Misconceptions of Alcohol

By Edgardo Hernandez
Blog Content Contributor

Drinking alcohol has become a modern day norm for those in college and older. If you don’t join in on this standard, you tend to be looked down upon by everyone surrounding you. Non-drinkers are often given a reputation of being delicate or boring, which eventually may lead others to drink in order to avoid feeling excluded from a group. This is how peer pressure takes effect. 

Coming from an occasional drinker, drinking is purely a personal choice and it is understandable that alcohol doesn’t appeal to everyone. Many people who choose not to drink take the taste into consideration, not the physical act of drinking itself. Just as people are allowed to be picky about food, it is allowed for others to decide whether or not they want to consume alcohol. 

This choice does not mean that non-drinkers disapprove of drinking or believe themselves to be better than others. Non-drinkers want to enjoy themselves just as much as everyone else, with the exception of booze. Due to the lack drunken participation, those who don’t drink are portrayed as “buzzkills”. Sure, they are not going to be on the same emotional and mental state as everyone who is drinking, but they can enjoy watching everyone get buzzed!

Which brings up another point, that, although non-drinkers are okay without alcohol, there does come some disadvantages to being the only one not drinking in the group. This includes:

• Being set the default designated driver for every social event
• Constantly taking care of your friends while they drink
• Having to explain to people why you don’t drink
• Low alcohol tolerance
• Everyone trying so hard to get you drunk because of the low alcohol tolerance

These are mere inconveniences, though they do grow annoying. Why must they suffer backlash for choosing to hold off on the alcohol? So, next time, be considerate of the non-drinker and invite him out to the party without giving him a hard time. He might not drink, but at least you got a designated driver to get you home safe and cover for you when you got a hangover the next day. 

Featured image by Asia Daggs