*Watch my YouTube video on this topic here.
Hi! Welcome to my first official blog post where I will be getting started on college topics. Today I am going to talk about alcohol. Alcohol and college seemingly go hand in hand. I remember one of my first college visits in high school; I went to Le Moyne College in Syracuse. Walking around on a campus tour, current students messed around with us by pretending to be drunk or hungover. I remember one guy pretended to puke outside a window. I’m not bashing, I remember thinking it was hilarious and I couldn’t wait to live the ideal college lifestyle—which inevitably included lots of partying. In movies, drinking and partying in college is glorified into being a rite of passage to grasping onto the “ideal” college experience. It seems like if you don’t drink, you are completely missing out. But, why is this? What happens if you don’t like it? Are you missing out?
When I decided to attend St. Bonaventure University, I knew that it had somewhat of a reputation as being a party school. It kind of bothered me, but at the same time I thought that without a doubt I would always have an awesome time. Freshman year of college, drinking and going out for the first few times feels like you’re finally an adult, so cool and being independent—returning back to your dorm whenever you feel like it. Compared to your other years of college, the drinking freshman year is turned up a few notches. It’s new, it’s cool, it’s how you meet people and make friends. However, maybe because it is a small school with only two bars that people really go to and occasional house parties, I got bored. I never got bored with spending time with friends, making friends and getting dressed up. But, with drinking—yes.
I am not a big “drinker” per se. At this point in my life, being a junior, I would rather binge watch Gilmore Girls with some cheesy bread on a Friday night than binge drink a Twisted Tea. But, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy going out with my friends and occasionally drinking on the weekends. I think, though, that I have finally achieved the perfect balance. I used to feel like I absolutely had to go out on the weekend because if I didn’t, I would miss out or regret it later on. But now I think of it like this—why the heck would I want to force myself to do something that I didn’t feel like doing? Why am I doing this? Now, I only go out when I want to go out.
The taste of alcohol, the bloatyness (I’m making that a word) of alcohol and the smell of alcohol makes me sick. I don’t know what happened, or when it happened, but sometime maybe last year or the year before it just started to get to me. I tried to push through it by drinking those Lime-A-Ritas anyways, but eventually my tolerance just went out the window.
When I realized that drinking wasn’t my thing, I was no longer going to force myself. Instead, I decided I would find a balance with going out and then drink things that I liked. So, here are some tips I have discovered if you’re not a “drinker” like me, but occasionally want to have an alcoholic beverage when going out with friends:
1. Lemon juice is your best bud.
It takes the bite out everything, it’s sweet, tangy, and something about shaking it up (if you’re getting it from a bottle) and squeezing it makes you feel like a bartender. I almost always have to have lemon juice in my drink.
2. Carbonation is a must. 
Some people aren’t fans of carbonation. But for me, I love fizzling things. If you are trying to watch calories then settle for a tonic. If you need to be amped up then go for a Sprite or Mountain Dew. This is most definitely psychological– but I feel like it settles my stomach in some weird way.
3. Snacks on snacks on snacks.
I always have to have a snack with me before I go out and I’m drinking. Heck, even when I go out I need to have a snack. Some people prefer sweet chasers, but for me, I need to have cheezits, crackers, anything that’s a salty, delicious carb. It just feels more natural to me when eating while drinking.
4. Ice, Ice baby.
Who wants a warm drink? I put in so much ice, yeah it probably waters it down a ton, but I love an ice cold drink because it makes it taste ten million times better.
5. Slow and steady wins the race—I promise.
“Chugging” something been appealing to me. I am most definitely a “sipper” and always need a straw. There is no fun on drinking something so fast that you feel sick to your stomach. Plus, straws don’t mess up your lipstick.
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