There's always pros and cons to being responsible, especially when it comes to being the designated driver.Â
When making plans to go out on the weekend, a DD is always something that crosses your mind. No one wants to pay for a taxi, no one wants to wait at the nearest bus stop with the 100 other people trying to catch the same bus, and when it comes to cities like Morgantown, walking isn't always an option.Â
Friday night rolls around, plans are being discussed, and outfits are being thought of; one thing on everyone's mind is, how will we get downtown and back home? Well, if you're anything like me, you always throw out the option, "I'll drive!" But then in some cases, you and your friends take turns, draw out of a hat, or see who's class is earliest or who has a test.Â
A lot of college students normally wouldn't offer to be the DD every night of every weekend, but there's always that occasional circumstance. I have just never found the whole, "getting drunk three nights in a row" thing appealing. Every once in a while (every 5-6 months) an opportunity will come, when being the DD isn't something you'll offer.Â
People complain that attending a club, fraternity open party, social, or house party isn't fun when sober; but I personally think those people are just boring sober people. It takes a SPECIAL kind of person to be able to handle 100+ drunk people and still have a good time. When it comes to actually going into the club or party when being the DD, many things could happen:Â
1. Sit there and make fun of everyone.Â
2. Walk around mingle and possibly find someone else sober, or someone that can still have a good conversation with you.Â
3. Be the "sober sal/sally" in the corner on their phone.
When I have to drive my friends around, I always get a good laugh in the car; between the messed up song lyrics, the stupid jokes that aren't normally funny, the ridiculous laughs that come out, or just the conversations you sometimes overhear.Â
Also, if you decide to be the DD many things are avoided:
1. The awful stories that are told about you in the morning
2. The miserable hangover that followsÂ
3. Possibly getting an underage (if under 21 obviously)
4. The cuts, scrapes, and/or bruises you sometimes wind up with
5. Not breaking/ruining your favorite shoes or outfit.Â
6. Those unwanted/unnecessary hook-ups or phone calls/texts
7. Knowing not to eat the second slice of pizza or ordering Jimmy Johns.
Now, don't get me wrong not everything about being a DD is all so glorious. Being a DD is also sometimes boring and/or annoying, such as:
1. Getting the phone calls late at night to come pick them up.
2. Getting the phone calls after you JUST got home, for the third time.Â
3. Being asked the simple question, "why don't you drink?"
4. The loud, obnoxious girls or the overly douchey guys
5. Trying to make logical things seem logical to someone under the influence
6. Being babysitter or Mom for the night
7. Cleaning up the 50 messes made at the pre-game.
I love the fact that I'm keeping my friends and the people I care about out of trouble. This lifestyle chose me. True Life: I'm a DD.Â