DONT Drink and STILL have FUN!!!

[SFVCyclone]

Ive been reading a few post and some people have been posting about how they wish they drink or would have drinked on certain occasions to have fun. Well I was wondering who else on here does NOT drink and still has TONS of fun with their drinking/non drinking friends?

I'll start with my self. When I go out with my friends I'm the designated driver so I'm not allowed to drink, BUT I still am able to act as crazy or do crazier things than most guys who do drink. Some friends have even mentioned that I'm crazy because I dont drink and I still have tons of fun. I thought it was a good compliment.

Nacho

 

[yellow]

I think age plays a large part of this..

 

[floriflee]

I don't drink and it's never been a concern or a problem when I've been out socially with friends who do. I still laugh, have fun and take part in whatever is going on without the hangover side effects the next day or the huge tab alcoholic drinks seem rack up. I feel like I have just as much fun as the drinkers without getting to the point where I'm quite as obnoxious.

Oh, and I'm 27 and never had a drink in my life.

 

[QCassidy352]

well, i used to not drink, and now i do, very moderately, and I can tell you that the latter is a lot more fun for me. Yeah, I used to have plenty of fun sober, but a couple (and I do mean just a couple) of adult beverages doesn't hurt anyone and makes an evening more enjoyable.

You certainly don't have to drink to have fun, but I'm no longer of the opinion that there's any real value (health, social, moral, whatever) to complete and total sobriety.

 

[zelmo]

Even in my long departed youth, I was never much on drinking to have a good time [of course, there were other things...]. I rarely drink anymore. Maybe a beer or two if we go out to dinner. I've never understood why people need to booze it up to have fun.

 

[rickvanr]

I can do both. I can have fun sipping on a glass of iced tea, or I can go out to a bar and have a great time time listening to a live band. Drinking serves a purpose, but hell, 9 out of 10 times I go to the bar I'm not coming home drunk.

Moderation is good.

 

[yellow]

I've quit drinking off and on during my life and I must say, having been on the other side, it's a lot more fun putting a few back. Particularly when others are putting them back. I don't much care to be the sober guy in a crowd of drunks. There's a lot of people telling me "I love you man".

 

[MacNut]

The problem is not that you drink but that the underage drinking has gotten so out of control that when you finally hit the age its no longer a right of passage but more a trip to the ER with a failing liver. Some could make the same argument that one doesn't need to smoke to have a good time either.

 

[GFLPraxis]

As I was raised I lived in Holland for two years and went to Italy every other summer for months at a time because half our family is Italian.

As such I was raised with a lot of Italian values of drinking as well.

Italy has a MUCH more responsible drinking culture. There, you can drink at any age, however it is shameful to appear drunk in public.

Having been raised in several different cultures, including the U.S., I feel I can say this without bias. Additionally, being that my father is DEA, I've seen and know of the effects of alchohol and drugs much more than most.

The American drinking culture is stupid. Getting drunk for fun is stupidity itself. I'm sure people are gonna flame me for that. But frankly, drunk people, at the very least embarrass themselves or do things they might regret, and at the very most get themselves and others killed on the road.

Because drinking is illegal under a certain age, it becomes "cool". When people hit that age they go all out and go overboard. Sneaking drinks under age is considered a cool thing to do. Bah.

People need to learn to moderate themselves. It's not going to happen in the U.S. because it's cool to drink. In Italy, you almost never see drunk people. People know how much they can drink and when to stop as its part of regular life. Here, they don't.

And I'm 18. I have plenty of fun, and yes, I do drink some (on occasion, half a glass of wine) when in Europe where it's legal (and maybe once in a rare while over here...hehe...with my parents around of course) before I go to bed once I know I'm not going anywhere.

When in Europe, I would never drink if I'm going to be driving. Ever. Same over here when I turn 21. I have plenty of fun and can still be responsible. And when I turn 21 (or when I'm in Europe) I would never, ever deliberately get drunk, no matter what circumstances.

Despite living in Europe I've never had more than half a small glass of wine or a small glass of beer.

 

[yellow]

There's no doubt in my mind that the European culture on drinking is much more adult than that of the US. You can also say that about sex/sexuality. Not so sure about xenophobia..

 

[bursty]

I feel like I have just as much fun as the drinkers without getting to the point where I'm quite as obnoxious.

Oh, and I'm 27 and never had a drink in my life.

Thats pretty hard to say considering you've never had a drink.

 

[Applespider]

There's no doubt in my mind that the European culture on drinking is much more adult than that of the US.

This is another occasion where you can't count the Brits as European. The culture here is to go out and drink as many as you can in as short a period as possible. Like others, I believe it's partly due to the 'can't drink til 18' mentality that treats alcohol like a reward to be celebrated.

My mother's side of the family is Italian and we grew up being allowed a glass of wine with dinner (initially watered down with 10 times as much lemonade as wine!) so it was never taboo. I enjoy going out for a drink with friends or colleagues but more for the social aspect than the alcohol. If I'm not in the mood for a drink, or feel that I'm getting a little too tipsy, I'm quite happy to (and comfortable with a) switch to soft drinks and still enjoy myself. Tonic with a twist of fresh lime doesn't have to have the vodka to be palatable.

 

[Josh]

I agree. One does not need to drink to have fun; if so...that's pretty sad.

It's not that fun = drinking, but usually, drinking = fun.

 

[floriflee]

Thats pretty hard to say considering you've never had a drink.

It's a matter of perception, of course. They may very well be having more fun than me and I don't know it, but I'm completely comfortable and content with the level of enjoyment that I attain when amongst drinking friends. Essentially, I don't feel like I'm missing out by not drinking.

 

[nbs2]

Thats pretty hard to say considering you've never had a drink.

I don't see how not drinking, but associating with drinkers, disqualifies a person from seeing what the drinkers are experiencing. If a person had never met a perosn who drinks, they may not know what goes on when people are drinking. I can generally tell what is going through the mind of my frinds who drink. I can tell when they are having fun, when they have crossed the line to sick. I can tell when they begin to do or say things that they will regret later. I can tell that those who find that the fun only begins when they begin to lose self-control are the ones who weren't having fun before.And I like it when people say things they will regret - talking to drunks is a great way to learn more about someone very quickly

 

[yellow]

This is another occasion where you can't count the Brits as European. The culture here is to go out and drink as many as you can in as short a period as possible. Like others, I believe it's partly due to the 'can't drink til 18' mentality that treats alcohol like a reward to be celebrated.

Too true. Pub culture throught the UK was not like that I experienced in most of mainland Europe. (though eastern europe.. well..) Maybe it's just is English-speakers. The Ozies (from what I udnerstand) are a pretty heavy drinking culture. Dunno about the Kiwis.

In the US it also depends on where you live I think, urban, versas, suburban, versus rural.

 

[Applespider]

Thats pretty hard to say considering you've never had a drink.

I'm pretty sure you can say that you can have just as a good a time not drinking as drinking - even having never done it, so long as you are pretty confident and secure in yourself and don't need 'Dutch courage' to speak to new people. I'll guarantee that if you don't drink, you have a heck of a lot better mornings after.

But I do wonder why people never drink at all (unless it's for a particular medical/religious reason). I can accept that they don't need to in order to have fun but a good beer (not the draft lager that most consider beer) or glass of wine can taste wonderful and add to a meal or just be enjoyed on their own. It's the flavours that I enjoy rather than just the fact that it's alcoholic.

 

[gekko513]

I often have more fun when I drink. It's not that I can't have fun without drinking, but usually it's a different kind of fun.

One advantage to being drunk is that life becomes much simpler. The focus shifts slightly from the bigger picture to the here and now. The Norwegian drinking culture is horrible. It's is just like Applespider's description of the British culture.

 

[yellow]

The focus shifts slightly from the bigger picture to the here and now.

Is that because you can only keep one eye open at a time?

 

[gekko513]

Is that because you can only keep one eye open at a time?

That too. <-- me when the focus has shifted a bit too much to the here and now

 

[0098386]

I don't drink and I'm very happy

Me and my mates don't do the regular 'thing' though. We go jogging/running, mountain climbing, cycling, getting lost on the moors etc. I suppose we're addicted to what body builders are addicted to, that chemical whatever it is that's released when you're working out. Suppose on a personal note I just like to keep a solid state of mind.

That said, 1 out of our little clan of 4 drinks. he has also just quit smoking (though that was a secret, only I knew mwhaha!). another guy had his phones stolen when he was drunk a couple of years ago. on a more serious note he almost drowned that night. So he hasn't touched a drop since.

We're all 20.

I love people who say that drinking isn't bad for you when people die, commit murder, get addicted, steal and fight whilst drunk. Same can be said for drugs. It's hilarious even! My brother is destroying our home and slowly killing my parents through stress because of his drug addictions, he isn't even on heroin.

 

[Applespider]

I love people who say that drinking isn't bad for you when people die, commit murder, get addicted, steal and fight whilst drunk.

Can I revise that statement to say that 'drinking in moderation isn't bad for you'? I agree that if you drink enough that you aren't fully aware of what you are doing, then it can be bad for you. But a couple of glasses a couple of times a week isn't going to turn the average punter into a social reprobate.

People can die, commit murder, steal and fight whilst sober too.

 

[Stella]

Drinking in the UK ( read: Wales / England )- it didn't help that kick out time was at 11pm.. very early - treat adults like children etc. Soo.. at 11pm, you got a lot of drunks on the streets, and of course, fights break out. Now there are extended opening hours - the streets should be safer.

Its pathetic to see people stumbling around the streets, blind drunk, its even sadder to see people asleep in Bars! Something I saw quite frequently in the UK - but not here in Canada. I've also seen many people being thrown out in pubs ( and I avoid 'dodgy' pubs too ) in the UK.

Europeans ( I don't mean Britain now , despite being apart of Europe ) are very mature about drinking - they introduce their kidsto drink - give them wine etc - so when they do get to drinking age its not a new novelty and its something they can respect.

I'm sure its easy to have fun without alochol - but I prefer the alchol - *without* the hangover in the morning!

Too true. Pub culture throught the UK was not like that I experienced in most of mainland Europe. (though eastern europe.. well..) Maybe it's just is English-speakers. The Ozies (from what I udnerstand) are a pretty heavy drinking culture. Dunno about the Kiwis.

 

[yellow]

People can die, commit murder, steal and fight whilst sober too.

Damn right.

 

[floriflee]

But I do wonder why people never drink at all (unless it's for a particular medical/religious reason). I can accept that they don't need to in order to have fun but a good beer (not the draft lager that most consider beer) or glass of wine can taste wonderful and add to a meal or just be enjoyed on their own. It's the flavours that I enjoy rather than just the fact that it's alcoholic.

My reasons for not drinking are religious. If it's any consolation I've had my fair share of virgin drinks. Perhaps the flavors aren't exactly the same as their alcoholic counterparts, but they still are pretty tasty.