When people hear the word "college" they more often than not associate it with drinking. A couple of years ago, I would have cringed at the just the thought of being sober in college. Now with 18 months sober under my belt, I go out to bars almost every weekend and I have a great time, I just don't drink. I am in no way saying that sobriety is more fun than drinking, it is just a different type of fun. I know that there are other college students out there who struggle with substance abuse and are sober but want to have a normal college experience. So, I decided to share some things that have helped me in partying while sober.
Surround yourself with supportive friends
5 Reasons 'Friends' Is The Best Sitcom To Date, No Argumentc1.staticflickr.comFirst and foremost, I don't recommend going out/partying alone if you are in sober. It is really important to surround yourself with supportive people who have your best interests at heart. It doesn't matter if these people are sober or not as long as they respect what you're doing, even if they personally do not believe in it. The bottom line is if people really have a problem with the fact that you aren't drinking, they aren't really your friends.
Bring your own drinks
La Croix Is La Crotch, Sorry Not SorryInstagram @lacroixwaterJust because you're sober doesn't mean you can't go to the pregame!! I personally still go to pregames, I just bring my own drinks. My go to drinks are: Redbull, Topo Chico, La Croix, Welches Sparkling Cider, Fauxmosa etc. The options truly are endless.
Always have a drink in your hand
One thing I have found to be really helpful when I go out to bars is to always have a drink in my hand, whether it be Redbull (a common theme in this post), tonic water, etc. You can even ask the bartender if they have any nonalcoholic beer or if they can make you a fun mocktail. The reason I say this is that if/when someone offers to buy you a drink you can always say "No thanks I already have one". Also, for some reason I feel more comfortable when holding a drink in my hand at a bar, it just feels more natural.
For the love of all that is good and holy, DON'T LECTURE YOUR FRIENDS
Seriously don't. The fastest and easiest way to ruin everyone's time is to give an unwarranted sermon on why you don't drink. The reality is that most people don't really care, I know that sounds harsh but it's true. If you are anxious about the question "so why don't you drink" just know that not everyone has the right to know why you aren't drinking so here is a list of vague reasons you can give people who ask.
- "I'm on a medicine where I can't drink"
- "I have an early/busy tomorrow"
- "I don't really like how alcohol makes me feel/ Im allergic"
But PLEASE do not lecture people on why you're sober, I promise if you do you are going to get the exact reaction shown in the gif above.
Relax
At first, I know it feels super awkward being sober around a bunch of drunk people, however, it is kind of fun watching drunk people. One thing I have learned is you just gotta take a deep breath, relax and just let go. I cannot think of a better time to let go of self-consciousness and just have fun and dance than when I'm surrounded by drunk people. Seriously, they aren't going to care and the probably won't even remember the next morning.
"We are all fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance"
- Japanese Proverb
