It Sounded Good At The Time

I’ll be turning 21 at the beginning of October (YAY!) and I’m starting to get super excited (DUH).

To be honest, I didn’t start drinking until after I turned 20. Some of you might think that’s lame, others might think that’s what college will do to you. Whatever your opinion is, I’m going to fill you in a little on my life and tell you why I wish I would have waited.

Drunk at a frat party

The very first time I actually started drinking, and I mean college style drinking, was at a fraternity during their Halloween party. Everyone was in costume, shots were thrown back, and everyone was in the basement jam packed in a room dancing. There was vomit all over the bathroom floors, water spilled everywhere, and drunken spats between significant others surrounding me. The entire experience was overwhelming and stimulating all at the same time. The booze gave me a great, happy feeling. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

Wrong.

Eventually that great, happy feeling turned into the spins. Major spins. Nothing would stay still, not even my feet when I looked down at them while standing still. Yeah, they were moving too. Come to find out that the spins led to my head in the bottom of a trashcan for an hour. After that, I passed out cold until morning.

The next day…

If you ask me to recap all of the halloween party last year I could only tell you about 1/3 of what happened that night. Anything else others have told me or filled me in on what took place. I woke up the next morning and had no recollection of most of the night and I had a massive hangover. I’m talking about a killer headache, dehydrated, the shakes, and dizzy. It was one of the worst feelings in the world. Did I use this as a learning experience? No.

I would drink to get drunk.

I didn’t drink to get drunk every time I drank, but when I first started drinking I definitely did. There was so much going on in my life that I wanted the alcohol to take it all away. The only thing I’ve found is that it doesn’t take anything away and it only makes whatever you’re feeling a helluva lot worse.

Now, before you all think I’m constantly drinking, I only drank about two or three times a month at max. I wasn’t showing up to class hungover or spending every weekend passed out from a bottle of vodka. But I still let loose on occasion. For instance, the weekend after I found out my parents were getting a divorce I was back at that fraternity using alcohol as an escape. Only to feel a million times worse the next morning.

My advice to you

• You don’t need to drink if you don’t want to or if you aren’t ready for it.
  • I feared alcohol and experiencing someone drunk for the first time for most of my life. I was set on not having a drink until the day of my 21st birthday. Therefore, I used to attend parties and never touched alcohol; I still had a blast and I was always safe. Come to find out – no one actually cared. Plus, I remember every night.
• Stand strong to your beliefs and never let anyone pressure you.
  • People would make fun of me if I didn’t drink from time to time. I never cared though. I knew what I stood for and stayed committed to it until I was ready.
• If you decide to drink tell someone you’re going to and where you’ll be.
  • Someone that was sober always knew where I was and if I was going to be drinking. We had a system in place so no one would drive drunk or be in any danger. Whether that’s from someone forcing you into doing something or someone gets sick. A buddy system is the smart option.
• Avoid shots. Nothing good comes from shots. Shots make you drunk and stupid.
  • Whenever I take shots I always end up on the floor, feeling terrible, and regret it. Shots burn like crazy going down, they aren’t enjoyable, and they hit you hard. Try to avoid them.
• If you’re given a drink that has alcohol in it but you can’t taste the alcohol stay away!!! For instance, jungle juice or long island iced tea.
  • Both of those drinks are basically nothing but a wide variety of alcohol mixed together, the misleading part is that they taste like candy. These drinks are absolutely delicious but will make you addicted from being so easy to slurp down. Be careful.
• Don’t make yourself vulnerable.
  • Be smart. Know your surroundings and the people you’re with, just because they seem nice doesn’t mean that they’re trustworthy.

You do you

Drinking doesn’t make you cool, smart, or define your status in school (or your Greek house if in college). Do what is comfortable for you and what you think is right.

I’m about to be 21 and I still wish I would have waited to start drinking. Your opinion doesn’t have to match mine, but just be aware of what can happen. Stick to your instincts, morals, and beliefs. Do what makes you happy not anyone else. Most importantly, be smart!

#YouDoYou – The Bon