We’ve all been there. It’s Halloweekend. You’re cold because your costume is barely lingerie (no judgement, I went as Dooley with just a skeleton bodysuit), your feet hurt, people are shoving you, your fun haze is starting to wear off and you can smell the B. O. and the booze all around you, and you think, “Who the hell convinced me to come to this?”
Then you wake up. You’re back in your dorm room or apartment and your tired, your head is pounding, your stomach is queasy, and you think, “never again.” But let’s be honest, every year when you see the SAE Halloween party invitation light up your phone, or that Hauntlanta is at your favorite club, it’s hard to turn it down. If you’re going to go, it’ll be fun, but let me offer you some advice to alleviate some of the physical suffering that inevitably comes with a social life.
Eat. Please.
Avoiding food all day to down your calories in vodka is messed up in more ways than one. Not only is it wreaking metabolic havoc on your system (no it will not keep you skinny), but you’re setting yourself up to either stay lit forever or suffer a world-changing hangover. There are a lot of foods, which are relatively healthy, that have been shown to reduce hangovers so if you can’t fathom the idea of a sandwich or some chips at least treat yourself to some quinoa or avocado. If you can spare the time, spaghetti, salmon and hummus have all been shown to reduce hangovers.
Watch what you’re drinking
I get that it’s not fun to be the only sober person in a room. Having a drink is ~super cool~ (unless you’re not into that, then no pressure), but you should keep track of the volume you’ve consumed. This isn’t health class, but for the sake of your hangover, drink plenty of water. If you can, it’s best to alternate your alcoholic drinks with a glass of water. It’s also important to think about what you’re drinking. The basic rule is that the paler the drink, the less likely it is to carry congeners, which is just to say that vodka and gin are less hangover-producing than whisky and brandy. Similarly, the darker the wine, the more likely the migraine in the morning.
Exercise
You may not, and probably won’t feel like it, but if you can build up the strength in the morning, exercise. If you have a reasonably high muscle-to-fat ratio, you’ll metabolise residual alcohol faster and you won’t feel so bad about your greasy hangover breakfast.
Keep track of your surroundings
I’m sure your parents have warned you of the same things, but not every guy is out there to be your prince charming. In general, people probably won’t be looking out for you before they’re looking out for themselves, so keep yourself safe. Watch your drink, don’t take anything from strangers, and have some interest in your friends; you should equally be looking out for them as much as you want them to protect you. This isn’t a hangover tip, but definitely a survival tip to carry with you at parties and through life.
Watch the time
If you’re going to stay up until 5AM one night and try to wake up by 11AM the next morning, you’re going to have a bad time. Sleep is so important, especially when you’ve indulged. Don’t combine the lasting effects of alcohol with sleep deprivation. Not only will you feel like you’re hallucinating but you’ll also be even more tired later on in the week if you never pay off your sleep debt.
Enjoy yourself
The point of going out is to relax and decompress. As shitty as a hangover can be, don’t let it ruin your fun and keep you worrying. There’s definitely a way to have fun, be safe, and exist as a functioning person the day after. It’s all about balance and freedom, and if you do it right, Halloweekend will become your favorite time of the year.