<p>10 cup beer pong FTW.</p>
<p>What ****es me off is that my friend right now is insisting that it will be absolutely fine to drink at 21 and somehow assumes you're a different person at 21 than you are at 20.</p>
<p>He calls me egotistical because I say I can make my own decisions about when drinking is perfectly safe (i.e. when it's 3-4 of your friends and you guys are playing guitar hero 2). I don't know how to break it to him, it's getting ridiculous.</p>
<p>yes thats one thing I don't get. what exactly makes a 21 year old who drinks so much more mature than a 20 year old that drinks?</p>
<p>Oh, and also let me make the point that most times, people don't drink alcohol because it's necessary to make an event fun, but because it's a very good chance that alcohol will make something fun.</p>
<p>Water is fine by itself, why add things to make it into soda that will harm your teeth? Just drink water, there's no reason to drink soda, it will only do you harm. Soda will make you fat, your teeth will rot, and you WILL get a sugar high and crash.</p>
<p>^the same argument</p>
<p>IlikeDice: I'm a tad confused by your first sentence. People don't drink alcohol because it's required for fun but they do it because it makes things fun? If I'm understanding you correctly, don't you see an unhealthy relationship developing between fun and alcohol?</p>
<p>The soda/water argument isn't entirely applicable. I haven't heard of too many car crashes with someone under the influence of Coke or someone passing out and getting raped after consuming 5 bottles of Pepsi... </p>
<p>alamode: I don't really see the point of these restrictions. I'm sure the government believes that at 21, people will be more apt at making smart decisions and will avoid drunk-driving/know their drinking limits better. Seems like a load of crap to me. This just puts an age limit on being able to do something hazardous and unnecessary. There's no reason to tempt anyone with bad choices at any point in their life; drinking alcohol is bad if you're 13, 21, 40, or even 80... Being an extremist, I wouldn't say no to a reestablishment of the Prohibition (which would have succeeded if it was properly funded) but I'm sure that won't happen... Instead, I advocate more federal funds to enforcing restrictions on sale of liquors and a campaign backed by popular celebrities. But with the War on Terror being so important, little attention is being paid to domestic issues, so I'm not expecting too much...</p>
<p>-The Domestic Coot66</p>
<p>I don't drink or do any other sorts of drugs because I am personally afraid of being "out of my element" or "not being myself."</p>
<p>I prefer hanging out with people who don't drink, but as long as people don't pressure me, I don't care about their personal choices.</p>
<p>Smoking cigarettes is another story, however.</p>
<p>I drink, it's a casual thing really, and I don't feel guilty about it, nor do I try to analyze why I do it. I know I do it because it's fun, and there's no morality involved in it with me. It's just a chemical, like caffeine. Sure, there are consequences, but that's life. </p>
<p>If someone doesn't like me drinking, they can stay away. I don't like judgemental people, to each his own.</p>
<p>I know loads of nerds. Some even have perfect scores on the ACT (maybe SAT I dunno), and they get totally hammered sometimes...maybe a little stoned ever now and then. [Some said it helped them focus better on the test if they smoked the night before. <em>shrugs</em>]</p>
<p>But there were a lot of "dry" students at my school as well, so you're not alone. Cheers!</p>
<p>I am too scared of punishment (parents or police) to drink</p>
<p>**** the police</p>
<p>ah that reminds me, i'll be unbanned from dartmouth in a couple weeks!</p>
<p>People here start drinking by the age of 13-14 ... but the drinking age is also 18. In a way it's really bad, in an other, by the time we're 18 and going to bars and all, we know our limits. When Ontarians come over here for the march break, they're always wacko drunk and alot of them break stuff from being so drunk (in general, I don't want to offence anyone ... I myself lived in Ontario for 8 years lol). Hotels hate march break because of that. Anyways, I drank my first beers at the age of 13 at Christmas. I'm 15 (practically 16) and I've been going to parties since I was 14, but then again, most of my friends are older than me by atleast 3 years.</p>
<p>"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin.</p>
<p>If Ben Franklin says its good, then it must be good.</p>
<p>The valedictorian of my class, gets absolutely smashed every single weekend and she is incredibly smart in every single subject! My friend whose #3, in my class brings vodka to school, and drinks it throughout the day, and gets absolutely smashed on the weekends as well. I usually only drink on the weekends and its always in a social setting. I don't see anything wrong with underage drinking as long as your responsible and know your limits.</p>
<p>Nothing beats curling up beside your best friend - a bottle of Jack Daniels.</p>
<p></p>
<p>My grandpa was an alchoholic chain smoker who died at 55 from lung cancer. Because of that, I will not drink or smoke.</p>
<p>Alcohol makes women more attractive, gives you an excuse for your actions, and makes a person virtually impervious to criticism. If you're worried you might surpass the limit of alcohol your body can handle, just wing it. If you throw up, then you know you've had too much, and to try again tomorrow night. Remember, nobody likes a quitter.</p>
<p>i drink and i don't think that there is anything worng with it... it's a part of life... that's just the way it is... i think that it is a good thing to drink in high school because it's important to know how it effects you and what your limits are before you get to college. Often times, people who never drink in high school and then start drinking in college get in way over their head with it. Yes, with drinking there are consequences, but they can be positive or negative and consequences coem with every decsion that we make in our lives... I don't see anything wrong in wanting to drink something that tastes good and makes you feel good</p>
<p>and i just have to add this but drinking is a MAJOR part of the college experience..... if you don't EVER plan to drink then college might be somewhat lonely for you considering the fact that a majority of college students DO drink</p>
<p>My grandpa dropped out of school in 8th grade, joined the army, and started drinking/smoking. He has been smoking around 2 packs a day ever since and only drinks alcohol...as in apple juice and vodka for breakfast and then cocktails throughout the rest of the day. </p>
<p>He is currently 84 and a millionaire. He HAS had health problems...he's old!...but no cancer or anything serious.</p>
<p>I call him superman. </p>
<p>Okay next story. I have an EXTREMELY judgemental "friend" who is very religious and basically dislikes everyone who drinks/drugs/swears/has sex etc. Even her best friend lies to her about everything and acts like a totally different person when with her to avoid judgement. Everyone talks about how judgemental she is behind her back. When I said people will "lie" to you Coot66, I meant this. People won't be themselves around you when you are judgemental. So make your judgements wisely.</p>
<p>yeah, just let people be... and stay away from most of northern europe with that kind of attitude lol</p>
<p>Coot:</p>
<p>"Being an extremist, I wouldn't say no to a reestablishment of the Prohibition (which would have succeeded if it was properly funded)"</p>
<p>Prohibition in history has been shown to fail. When certain substances are illegal, many cons come out of it. Business always comes first, whether it be taxing the hell out of it or black markets are created along with other illegal activities. When you can't do something, you are tempted to do it. Your parents tell you not to eat the chocolate cake in the kitchen, but you proceed to do it anyway. Hey coot, it's like how the war on drugs is working right? Having our tax money go to senseless jail sentences for marijuana, a substance which is scientifically healthier than cigarettes or alcohol.</p>