitions and more responsibilities. At 19, you’re starting to enter the tougher years of university (if you’re enrolled), celebrating getting older without your family, facing the looming years of adulthood, and still figuring out who you are in the midst of it all, making many view the year as “nasty.”
- 19 is also typically marked by difficulties in love, with some believing that whoever you date at 19 will be one of the worst relationships in your life.

Section 2 of 5:

How Nasty 19 Is Used

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People use nasty 19 in celebration of their 19th birthday. The 19th birthday is often dubbed the nasty 19 as a way to celebrate your final year as a teenager, so it makes sense that it’s used in the same way. For example, someone who’s away at college may say something like “My nasty 19’s coming up and I’m so pumped” if their 19th birthday is around the corner and they plan on celebrating.
- Example: “Did you hear Jessica’s nasty 19 is this weekend? She’s throwing a rager to celebrate.”
- Example: “My nasty 19’s coming up and I can’t believe it. It’s my last year as a teen!”
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People use nasty 19 to refer to the hardships of being 19. Although nasty 19 is often used to celebrate your birthday, it’s also used to talk about how hard it is being 19. People often use it to talk about the hard transitions that come with turning 19 and approaching 20, like growing more distant from your family, figuring out who you are without the influence of others, and living on your own.
- Example: “My nasty 19’s around the corner and I’m so nervous. I’m not gonna be able to celebrate with my family, and there’s so much I want to do before turning 20. Talk about nasty, right?”
- Example: “I’m not ready for my birthday. It’s my nasty 19, which means it’s gonna be a tough one. I wish I could be with my family instead of away at school.”

Section 3 of 5:

How to Celebrate Your Nasty 19

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Throw a party with all of your friends. One of the best ways to celebrate your nasty 19 is by throwing a big party with all of your friends. Find someone who can host, grab food, drinks, a speaker, and some games for you to play, decorate, invite all of your friends and peers who you want to get closer to, and have a night to remember!^{[1]
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- If you really wanna live up to the name, invite one of your crushes to the party and see where the night takes you two.
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Treat yourself to a celebratory dinner. If you’d prefer to have a lowkey night to yourself or only with your close circle, book a reservation at your favorite dinner spot and treat yourself. Whether you’re alone or with some friends, a celebratory dinner is a great opportunity to look back on your years as a teenager, get excited about your years as an adult, and enjoy your final years as a teenager.
- For those who don’t like to party, this is the perfect way to celebrate!
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Make a list of things that you want to do during your last year as a teen. Make your last year as a teenager special by doing a bunch of things that you haven’t done yet. By tackling bigger things and treating yourself for your 19th birthday leading up to your 20th, you can ease the transition into older adulthood. So, make a list of things you want to do before turning 20, like skydiving, bungee jumping, or going to a different state, and make it a goal to do them before your 20th birthday. Some things you can do include:^{[2]
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- Try a restaurant you’ve always wanted to try.
- Visit a cat cafe.
- Treat yourself to a spa day.
- Travel to a new state.
- See your favorite artist in concert.
- Stay in a hotel for the night.
- Get a tattoo or piercing.
- Plant a garden.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Cope with Your Nasty 19

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If you’re feeling anxious about your future and need a way to ground yourself, practice mindfulness. Being mindful involves being present and looking at the world through a lens of compassionate curiosity. By being curious about your present moment and focusing on your emotions, thoughts, actions, and physical sensations, you will be able to take your mind off the negative aspects of growing older.^{[3]
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Focus on the exciting aspects of your future. The uncertainty that comes with aging can make that last year of your teenagehood seem difficult, but it’s actually exciting! If you’re uncertain of the future, life & recovery coach Kamila Tan says to “get curious about the unknown instead of fearing it.” Think about some exciting new things on the horizon and focus on the good in your life, as the worst-case scenarios you fear typically don’t come to fruition.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Kamila Tan
Life and Recovery Coach

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- Think about milestones that are coming up in your life, like your 21st birthday, your first adult job, or your college graduation if you’re enrolled at university.
- Look back at all the things you’ve accomplished as a teenager. You can do even more as an adult! That’s something to be excited about.

Section 5 of 5:

Other Milestone Birthdays

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Sweet 16 Your Sweet 16 marks the end of childhood and serves as a celebration of your teenage years, similar to how your nasty 19 marks the end of your teenage years and your transition into adulthood. Sweet 16s typically consist of big celebrations and lavish gifts, but you don’t need those things in order for it to be a sweet 16.
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21st Birthday In America, your 21st birthday is the first year that you’re legally allowed to drink and purchase alcohol. Because of this, Americans usually celebrate their 21st birthdays with exciting nights at the bar, typically filled with beer, booze, and a bunch of friends.
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Jordan Year Your Jordan year is your 23rd birthday, with the name being a reference to legendary NBA player Michael Jordan’s jersey number with the Chicago Bulls. Although this birthday isn’t a major milestone in terms of legal purchases or transitions, people still celebrate it by referring to year 23 as their Jordan year.
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Kobe Year Your Kobe year is your 24th birthday, with the name being a reference to the late NBA player Kobe Bryant’s primary jersey number with the Los Angeles Lakers. It is often considered one of the last major birthdays in early adulthood, as it’s the year before you turn 25, which many consider to be the start of real adulthood.