Any mention of college life is almost ubiquitous with alcohol and drinking culture. The stereotypical portrayal of college students is someone doing keg stands or playing beer pong with a crowd shouting “chug, chug, chug!” and cheering them on. Any mention of a college student not partaking in such extracurricular activities seems almost unfathomable! Read on for some ways that college life can be different if students stop drinking.
You Will Feel Infinitely Healthier
When you drink alcohol, you definitely pay for it the next day. I’m sure that if you had a penny for every time you proclaimed “I’m never drinking again!” after a wild Saturday night out, you’d be a millionaire by now. Hangovers can make you feel unwell for several days as you suffer the effects of the toxins contained in alcohol. Since students tend to drink more frequently than the average person, they spend more time feeling groggy and unwell. When you switch to a healthier lifestyle, you will feel the benefits almost immediately.
You’ll Have a Beach Body Sooner
Did you know that alcohol is one of the most fattening beverages that you can consume? If you’re living on a diet of quinoa and greens but the pounds don’t seem to budge, we know reason why and it rhymes with “shmalcahol”. Abandon the weekend beers and you’ll have a beach ready body in next to no time!
There is No Risk of Getting a DUI
This is the serious one. People always think that having a DUI is something that will never happen to them. The next thing they know, they’re searching for drinking and driving lawyers. It’s easy to lose track of how much you have been drinking. Maybe you think you are okay to drive, but you’re over the legal limit. When you give up alcohol, there is no risk of being issued a DUI.
Less Chance Of Ending Up Charged With Felony
The scary truth is 80% of all convicts in American prisons are there either thanks to alcohol, or recreational drugs. Of course, in college – the probability of being charged for a felony may not be high. But you still have misdemeanors to worry about. Stay away from the gateway habits, and clear the green field to a better life.
You Will Have More Time
When students stop drinking alcohol they are often amazed at the extra time they find themselves having – not just in terms of the time saved as a result of not being out at the bar (it’s still ok to go to the bar and socialize after all!) but with regards to the time they don’t need to spend recouping with their heads over the toilet or feeling sorry for themselves. This time will be used much more productively.
Clearer, Firmer Skin
There are countless toxins in alcohol that the body cannot digest and must flush out of the system. What goes in, must come out. One of the ways the toxins are removed from the body is through the skin via sweat glands. The toxins you sweat out are harmful to your skin, drying it out and giving it a dull, grey appearance. Students who give up alcohol have softer, more hydrated skin with a healthy, natural glow.
Financial Benefits
Even if you only go out on thirsty Thursdays, drink economy brand vodka, and “pre drink” before you hit the bars, students still find that a lot of their money goes towards alcohol. Ten dollars here and there adds up quickly. It can be startling to see how much this accumulates to each week or month.
Opportunity to Travel After College
Being financially comfortable and adhering to a budget are not really sexy topics for a student. Many college students follow the “YOLO” mantra, embracing the notion that they should live to enjoy the moment. That’s all well and good but there are plenty of other opportunities that can become available with a little savings in the bank – like traveling the world.
You Can Still Have Fun
Not drinking alcohol doesn’t mean being resigned to a life of spending every Saturday night stuck at home, alone and crying into a tub of ice cream. If you decide to stop drinking, or even just to cut back, you can still go out and have fun socializing with friends in the same way as you did before. Order a virgin mojito instead of the alcoholic version. We’re sure that your night will be just as fun!
It Teaches You About Real Friendships
Drinking and partying heavily during college is sort of the “in” thing to do. In a group of adults, it should be a case of “each to their own” but college students can be surprisingly judgmental about people who don’t drink. Friends who peer pressure you into doing things that you don’t want to do aren’t real friends.People who are there for you when you’re doing jello shots and being the life and soul of the party, but disappear into the abyss when you pull away from the social scene simply aren’t worth your time.
You Can Take Up New Hobbies
All that free time you have now that you’re not hungover or sleeping until noon on a Sunday can be used for some more interesting and productive endeavors. Learn a language, visit an art class or go hiking – you will feel more fulfilled.
You Minimize Your Embarrassment
Sometimes you’re at a party and people keep handing you drink after drink. The next thing you know, you wake up on a friends couch with no idea of how you got there, and a swarm of people are showing you photos of the humiliating ordeals you got up to last night. If you aren’t drinking, you won’t have to worry about waking up to humiliating stories. Instead, you’ll be the one laughing and sharing embarrassing pictures.
For more tips on all things college, check out our more College Basics blogs here.
