The holidays are just around the corner. Soon you’ll be invited to go out to the bar for a few drinks. For a lot of students, drinking might feel like a right of passage, but in reality, many college students haven’t had their first drink yet. Many students have no idea how to handle alcohol, and it can be scary if you’ve never had friends or family share their own experiences with you.
This guide will help you understand how to drink responsibly and stay safe when you go out!
Where to Start
The first thing to know about drinking is where and how. For beginners it’s best to try at home with friends or family. Have someone there with you in case you need support or need medical attention. It’s important to drink responsibly and enjoy the experience, rather than drinking to the point of passing out.
It’s important to take care of your body and know your limits. Most first-timers think drinking is about how much you can consume in one night, when in reality it’s about how much your body can process in a certain amount of time. Generally, the liver can metabolize one alcoholic drink per hour, if you drink any more, it builds up in your bloodstream.
When you start drinking, take small sips to get used to the taste. It will taste very different from anything you’ve had before. Remember, you don’t need to chug down your drink, it’s completely fine to stop if you don’t like it. There’s no shame in not liking liquor.
Forcing yourself to drink something your body doesn’t like can have serious consequences. Heavy alcohol use can cause long-term physical and mental issues. Your liver, pancreas, and neurological system are the first areas to be affected (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
When it comes to tolerance, everyone is different. Alcohol affects people differently based on factors like sex, muscle mass, and how much they’ve eaten (California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control). Many people believe that body weight determines how fast someone becomes intoxicated, but it’s actually muscle mass. Muscle absorbs more blood than fat. Eating before drinking also slows down intoxication, digestion causes the pyloric valve at the bottom of your stomach to close, reducing the rate of alcohol from entering your bloodstream (California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control).
Lastly, don’t be afraid to talk about how you feel while you’re drinking. Typically you’ll feel a bit light headed, but if you notice any concerning symptoms, don’t be afraid to voice them. If you feel uncomfortable or want to stop, it’s safer to listen to your body than to keep going just because of social expectations.
Types of Alcohol
There are many different types of liquor and each one varies in percentage and tastes. It might sound fun to just drink the one that has the coolest name, but if you’ve never had alcohol before, things can go wrong quickly. A safer way to try hard liquor is to start with the “shooters” from the ABC store. These small bottles are typically around two to three ounces. This is where you can have a bit more fun, since many brands come out with interesting flavors throughout the year.
Wine also has a variety of options. You’ve probably already heard terms like cabernet, chardonnay, and pinot, which are just a few types of wine. The world of wine is just as big as hard liquor, with each made by different types of grape or process.
When trying wine for the first time, it might be easier to start with sweeter wines. Moscatos are considered dessert wines, served at the end of a meal to pair with the dessert, but many drink it casually because it resembles certain flavors found in fruity cocktails. Moscatos can be dangerously sweet, so it’s easy to drink more than you realize, but if you have a sweet tooth it might be the right pick for you.
Beer also has a wide selection. When you look at a beer menu you’ll see terms like IPA, ale, stout, and lager. These are different types of beer. Each one goes through a different fermentation process, and helps provide its name and taste. You can always start with well known brands like Heinikein, Corona, Bud Light, or Budweiser, and then try exploring other types once you’re ready. Liquor stores like Total Wine & More let you build your own six pack sampler, which is a fun way to try new flavors without committing to a full pack.
Cocktails
One of my favorite parts of visiting a new bar or restaurant is to check out the cocktail menu. Cocktails come in many styles, flavors, and strengths. Usually the cocktail menu comes with an ingredients list, but if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to ask. Some of my personal favorites are lemon drops, mimosas, and PB&J shots. They are low in percentage and have a burst of flavor, making them great for beginners.
Bar/Club Etiquette and Safety
A big part of the drinking experience for college students is going out to a club or bar. It’s important to remember that while alcohol is served, these are still public establishments. Bartenders have the right to stop serving anyone at any time, so remember to behave appropriately.
Safety is the most important thing to remember when you go out. When you’re drunk, your judgment and coordination are impaired, which affects your thoughts and actions. Alcohol heightens a person’s emotions, which means you can feel immense sadness, joy, or anger. You’re also not as aware of your surroundings as you are when you’re sober. It’s easier to put yourself or others in unsafe situations when under the influence.
Going out in groups is one of the best and safest ways to drink. A drinking group is a group of friends that come together for a night out and look out for each other. Usually there is one “designated driver” or “sober friend” who helps everyone get home safely. That being said, even though they are there to help, they’re not your babysitter. You should still stay mindful of how much you drink and how you’re feeling throughout the night.
Always stay with your group and never accept drinks from strangers. To make sure your drink isn’t being tampered with, watch how your drink is being made and ensure that it is in your eye sight at all times. If you need to leave your drink for any reason, it’s safer to get a new one than to assume that no one noticed it. It’s never worth the risk of drinking something that may have been tampered with.
It may take some time and a bit of experimentation to find your limits, preferred liquor, or your favorite bar, but it’s much more enjoyable when you have the right friends supporting you. If you treat drinking like a race, you’re going to feel the consequences later, and trust me, we all have Knowing the basics before going out will help you understand what to expect and not be afraid of what’s happening to your body. At the end of the day, what matters is that you and your friends get home safe, so go out, have fun and look out for each other!