Mobile phones, Facebook, Twitter. Where would we be without it all? According to the latest figures, 80% of the UK’s population own a phone that can access every social networking site. It’s not surprising really, the last twenty years have seen such a huge increase in communication technology that texting, ‘facebooking’ and ‘tweeting’ our friends and family is now a routine part of daily life. Whether it’s sending a group message to your girlfriends or having a natter on the phone with your mum, we all have constant access to some form of interactive device. So, what could be wrong with all of these fantastic new ways of communicating? Well, not a lot really, they’re all great most of the time… when we are sober and can make perfectly rational decisions. However, when the consumption of alcohol is put into the equation, it is a very different story. On nights, when the drinks are flowing, our rationality disintegrates into thin air. This sudden change in perception then causes us to do things that seem like a great idea at the time, but then come back to haunt us the morning after (along with a banging headache).
A prime example of one of these great ideas is drunk texting. This happens when us girls decide to drop our exes a quick text, nothing too serious, just a brief ‘Hey, how are you?’. Now, you may think there is nothing wrong with this and it’s perfectly acceptable. Well girls, unfortunately, it’s a rookie mistake. It just highlights the fact that you still haven’t moved on with your life as the only person you can think of texting is your ex. In normal circumstances sure, why not have a brief catch up? However, under the influence of alcohol, it is a slippery slope towards sending a variety of hideously pitiful messages to your “one and only”.
Shamefully, I must admit, I have been known to be a drunk texter. It was mid-December and I had just split up with my boyfriend of three years. Knowing that I would be spending Christmas alone (or alternatively with my parents listening to Cliff Richard) made me feel unbelievably miserable to say the least. After a few weeks of a watching rom-coms, crying at everything and stuffing myself with Ben & Jerry’s, I decided it was time to pull myself together and start moving on – and so a girls night out was arranged. Surely it would do me good to go out and have a few drinks, right? But with my mobile in my clutch bag, it was a mistake waiting to happen…
You see, it’s not those early hours of the evening, when you sip vodka and cokes whilst catching up on the latest gossip. No, it’s when you are well into the night and your best friend stumbles to the bar yelling “Six more shots please!”. You know you’ve had more than enough, but if everyone else is still going then what’s your excuse?
As it happens, I didn’t have an excuse so I picked up the shot glass and gulped it down quick. I didn’t know it yet, but that was the drink that would ‘push me over the edge’. Shortly after, I decided that I would send my ex a friendly text to see how he was getting on. ‘Hi Gav, hope you’re doing well’ I read to myself as I pressed send. Yes, that was fine. No feelings shown, not too deep, spot on in my opinion. When I received a reply of ‘I’m doing alright thanks, hope you’re doing ok too’ my irrationality went through the roof. I proceeded to send him more texts in the form of a love letter about how actually I wasn’t doing ok, and that I still loved him and that I was only out tonight because I wanted to drown my sorrows with alcohol instead of ice cream as I had been doing for the past few weeks. Surprisingly, I did not receive a reply. Instead I woke up in the morning with a pounding headache and a feeling of embarrassment that would haunt me for a long time to come. The texts were swiftly deleted, but the shame can never be erased.
So what can we do in order to prevent ourselves from being plagued by this embarrassment after a night out? Well, honesty is definitely the best policy so ask yourself, ‘Can you really be trusted not to text that ex?’. If you absolutely must take your phone with you, follow these simple guidelines for a drunk text-free night out:
• Firstly before you go out, look through your phone and social networking profiles to see if you have deleted him from your contacts/friends list. If you have not already done so, do it now to save you from contacting him in any way possible.
• Any old photos or texts are also on the list of things to go, so get rid of those little reminders too.
• Distract yourself with a bit of ‘you time’ before you head out. A warm bubble bath, chatting to the girls on the phone and preening yourself with makeup and a sexy outfit are all great ways of diverting your attention away from him.
By following these simple rules, you will save yourself from a knock to your pride and a feeling of total awkwardness every time you think back to the relationship you shared.
Sometimes the situation is unavoidable and he may walk into the bar/club that you’re in. Have no fear girls as you have not been presented with a problem, but with an opportunity to show him what he’s missing! If our female ancestors managed to cope with the accidental meetings of the pre-technological days, then I’m sure we can too!
Bronte Farenden
Image sources:
http://www.theblowoff.com/2014/07/the-ten-best-things-i-did-post-break-up.html#.VICj80swhuY
http://elitedaily.com/women/a-womans-guide-to-a-successful-night-out/