We’re back into the school term and weekend parties are bound to become more frequent, with fellow students getting unbelievably drunk. But does going against the grain and deciding not to consume alcohol at these gatherings really make you seem like a “bore”?
During my high school years, I lacked confidence outside my close-knit group of friends, so having a few alcoholic drinks at a party gave me the courage to talk to people whom I would normally avoid and I became a more social person because of it. I would go to parties regularly during college and getting wasted was pretty much a normal routine for me – until I started to become a hassle to those around me, with people having to take me home or book me a taxi home because I was too intoxicated for anyone to handle. It also led me to become unnecessarily aggressive, as my friends would find voicemails of me frequently swearing at them down the phone, which I can only presume wasn’t pleasant to receive.
What made it worse was that I had no recollection of it, my memory of the previous night would be patchy and the reminders would be downright embarrassing.
This made me take up Dry January, a concept that some fail to stick by but I am 2/3 of the way in and it has done me wonders. Erasing alcohol from my life has made me:
- Cheerful. Of course, alcohol is a depressant so consequently, I don’t feel as paranoid and shitty like I used to, I am actually happy with myself and being in the company of others.
- Healthy. The aftermath of a heavy night out also weakened me physically, I now have more energy and motivation to go to the gym and take better care of my body.
- Wealthy. Since I live in London, buying drink puts a big dent in my wallet and I am sure it’s a similar story in any major city, so having extra cash for essentials and little treats here and there has been great help.
- Have better memory. I actually remember what I did the day before and don’t regret it either.
- Less hungover. Goes without saying, really.
So, to answer the question: no. A life of sobriety isn’t boring when you add up all of the factors: having the ability to be more present, aware and healthy. Having an alcoholic drink isn’t a requirement for you to have fun, regardless of the amount of social pressure that surrounds it. If anything for me, it is boring to spend so much money to not be able to walk properly and feel like crap later on.
Despite this, I want to clarify something: in no way am I trying to shame those who are getting smashed on the regular as it is your life, do with it what you will, but there comes a point in time where well-being comes first. When you start to question why you feel awful, yet get drunk frequently, that’s when changes need to be made.
