<p>Look, I couldn't care less if you drink or not. I don't even know you. But personally, I think you should maybe consider giving it a try if you've never done it, for nothing more than curiosity's sake.</p>
<p>The reason I say that is because I was adamant against drinking when I first arrived in college, despite having never tried it.</p>
<p>The main reasons were: my mom and dad (former heavy drinker) both drank before, but had since given it up - and they were absolutely against it. I basically thought - wow what would they think if I partook in drinking - I'd get in trouble, they'd judge me as morally weak, etc. Then I came up with my own rationalizations (other than - "my parents") to reduce cognitive dissonance. Sure, my dad had some problems with it in his past. I knew a few others than did to. It's ovverrated, yadda yadda.</p>
<p>Then I tried it once, then more, and it's pretty fun for me. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been sick from 3 years.</p>
<p>Now if you don't want to drink, that's fine - but it appears that you have no REASON not to drink. You say 'personal decision' - but why? I don't even believe it's against any organized religion. I'm not judging, just say why. If it's because your uncle or grandfather abused the stuff / or had a problem, that's pretty weak. Other people make mistakes so now you're automatically going to make them? My dad was a full blown alcholic in his youth, but I can say with certainty that I am not. I don't even enjoy the taste of alcohol for the most part; I just enjoy getting drunk once in a blue moon.</p>
<p>Just sayin' - you seem to be in a similar situation I was. At least try it. If you can't try it even once, that means somehow you think tasting it makes you some sort of sinner/ it's the devils brew. Don't be scared of it either - act responsibly. Just some thoughts, do what you want.</p>
<p>^ I would highly question your view on the organized religion thing. Catholics take a sip of wine at Mass, for instance, but my very Christian friend says that drinking to party is heavily against the spirit of how his family views his religion -- in the end, what someone wrote in some book is obviously not what everyone chooses to follow as his religion. And I'm pretty sure I know of organized religion forms which discourage, if not prohibit, the practice of drinking for fun. </p>
<p>I think there are great reasons not to try coffee, alcohol -- any such thing. My roommate refuses to touch either, for instance. His reasoning is literally that he'd just rather not use anything to alter how he feels. Just fundamentally. He's not religious or anything like that either. I on the other hand love coffee, but would rather not introduce myself to alcohol. And I already know I won't like it + the idea of going to a party and drinking. Anyone can beat this to death and say "You can't know until you tried" -- yeah, by that logic, someone doesn't know if he/she is made to be a pure math major until he/she tries majoring in it. :) </p>
<p>So I'd say "Do what you want," after giving it some thought. Sure, don't decide not to drink based on some fear that you'll be tainted + be a sinner. But if your gut feel tells you it's not for you, don't do it -- more often than not, such a gut feel is right.</p>
<p>That is truly lame if you choose not to drink without trying it first. You could end up liking it, like someone I know who had alcohol snuck into their drink and liked it. Turns out this person was originally against it like the OP.</p>
<p>"It isn't doing you or anyone else harm if you choose not to drink."</p>
<p>I don't plan on drinking in college :p. I just don't have the urge to, maybe I'm weird? I have enough trouble being sober lol. It makes no difference to me if friends or whoever else does it; that's their choice. If anyone needs a designated driver though, just lemme know ;).</p>
<p>It's interesting how drinking seems to be of such importance to some people. I doubt many people would care as much if the OP decided to abstain from orange juice.</p>
<p>Orange juice doesn't result in lost inhibitions and hilarious nights.</p>
<p>Your math analogy was terrible. People do try math (all throughout school) to determine whether they like it or not, or hope to pursue a career in it.</p>
<p>I'm just saying, there are many people who are deadset against alcohol from the start (ususally due to parents or h.s. social circle) without even trying it. You should make an individual choice, not let others rule your life for you (ie, your parents).</p>
<p>I know plenty of people proclaiming they'd never do it in college (and eventually doing it - one guy started SENIOR YEAR in college) - and eventually liking drinking as a great way to have fun. Even I was one of these people when I first got to college. And no one actually likes the taste of alcohol; I certainly don't I just drink for entertainment. But I'm looking at you and it's like you can't see the forest for the trees. Just trying to help you out here.</p>
<p>I fail to understand why people are trying to convince others to do something.</p>
<p>Sure, everyone has a story of some person who goes from a teetotaler to alcohol lover, but why try to convince others of doing the same?</p>
<p>I go both ways on the issue, so don't pigeon hole me into some group. I just want to understand, well for the lack of another term, this "peer pressure."</p>
<p>I don't drink/smoke/do drugs/party. I just don't like the taste of alcohol (I've had wine/beer/vodka and only found very sweet wines to be palatable-we're talking the equivalent of flat champagne here-no more than 11% alcohol content). I have nothing whatsoever against social drinking or heavy drinking-it's completely up to you. But I have friends even if I don't drink. :) And cigarette smoke smells disgusting.</p>
<p>And yes, my roommate decided that it was a good idea to take me to their friend's room and pressure me to drink vodka against my will. I took one sip, it was intolerable, I told them I'm not drinking anymore and that was the end of that.</p>
<p>I think there's a few reasons WHY people want to be the ones to break (for lack of a better term) a non-drinker. </p>
<p>1) That convincer would consider it an "accomplishment"
2) Instant memory the two people would share
3) To prepare the new alcohol drinker for future alcohol parties so he/she doesn't feel left out by being the only sober person</p>
<p>Now you defensive anti-alcs know why many who have tried it want to pass on the experience.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I don't drink/smoke/do drugs/party. I just don't like the taste of alcohol (I've had wine/beer/vodka and only found very sweet wines to be palatable-we're talking the equivalent of flat champagne here-no more than 11% alcohol content).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'm the same; I don't like the taste of most alcohols unless they're very sweet. I recently tried plum saki, and another type that was some sort of Japanese fruit (I forget what it's called) which were delicious. Most white Zinfandel are good, too. </p>
<p>I also can't physically drink certain alcohols, like Vodka. I have a stomach ulcer, so if I drink vodka, gin, vermouth or other strong alcohols: even just having one martini, it's incredibly painful to the point where I'm keeling over.</p>
<p>I think a new drinking thread starts once a month. </p>
<p>To be honest, unless it is for medical or religious reasons I don't understand why people don't socially drink. I always have fun having drinks with my friends and don't know why other people wouldn't enjoy doing the same. Apparently they have less fun, or think they will. Idk.</p>
<p>You didn't quite understand the analogy, quite clearly, or are trying to state a falsehood for no reason. A vast majority of people at any school definitely have not tried pure math, and have a very shaky idea on what it is a mathematician does -- maybe tried basic calculus or something. Yet, I would conjecture most people who avoid math careers do so legitimately, based on self-reflection + gut feel. And would just not enjoy trying it out either.</p>
<p>When drinking is in fact against the religious beliefs of many families, and the very idea doesn't appeal to many students, I don't see a reason to advocate trying it out so strongly. Now if someone has no strong views whatsoever on the matter, and hasn't given it much thought, then suggesting that they try a few drinks isn't a bad idea -- that is what some others on this thread as well as you have done (apart from the little bit about organized religion), and I agree with all this.</p>
<p>There is nothing in the Christian Bible against the consumption of alcohol.</p>
<p>You are getting confused because often religious parents (like my own Catholic mother):</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Impose moral values on you that come from the Church.</p></li>
<li><p>Impose other moral values on you that aren’t religious in origin but are “safer” for you, their child — i.e., don’t drink alcohol because it is satan’s brew and will cause you to get wild eyed and rape women. When really they prefer for you to be holed up in your room instead of drinking, in terms of safety.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The only reason I’m advocating <em>trying it sparingly</em> is because I’ve seen the same pattern in myself and numerous others, who abstain for basically one legitimate reason - Parents and their social pressure - and no other. After trying it, many find a great source of fun. The one’s that never enjoy it are the one’s that never tried it.</p>
<p>It’s just like someone never touching chocolate because they “heard it was a bad idea, man.” Trust me, I’m not trying to reason with you for my ego, or because my reality is so fragile that I care about other people’s choices, because I don’t care. Just my perspective, and I’m not going to convince anyone anyway, so I’m done. Things will happen as they may.</p>