I’ve always said that I never wanted to drink or do any drugs. I’ve said it throughout high school and in college, and I want to stick to that statement. Because it’s a promise that I made to myself and because I don’t like the idea of losing control over my own senses.
I’ve never minded being around others who are drinking, and I don’t judge people who do want to try alcohol or who do drink to have fun. It’s just not for me, and I know it’s not something that ever will be.
However, it can be really difficult to hold onto my resolve when it comes to this sort of stuff, because of the vast culture and peer pressure there is around drinking. The friends that I’ve made generally respect the fact that I don’t want to drink. But whenever I have expressed interest in the topic to others, or discussed drinking, the conversation almost always turns to why I don’t want to.
I don’t mind giving my reasoning. It doesn’t bother me, because I’m not ashamed of it. What does begin to get on my nerves, however, is the constant assumption that if I ever do try alcohol, I’ll without a doubt want more. It can be incredibly frustrating, to get the same, “Oh sure, ok,” kind of response to the statement that you don’t want, that you’ll never want alcohol.
At some points, especially at parties, when everybody else has had a few too many sips of whatever concoction lies in the kegs of frat basements, you may even wonder if your friends are right. Maybe you should loosen up, have a drink. It can be rough, being the only sober one around a horde of other people who are most definitely not.
Whenever I’m in a situation like that, I always take a step back. I get some fresh air, and I remind myself that I’m not drinking because I personally don’t want to, and that it’s completely ok for me to have those boundaries.
If your friends are putting pressure on you to drink or do drugs, find new ones. You should feel comfortable with the group that you surround yourself with, and no matter what anybody else says, you have to do what feels right for you. Not drinking alcohol isn’t something that you should be worried about. In fact, it’ll probably save you a lot of headaches in the future.