Drinking--is it okay not to?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Hi guys:</p>

<p>i'm aware that many similar posts have probably been posted here, but i really want to ask again to make sure.</p>

<p>i'm a college freshman this year and i found that there are many opportunities to drink on campus. i have no opposition to it--in fact, i don't really care about the drinking culture.</p>

<p>i went to several parties during my frosh, tried almost all the drinks (not in one party, of course) , and i'm not really into their tastes. they didn't taste that good.</p>

<p>i'm now considering NOT to drink at all, because of the following reasons:</p>

<p>1) i'm a girl, i heard things can get dangerous if im not careful</p>

<p>2) i heard that alcohol is known to be a contributing factor of freshman 15, and i really want to avoid that (at all cost)</p>

<p>3) i don't like the taste that much</p>

<p>4) i'm not that shy. i can dance the night away without drinking, and i dont mind talking to strangers. Grinding/dirty dancing is something that doesnt really interest me anyways no matter if i have drank that night or not.</p>

<p>My college is not known for being a party school. it has a relatively high rank and students study very hard. of course we have fun on weekends, but it's not like any southern schools.</p>

<p>as a freshman, i just want to ask you guys if this will affect my social life at all. i don't judge drinking, and i know my question might seem stupid/lacking in confidence, but please dont judge my question either.</p>

<p>i don't want my social life to suffer, especially since this is my 1st year here.</p>

<p>thank you!</p>

2

<p>Sounds like a smart decision and since you are an outgoing girl and like to have fun no matter what, I don't see how this would affect your social experience at all. You can feel proud that you have a good head on your shoulders and can set the example for others. You will be healthier and happier. Go dance the night away and have fun, I wish there were more college students who think the way you do!</p>

3

<p>I wouldn't drink either and there are enough kids at college who don't drink. You'll make some tee-totalling friends. Smart decision.</p>

4

<p>Nobody cares. Your social life will not suffer.</p>

5

<p>While I drink very little, the point of drinking is not for it to taste good...</p>

6

<p>Nobody will think less of you for not drinking. Go ahead and stay sober!</p>

7

<p>did you DRINK or did you TASTE?</p>

8

<p>Nobody will really care. I used to go to parties with my friends and not drink and didn't have any real problems. I found the best drink was to pour some soda into a red cup and walk around with that all night. People will think you've got some sort of mixed drink (jack and coke, for example) and not bother you to start drinking, and you'll always have an excuse to ditch some guy that's boring you ("Excuse me...I need to refill my drink.").</p>

<p>I didn't start drinking until a few months after I turned 21, and, really, it didn't make the nights any more fun.</p>

9

<p>I go to MSU where drinking is very prevalent. However, I still have several friends who choose not to drink. They still come to parties and have a blast, but do not need alcohol to attain elation. So definitely, it is totally okay to avoid drinking completely</p>

10

<p>You're a girl, nobody will care.</p>

11

<p>nobody will care but honestly u get over the taste after a while.....dont overdrink tho as that can be dangerous for a girl.</p>

12

<p>Yeah, I don't need to drink. I hate the taste. I don't need to drink to loosen up either, because I'm crazy all the time.</p>

13

<p>No, you HAVE to drink.</p>

14

<p>No it's mandatory, most colleges deliver breathalyzers every saturday night and if you're below a .08 2 weeks in a row you get expelled</p>

15

<p>ha ha Vaskinsfan08. but seriously it is fine if you don't drink. i mean you don't drink for the taste anyway, (unless its wine) its more for the effect it gives you. like chilling out and relaxing, but there's no rule saying because your in college you have to drink. and the freshmen 15 and alcohol mainly has to do with beer, the whole beer belly thing. hard alcohol like vodka and ish like that has less calories. but its all up to you, you'll be ok. sometimes i wish i had never done the whole drinking thing but only because i guess technically if your not 21 its illegal, but other than that its whatever</p>

16

<p>no one cares. they are cool if you want to drink, they are cool if you don't. everyone is respectful and everyone only cares about themselves anyway so no one will care if you're not drinking. don't worry about it</p>

17

<p>FYI the beer belly thing is not really caused by beer. people who drink lots of beer are more likely to also eat lots of crap and gain the freshman 15, but the weight gain is not, for the most part, caused by drinking. kind of a correlation-vs-causation thing</p>

18

<p>VASkinsFan08, alcohol itself definitely does contribute to the freshman15, but you're right in the idea that it's not any worse than drinking lots of soda or consuming any other unhealthy stuff.</p>

<p>OP, as long as you don't come riding in on a sober high horse judging and critiquing everyone, no one could care less whether you're drinking.</p>

19

<p>If you don't want to drink, don't drink-it's as simple as that...</p>

20

<p>at the end you'll just have more brain cells, and a better functioning liver than some of your class mates. I don't drink either. Not that I don't like to, but because I work out every day.</p>