The drinking age in NY was 18 when I was in high school, then it went to 19 and then 21.
That's what I thought, because I remember being pissed in high school when it turned to 21 when I was 17!
New York State raised its minimum drinking age from 18 to 19 years in 1982 Then New York State raised its minimum drinking age from 19 to 21 years on December 1, 1985. [
source]
In NJ, the drinking age was raised to 19 in 1980, then to 21 in 1983. [
source]
lol