Well, I for one am constantly known for going out with my friends "just to dance" and then ending up asleep on a public toilet after tiring myself out from puking my guts out. Each and every morning after, I text the friends I went out with the night before and we all promise each other we wont drink next time, we might even promise to have fun at home nights and not even step a foot in the bar, but time and time again we end up in the bar the next weekend (or sometimes even the next day!) saying again, "just one more drink."
It's not like we do it on purpose. Although I love my small city, it doesn't offer a ton of free entertainment and although the bar isn't free (at least alcohol isn't), it starts out with free admission and the lure to dance and meet people. But, usually we get there early and the bar is dull and we don't have enough "outgoingness" in our veins to get up and dance alone so we turn to alcohol. I know that you don't NEED alcohol to let loose of your inhibitions, that you can find it within yourself yada yada. Of that I'm aware; but it gives you something to do. Your hands something to grasp. I'm sure a smoker could give you these same reasons for why he/she smokes but they're never really a good answer are they? Yet I suppose they are an excuse and that's why we use them.
I'm such an outgoing person to begin with. I don't need alcohol to make me more outgoing but it does help. It's all about limiting yourself to one drink an hour or not taking shots or whatever. And i tell myself that time and time again but it never seems to work. My boyfriend always asks me the next morning how I got so drunk the night previous and my excuse always starts with 'well a friend of a friend was buying shots so how could I say no?' or ' well i haven't drank in a few weeks so my tolerence was so much lower" etc etc and although this might be the case sometimes, it's not a good excuse.
So here's to relying on yourself, not alcohol for entertainment. The list of why we shouldn't drink goes on and on. Some reasons are:
1. It costs a ton of money. I dont know what the prices are like outside of Canada but I know the prices have gone up recently due to law changes in my humble town. Example. Thursday nights I used to be able to get .50c highballs all night but now it's minimum $2.75 per shot of alcohol and that's at the cheapest place in town! I know for me, I'm constantly trying to save money by not eating the most expensive food and not going out places and resisting shopping etc (as hard as it is, i need to pay my rent at the end of the month), but somehow, no matter what, I always have money for alcohol. It's pitiful but true and I know I'm not the only one like this. I can refuse to go bowling for my friends birthday because "I'm too broke" but the second someone asks me out to the bar I have enough money to get drunk and maybe help my friends get drunk too. It's actually quite pitiful but true.
So why don't we save that money and put it toward something we actually need and will have lasting benefits like a vacation or car? Every night you go out and don't drink, put the money you would have used that night into a jar or savings account. You'll be surprised how quickly the cash adds up!
2. It makes you gain weight. You can make claim after claim that if you drink the right type of alcohol mixed with the right thing, you can drink without losing weight but I'm sorry my friend, you are wrong. Your minimum caloric intake would be with some types of vodka at 56 calories per shot of alchohol. But think for a second. How many shots are you having per drink, per night, per weekend? It definetly adds up. An example of the extremity of this is myself and one of my best friends. When we started drinking, we didn't change any eating or excercise habits and within the year had each gained 20 or more pounds. It's no fun strutting your stuff anywhere with extra pounds hanging about! Lucky for my friend, she went to bible school shortly after and lost it all just by not drinking! She was even eating more, and more unhealthy items and excercising less and still lost the weight. The only thing she cut out was alcohol.. give it a shot if you're a partyer that wants to lose some inches!
3. It makes you do things you wouldn't if you were sober. Go home with different people, have one night stands, make out with people you normally wouldn't look twice at. You make a fool out of yourself dancing rediculously, you may put on too much makeup, hair products, perfume or cologne. Everything gets heightened to a level of pure extremity. Go to the bar sober one day and just observe how stupid people look and how much they differ from their regular sober selves. Sure it's fun once in a while, but don't let it become a habit or addiction.
4. This kind of relates to number 3 but either way; you come across as a differen't person to strangers, friends and possible future friends, aquantinces, empoyers etc. You never know what you're going to do when you're drunk or how big of an ass you're going to make of yourself. Know your limits and stick within them.
5. It can quickly become dangerous. We've all heard of MADD but no ones takes it to heart unless it happens to them personally or to someone they personally know. Imagine being responsible for someones death; imagine being responsible for a friends death or paralysis. A child. A family member. Anyone. You could never recover from that. Taxis may be annoying but they're worth the time and wait. You just spent a ton of money on alcohol, it's your duty to spend a bit more on a safe way home. Or walk! It's great excercise and helps the alchohol out of your system. My friend and I do this all the time and it's always fun and never seems like it takes as long when there's still alcohol in your system. Just make sure you always look both ways and follow the rules of the road. No laying down in front of a stoplight a la the notebook. It may seem romantic, but trust me. It loses all romance when one of you gets run over. Not pretty. Also, don't ask drunk friends to drive you or pressure them into doing something. Although it's still untimately their decision, it makes for a hard time to say no when everyones telling you to. Don't be the friend that pressures; be the friend that supports. If you don't have a DD, call a friend or family member. They might be mad initially, but they'll be happy in the long run that you didnt drink and drive.
Well that's my preachy lesson for now!! Off to watch ANTM.
Yours,
Morgan
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