To Drink or Not to Drink, That’s Literally My Question
Give me one margarita, I'll make it into an E4P panel
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Four years ago today, just as I was about to submit my senior thesis, I received an email that the Covid-19 pandemic had ended my semester and, effectively, my college career. It was unceremonious and ominous and I had been awake for two days by that point so I didn’t take the news particularly well.1
I’ve been thinking about that bizarre day a lot primarily because of its anniversary—and partially because of this tweet—but also because we’re talking about drinking this week, which is something I did a lot both while working on my project2 and in the months after.
In a study published last summer, the National Institutes of Health found that
during the first year of the pandemic, alcohol sales jumped by nearly 3%, the largest increase in more than 50 years. Multiple small studies suggest that during the pandemic, about 25% of people drank more than usual, often to cope with stress…With other disasters, we’ve seen that these spikes in drinking last 5 or 6 years and then alcohol consumption slowly returns to usual levels.
I’m no anthropologist but I do spend an ungodly amount of time on TikTok, which feels the same in terms of stress and trauma as getting a master's degree studying humanity. Lately, I’ve noticed an increase in videos made by individuals my age or just slightly older talking about why they’re trying to drink less or not at all. The videos and their creators all seem well-intended on their own but together, they seem to be saying something deeper.
I can’t tell if this is yet another good thing gone viral where the internet has turned something innocuous into the next trend, or if there is a real societal shift around drinking afoot a year earlier than expected. As I am wont to do when I don’t have the answers and am feeling particularly nosy, I opened the discussion to all of you.
Pour yourself a glass of something—there are some great recommendations a little ways down if you need inspiration—and settle in for this week’s panel on where the culture stands on drinking.
As I stated at the start of the submission form, in no way does this panel seek to make light of alcohol addiction or any other addictive behavior. If any part of this piece is triggering or problematic, please let me know so that I can make any and all requisite changes. <3
What's your drink of choice?
Riley, 24, he/him: Vodka soda
Sean, 25, he/him: Margarita
Bailey: Vodka soda or wine
HL, 25, she/her: Wine (white)
Lincoln, 25, she/her: Anything tropical with rum or champagne
CH, 24, he/him: Vesper martini
CM, 26: White wine, the type varies
MD, 26, she/her: Any kind of hard liquor—I’m not a fan of beer or wine
Blair, 26, she/her: The holy trio—Harney & Sons vanilla tea, La Croix, and ice cold water in my Owala water bottle
MA, 24, she/her: Espresso martini
Bhavya, 28, she/her: Gin and tonic, espresso martini, a good solid beer, orange wine
AC, 25, she/her: Gin and tonic
Akanksha, 25, she/her: Old fashioned
GB, 24, she/her: Gin and tonic or riesling wine
SRV, 30: Tequila
Danni, 55, she/her: I like them all!
Sandra, 25, she/her: Moscow mule
WM, 24, he/him: Corona or some rum cocktail
28 f: Vodka soda (gluten-free + low sugar = no sick tummy)
Hannah, she/her: Vodka martini with a twist
DK, 35, she/her: Wine or Negroni
Courtney, 26, she/her: Everyday: Spindrift // Alcohol: Amaretto sour
When, if ever, did you start drinking? Do you feel that has had an impact on your relationship with alcohol?
Riley: After high school. It feels like I started late.
Bailey: Seventh grade had my first beer but freshman year of high school officially.
Lincoln: 14
CH: College. To be honest, not really.
CM: I was 14 when I first “drank” but 15 when I really started to “drink” and no, I wouldn’t say it did.
MD: College, I do wish I drank earlier so I knew more about my tolerance.
Blair: I had my first drink, outside the trauma of accidentally drinking my grandma's vodka on the rocks, when I was 17 and it was two sips of wine with my mom. I started drinking super late and I think this first drink helped me ease into drinking and feel in control.
AC: 16 ish? Felt like a normal age at the time.
Akanksha: I started drinking in high school, and it definitely made me associate it with social gatherings and parties. I’m actually happy, though, it taught me about my tolerance early.
GB: 16, and no I don’t. I think my relationship with alcohol was more shaped as I got older.
SRV: 16? I don’t think it did. My drinking didn’t really change until college.
WM: At 19, and I am happy I did not start until then. I didn’t drink during my freshman year of college.
Hannah: I started drinking in college and really just went for it! Drinking in college was usually a binge. Towards the end of college, I was a lot more mindful about it. I think waiting until college made me think drinking meant getting messy. I didn’t associate drinking with taste or anything casual.
Courtney: Probably sometime early high school. I would say I started to engage with it around the average age of people around me. I don’t think when I started drinking really had a massive impact on my overall relationship with it.
Has your relationship with alcohol changed over the course of your life? If "yes," in what ways?
Riley: Yes, I learned my limits and ignored them.
Sean: Not really.
HL: Somewhat. I enjoyed it the first couple of years, it was only really something to do when going out to bars. I definitely started to drink more during Covid, like many people. Though that remained fairly social with the ~6 people I was living with so it didn’t feel too unhealthy. Since then, I drink a glass after dinner several nights a week so I think Covid normalized daily alcohol for me a bit.
Lincoln: Yes. It used to make me feel very happy and cool. Now I get a lot more hangxiety.
CH: Yes. I actually feel as though drinking has had more of an impact on my life post-college. In college, social activities were engrained in almost every aspect of my every day, and I felt satisfied missing out on a party knowing I was going to be able to interact with essentially the same group of people for a club event the next day.
Whereas in my post-grad life, drinking has become a default for dates, catch-ups with friends that are not in the immediate close circle, and even the default to blow off steam from the work week with close friends. It's a much more "essential" or integrated social activity than I have previously experienced.
CM: In high school and college I never had a fake so it was only binge drinking with friends. Now, for example, I’m on my way home from a Sunday happy hour where I had two glasses of wine. Maybe my boyfriend and I will have one more at home. Maybe not. I’m not drinking to get drunk like I used to.
MD: I see drinking in 3 different ways:
1. Drinking to die (you just want to get shit-faced and maybe remember the night).
2. Drinking to get drunk (want to feel the alcohol and have it help you have a good time)
3. Drinking to enjoy (casual drinking where you chose your drink BECAUSE you like the taste of what you are drinking)
Blair: Yes. In high school, it helped me fit in and feel normal that I drank too. In college, it was to be "fun," fit in, and also to often give me an excuse to act in dumb ways (mostly drunk texting boys). Now, it is something that I often choose not to partake in.
I don't love the way it makes me feel and, while it often makes me feel excluded, it is something that I often choose to abstain from. In addition, the hangovers hurt more and more as I get older so I am pretty jazzed to wake up on the weekends and feel great.
MA: I didn’t really drink until I moved to Europe. Now I go out for drinks once a week.
Bhavya: Yes; when I began drinking, I quickly fell into the pattern of not drinking often (or only on weekends), but drinking heavily whenever I drank.
Over time I began drinking casually during the week as well as heavily on the weekends, just because everyone around me was doing it. In the later parts of college, I coped with stress and trauma using alcohol. Often drinking to the point of blacking out or drinking and driving. At this point I hadn’t tried any drugs—I was just using alcohol as a crutch.
As I got older and entered the workforce, my mental health improved and my stress levels went down. I blacked out less, but continued to drink frequently throughout the week and often planned my social life around getting drunk.
Over the course of the pandemic, I naturally drank less. I also took up smoking weed at this point which served as a “healthier” alternative, especially being zero calorie (until the munchies hit). Around this time, my tolerance for alcohol began to wane and I began to experience worse hangovers, even after light drinking.
I began doing Dry January about four years ago and always found it pretty easy and refreshing to take a break from drinking for a month. Toward the end of last year, I got more serious about my physical health.
At that time I decided to cut out all alcohol and soda and stick to a strict caloric diet. It worked—I began feeling healthier, less tired, less bloated, and more happy. Since then, I haven’t officially gone sober. In fact, I just got back from a family trip where I was drinking almost every day, just because everyone around me was doing it. But, I’m navigating my relationship with alcohol in a healthy way and have ascertained, at the very least, that alcohol is not really my friend and I don’t need it for a fun time.
AC: Yes, I like a sweet drink or a casual at-home drink.
Akanksha: Yes! I used to drink every time I went out or was being social, now I only drink if it’s something I really want to do.
GB: Yes, I think it has become worse over time. Once you are of age, social plans revolve a lot around drinking or having wine with dinner, etc. I think the culture of going out and binge drinking has been challenging for my physical and mental health.
SRV: Yes. There’s been a few instances where I’ve caused financial harm to myself. One being a costly knee surgery and the other has been outstanding credit card debt due to moving around a lot.
Danni: Yes. Drinking in college is very different than drinking as a 55-year-old.
Sandra: Yes it has absolutely changed and I'm so happy it has. I used to view alcohol as something that makes everything else "better"—I'd drink to make the people around me seem more interesting, I'd drink to make myself feel less sad, I'd drink to feel more confident and cool. Since I've reframed my relationship with it, I see it more as just something that lowers your inhibitions and can be used for good or for bad. It's not going to fix anything.
I think I also see the bad in it a lot more now. I'm no longer the person who can have five drinks, stay out until 2 am, and still make it to Orange Theory the next morning. I'm prone to 24-hour hangovers even after two drinks so every time I do drink, it's recognizing that feeling super shitty is a possibility.
WM: I guess—I used to hate beer and now I like it. I also drank a lot in college and don’t have as much desire to get absolutely hammered.
28 f: Currently not drinking. I have had periods without drinking alcohol throughout my life. I choose not to drink when I am going through periods of anxiety because it impacts the effectiveness of medicine and I’m working on my health. When I do drink, it’s in moderation—1-3 drinks and socially.
Hannah: Yes, I’m more mindful of the long-term harms of over-consumption and how it affects my health. Not to say there aren’t still nights I overdo it, but much less than before.
DK: Yes, I work in the hospitality industry with a focus on wine/beverage.
Courtney: 100%. In high school, I was just stumbling around not knowing what I was doing. In college, I was drinking along with everyone else and having probably on average 3 drinks in a night. Post-grad (and in the pandemic), I stopped drinking but not intentionally. By just living at home (my parents rarely drink) and lack of socializing (because of the pandemic), I started to very rarely drink and notice how my body actually felt pretty shit when I did.
Now, I never feel like I need to drink but choose to here and there depending on my mood.
Have you ever pretended to drink while out with others? If so, why or why not?
HL: Yes probably because my stomach hurt, as usual (unrelated to drinking).
CH: Not really. I feel like Gen Z culture is very in tune with giving people the autonomy to make their own decisions and accept them no matter what. So if there was ever a night I wanted to not drink as much or not drink at all my friends wouldn't care. It's more important being together than being DRUNK together.
CM: Not a whole night, but I have for sure thrown a shot behind me when I knew I hit my limit.
MD: Usually if I pretend it’s because I know I’m too drunk and need to get my shit together.
Blair: Naur, I’m bad at acting.
MA: No, I’m a social drinker.
Bhavya: No, I typically am upfront about not drinking, or else I cave and end up drinking under too much pressure.
AC: Yes, I always chug water when out.
Akanksha: For SURE. On an average night out, I nurse a Diet Coke with a lime. It’s honestly not for others, I just like to have something in my hand and to stay hydrated.
GB: Yes, a couple of times. I’ve ordered NA beer from a bar and asked them to pour in a glass to hide the fact I wasn’t drinking. I didn’t want to be judged or make the people who were drinking uncomfortable.
SRV: Never. Drinking isn’t really a make-or-break deal for me. I think I’m the same person sober just a lot more in control.
Sandra: I never have, and truthfully I don't understand why anyone would. It's not a crime to not want to drink, even if you're not experimenting with sobriety. If anyone comments on it then they're the weirdo for even noticing, and the chances are high that they're insecure themselves.
WM: Yes cause of social pressures, etc.
28 f: No. I feel confident being honest when I don’t want to drink. It’s easy for me to say no, keep in mind I’m also not struggling with addiction. I like to enjoy a soda though if I’m sober or DDing when out!
Hannah: Yes, I have pretended to be drinking in order to blend in and still be perceived as fun. In addition to wanting to maintain appearances, I’ve also pretended to be drinking so those around me didn’t feel pressured to change their choice to drink.
DK: No. If I choose not to drink, I don’t drink.
Courtney: Probably by having a (non-alc) drink in my hand but if asked, I wouldn’t lie and say it was alcohol.
Can you elaborate on your answer to the above question?
Riley: Ban alcohol, to be honest.
Sean: I think sobriety is great and it’s great to see people living well, but I don’t think social media is the help that people with substance abuse need.
Bailey: I've seen people do it for different purposes but nothing that stopped alcohol in their lives forever.
HL: I’m honestly not sure about my answer but sometimes it just feels like Gen Z is just a bit oversaturated in theory talk and wellness mindsets and self-awareness strategies. It’s exhausting and it seems like there is nothing that exists that can’t be framed as problematic. Similar to the very strange Gen Z pushback against sex and sexual media content. Also, I say this as a very progressive member of Gen Z.
Lincoln: I don’t care if people don’t drink but I’m definitely going to keep drinking because the world is a bad place and a lil drinky takes the edge off.
CH: It's complicated and nuanced. On the one end, Gen Z has taken the pressure off of needing to binge in order to have fun, and those who choose not to partake in drinking at social activities because they genuinely don't enjoy the taste of liquor or the feeling of being drunk don't actively feel the need to advertise their choice. On the opposite end of that, Gen Zs who decide to experiment with sobriety for health/wellness, at least in my experience, pass an incredible amount of judgment on others who still drink. It feels hierarchal and has an inflated sense of grandeur.
CM: Between the rise of dry January and more people in my social circles opting not to drink, I respect people’s personal decisions.
MD: I think that no one should ever feel like they have to participate in “recreational drugs” no matter how popular they are.
Blair: It makes me feel less alone and means there are more sober buddies for me.
MA: I feel like people are making healthy decisions for themselves by staying sober. I also like seeing mocktails rise in popularity.
Bhavya: I’m only happy to see the trend toward at least partial sobriety because I know how much better it has made me feel over the past few years.
I also just know that we all act like idiots when we’re drinking, and for that reason, alcohol feels like a tool to suppress our collective thoughts and power.
AC: Depends on the person’s needs and how it makes them feel because it’s unique to each person.
Akanksha: I think sobriety is amazing and should be normalized.
GB: I think it’s great that it’s becoming more normalized and the non/low alcohol market is getting bigger and more accessible. However, I have concerns that the “wellness trend” aspect of this means we will just revert back to previous drinking cultures in a few years and forget all about the time when everyone was sober-curious.
SRV: Whether or not someone chooses to partake in a “Hard 75” or “Sober October” is completely supported and is a huge achievement once they complete it. However, I don’t like having to document/share every minute of every day about it. I’m here to support any journey but it seems people take on this personality about it.
They act like “this is who I am now” for that time period and then revert back to their old ways after documenting it. I’d rather see someone stay sober who has had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and continue to document it after a 30-day challenge or however long the newest “challenge” is.
Danni: I feel the trend may be able to help folks who need or want to try sobriety. Almost like giving them a non-judgmental place, excuse, or even permission to stop drinking.
Sandra: I love to see people trying and talking about sobriety! Sober can be such a dirty word especially when you're young, so to have more and more people bringing it into the open makes me happy. Even if it's becoming a trend I view it as one that's genuinely good for you so I hope it spreads. It can be so validating to see "normal" people be sober and realize that you don't have to be a recovering alcoholic who lost everything to not want to drink.
WM: I think it’s good for it to be normalized because right now, I think people have weird reactions to it.
Hannah: Knowledge is power! Our generation(s) are experimenting with sobriety because they’ve been exposed to the negative realities of it.
DK: I just feel that it’s been exciting as a beverage professional to create meaningful experiences in new ways.
Courtney: Yes! Love more conversations about not having everything fun revolve around alcohol. Gen Z is constantly paving the path for greater acceptance generally and also more intentionality with wellness, and I’ve seen a lot of content on TikTok about not wanting all social situations to revolve around drinking.
If you're someone experimenting with sobriety, what led you to do so and what does that look like for you?
Bailey: I did it to feel better/for body purposes and because in the summer I drink way more than I should.
Blair: I realized I didn't love drinking and rarely had fun when I drank/went out. It was hard at first, but now it just means getting a mocktail.
GB: I made the goal of not drinking socially because when I’m drinking in social settings, I find that’s when I have the least control. If I have a glass of wine at home with dinner, I have a lot more control over my consumption and drink the alcohol for the taste, not for the buzz.
Danni: I’ve stopped drinking completely 2x in the past five years. Once for six weeks on the suggestion of my doctor in connection with health issues and weight loss efforts and this past January when my husband wanted to do Dry January. Once I learned that he lost 5 pounds in the first week while I lost nothing, I went damp.
Sandra: I did my first "sober 30" in 2019 in the month leading up to my 21st birthday. At the time, I painted it as a sort of "tolerance break" to make my birthday celebration even crazier but I think deep down there was a part of me that was aware that I was in a mentally precarious spot and drinking definitely didn't help. I also wanted to prove that I could in order to quell my fears that I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Being young and dumb, I obviously didn't really consider the takeaways from that month of sobriety and continued in my ways.
My real reckoning with sobriety happened in Fall 2021, also at the tail end of a tumultuous few months that wasn't caused by but definitely worsened by drinking. I had to take a medication for two weeks that I absolutely couldn't drink on and I saw this as an opportunity to take another sober 30. This time I gained so much clarity, and I think the biggest difference was that I still maintained a regular social schedule. I realized I could still go out and have fun with my friends but just not drink. I didn't have to be a recluse, nobody even asked questions or pressured me, sobriety could just be a normal part of life.
Following those 30 days, I was sober-curious for the next year or so. I only really drank on special occasions (e.g. friends visiting from out of town, work dinners) and when I did drink it was never more than two or three drinks. These days, I live more of a "low alcohol" lifestyle where I'll say yes only if it doesn't impact other plans I have like working out the next morning.
28 f: I wouldn’t say I’m experimenting with sobriety because I don’t struggle with addiction and I’m not working to be sober for life. I’m just not actively consuming alcohol at this moment of my life because of health reasons but I expect to drink socially in moderation in the future. It looks like me not drinking alcohol when out or socializing because it messes up my stomach and impacts the effectiveness of anxiety meds
Courtney: I have been and I would say it just looks like opting for mocktails, THC drinks, and functional beverages in place of alcohol. There are so many more bars and restaurants that offer non-alcoholic options now too, which I’m really excited to see.
If you are experimenting with sobriety, what are some of your favorite non-alcoholic alternatives?
MD: I am not experimenting with sobriety, BUT every night I have one of those poppi prebiotic sodas and it feels like I am treating myself to a cocktail!
Blair: Shirley Temple, ginger beer, or good ol' water.
Bhavya: I love a classic Cherry Cola Olipop. But I’m curious about less expensive alternatives because these prices are crazy.
GB: Athletic Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer, sparkling apple cider, Poppi or Olipop.
Danni: I am not currently experimenting with sobriety but I enjoyed the Mocktail brand and the Ritual brand of non-alcoholic spirits when I wasn’t drinking. I have not found an NA wine I like.
Sandra: When I'm going out, I keep it simple and classless with a Red Bull. If I'm at home and I want a fun treat, I'll put a Poppi in a wine glass. Also, I know it's a scam because it's literally just water but I do like an occasional can of Liquid Death.
28 f: 18-year-old me would say non-alc wine. Now? I like water? Seltzer? Diet Coke?
Courtney: Cann, Recess, Poppi, Spindrift (if we’re talking canned bevs you just buy at the store).
If you're not someone experimenting with sobriety, have you ever been curious to try? Why or why not?
Riley: Yeah, I need to learn to have fun on a night out while still being fully in control.
Sean: I take month-long breaks every now and then, and I think that’s good enough for me.
HL: Sometimes I have wondered how I’d feel if I was sober. But I’ve had to be on antibiotics or other situations that kept me from having alcohol for weeks at a time and I realized I just didn’t feel any differently and a glass of juice or kombucha would make me just as happy lmao
Lincoln: Only if I’m I’m having a super hangxiety day after. Usually, that goes away the next day and I’m back in business.
CM: Not really. I’m really really self-conscious about my alcohol intake because of my family history with alcoholism, but also I am a person with (diagnosed and medicated) social anxiety. A glass of wine at a social outing helps. Not sure if that qualifies as healthy but I wouldn’t say it’s detracting from my overall general health. So I will stick with the wine.
MD: I have a pretty good relationship with alcohol and really only drink when I WANT to, not when I feel like I HAVE to.
MA: I definitely have. Drinking increases my anxiety. I always end up feeling depressed when I’m hungover.
SRV: I’ve done it before. But the reason I was sober for three months was because I was on some pretty strong supplements that could have messed up my liver if I drank on it. My liver may already be shot but there was no need to potentially cause extensive damage to my liver, especially when experimenting with different supplements.
Hannah: Definitely! I think the main thing for me is experimenting with quantity, rather than complete sobriety. What will happen if I have one drink where maybe in the past I would have had four? Am I still having a good time? Do I feel better the next day? Do I not wind up crying on the bathroom floor?
If you're not someone experimenting with sobriety, do you have any good cocktail recipes you’d like to share?
Riley: Green Fizz recipe:
1 part each
-Simple syrup
-Lime juice
-St. Germain
-Blended cucumber
-Tanqueray
-Shake and top with prosecco/sparkling wine
Bailey: No, I'm a basic bitch.
HL: My sister invented kombucha and vodka cocktails during Covid. They were… not terrible?
Lincoln: There is this drink called the Island Girl Bucket that you can get at the beach bars in my hometown. I’m talking coconut rum (country singer Kenny Chesney’s brand, for some reason), orange juice, pineapple juice, and Sprite. It’s served in a bucket. It’s awesome.
CH: Not that I've made but I once had a chocolate raspberry espresso martini...and I had three. They were soooo good.
CM: Gin, lemonade (or soda water with lemon juice), and mint!!
AC: A cream soda Olipop and vanilla vodka.
SRV: Typically I go with a tequila, soda, and slice of orange only because I enjoy the sweetness of an orange. But if I had to suggest two cocktails, I would say have a pisco sour or a sombrero.
A pisco sour consists of pisco (a liquor from South America), egg white, sugar, and lime juice. The egg white is a garnish that gives the top of the drink a nice frothy layer. A sombrero is just a milkshake with Kahlua.
Danni: Gin, Amaro Nonino, sweet vermouth, and an orange twist for a delicious Negroni.
Moroccan mint tea, Knobs Creek bourbon, and Wild Moon Chai Spice garnished with mint leaf and lemon twist for my original Sister Stardust drink.
DK: Classic Negroni. 1oz gin, 1oz Campari (or bitter liquor), 1oz sweet vermouth, and three dashes Angostura.
What do you see as the future of alcohol consumption?
Riley: Alternatives but not necessarily healthier alternatives.
Sean: Not much change.
HL: I feel like alcohol is certainly not going anywhere. However, I think the intense wellness mindset of younger generations will probably continue in the direction it is heading in. I think it’s unlikely that alcohol will go the way of tobacco cigarettes, but with all the new research on how many serious medical problems alcohol consumption (above a couple of drinks a week) causes, it seems like it may continue to fall out of favor with younger people.
Lincoln: I think the pendulum will swing back and forth.
CH: I think I see a trend that is leaning away from large quantities of alcohol consumption.
CM: I think the binge drinking in college has to hit some kind of plateau. The borg trend is honestly terrifying. I also wonder if the US may re-evaluate the 21 drinking age. People abroad don’t seem to drink delinquently like us…
MD: hopefully it becomes personal for everyone, you should be able to have whatever relationship (as long as it’s healthy) with alcohol
Blair: Something more optional, less of an expectation when going out, and not the only option at bars. Mocktails already have been showing up on more menus and I think it will continue, along with weed-infused drinks.
Bhavya: I’m unsure. Alcohol feels like it’s fundamentally intertwined with the systems, institutions, and ideologies that largely govern our world (or at least the Western world). Especially if we look at how alcohol is used and placed on a pedestal in ritualized, patriarchal spaces like fraternities, golf clubs, etc.
More and more it also seems like alcohol is, or at least has been, used as a numbing agent—allowing people to dissociate from their dissatisfaction or unhappiness in life.
I think it would take the overhaul of a number of wholly intertwined systems and ways of thinking to truly change the way the Western world consumes alcohol. I definitely think we’ll see a marked shift in how or how much people consume alcohol, especially as the older generations die out and demographics begin to shift.
Sandra: I think that drinking one day is going to be seen similarly to cigarettes. It's never going to go away but I think society as a whole is going to be much more in tune with the dangers of it. Beyond the obvious long-term harms of impaired decision-making and liver failure, it can also interfere with our gut and skin health.
I also think that if you experience the joy of remembering every detail of the night before—no hangxiety, no hangover—it's hard to go back to feeling shitty after drinking. Personally, I see myself being fully sober at some point in the next few years because the benefits are undeniable. But I'm not quite there yet, mostly because it's pretty hard to resist an espresso martini.
28 f: Whatever anyone wants. I hope people who struggle with addiction can heal.
DK: A slow decline that allows producers to focus and hone in on well-crafted beverages.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Sean: Drink responsibly!
Bailey: Drink as you please, not as others expect.
Lincoln: If I’m ever rowdy and annoying during a night out because I’m drunk please don’t tell me. I definitely already know and feel like shit about it.
CH: ...so...Rise?
Bhavya: I would be interested in an examination of how people in the rest of the world relate to alcohol, especially after coming back from India and noticing that people really glamorize alcohol consumption there and that it seems to be consumed at a high rate, especially in the upper-middle to upper classes.
AC: This has been interesting!
Akanksha: There are so many other vices besides alcohol. It’s important to know what you use to cope and what is actually recreational.
SRV: KI KI KI RAAA TEQUILA
Danni: There is nothing better than a gin-soaked olive.
Sandra: Call me a prohibitionist but my controversial yet brave opinion is that everyone would be better off if there was less drinking/more restrictions on alcohol.
28 f: I think cutting down or out alcohol for people who typically don’t drink a lot and are doing so for calories, health, Dry January, etc., is very different than someone who is addicted and is working towards becoming or is actively sober.
Courtney: You don’t need alcohol to have fun 🤪
Give us a cheers for the road!
Riley: To valor to honor
Sean: Cheers 🥂
Bailey: It's not the length it's not the size but hopefully he can make it rise
Lincoln: Cheers baby!!
CH: ¡Arriba, abajo, al centro y pa' dentro!
CM: Prost!
MD: Salute 🤌🏼🤌🏼
Blair: Salut!
MA: Cheers!
Bhavya: CHEERS!! Can’t wait to read what you come up with on this topic!
AC: Cheeerssss
Akanksha: Cheers to health, whatever that means to you
GB: Cheers!
SRV: There are good ships and wood ships and ships that sail the sea. But the strongest ships are friendships and they will always be.
Danni: Hip hip hooray!
Sandra: Clink clink!
WM: Cheers!
28 f: L’Chaim!
Hannah: L’Chaim!!
DK: Cheers to you and me!
Courtney: 🥂
Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this!!! Cheers to all of you!
I actively took it in the worst way possible.
Write drunk, edit sober kids!