Dear college student who doesn’t drink,
St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching, but that probably doesn’t mean much to you. Your plans? You’ll be spending the night alone watching Netflix while it seems like every other student at your school is living it up at some party.
Your friends have long since stopped asking you to go out with them. They know that you’re not the “party type,” and by that I mean that you don’t drink. Sure, you’ve gone out with them in the past, but always getting stuck DDing and taking care of your drunk friends isn’t exactly your idea of a good time.
Why don’t you drink? Maybe it’s because you’re waiting until you’re 21. Maybe you don’t like the taste. Maybe you can’t drink because of medical reasons. Or maybe it simply doesn’t interest you. Whatever the reason, you stand by it, politely saying “no” to anyone who tries to get you to change your mind. And they WILL try.
People make remarks, asking about your drinking habits. They think you’re kidding when you say you don’t drink. It’s expected, and because you don’t do what everyone else does, they assume you’re lying. When they find out that you truly don’t drink, they look at you differently. You’re immediately labeled as one of those people. They think you’re boring, stuck up, a prude. All they see is this one tiny detail about yourself, and they choose to ignore the rest.
You feel like you’re letting everyone down because you decided not to put something into your own body, when in reality you have the right to eat and drink whatever you want. People are always busy scolding you for not drinking or scolding others for drinking too much, but no one ever takes the time to say that it’s okay to not drink. Well, I’m here to tell you that it is.
This St. Patrick’s Day, don’t feel bad about your drinking habits. Whether you’re someone who drinks too much, too little, or nothing at all, stand by your beliefs. Be proud in the decision you have made, and don’t let anyone try to tell you you’re wrong.