Control

[asterroc]

A couple of my students recently have asked me ... well, they said, "you know what it's like to drink a lot, you were a college student." And my answer was no, I don't know what it's like. "C'mon, you have to have drunk." "Yeah right, of course you drank." And no, I didn't. I didn't really drink anything until grad school, and even to this day the most I've had in a night is three. I think I've done this on three separate occasions, and one time I really thought I was going to puke and fall over with just that little.

So the question is why not? And reading through some literature on binge drinking, I figured it out. There is exactly one thing in the world that I can control: Myself. I am not willing to give that up.

Comments

[rumorofrain.livejournal.com]

Me too! I've never been a "drinker," even in college, and I've never had more than a few drinks at one "sitting" (i.e. party) either.

For me, the question is not, "Why not?" It's, "Why do other people drink so much? And why do they think it's a universal experience?" (Maybe the second question is the answer to the first...)

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

*nods* It's just never held very much appeal for me. Everyone else says it helps them have a good time, or loosen up, but I have a prefectly fun time w/ friends when sober, and I don't need anything to loosen me up w/ strangers - as I've clearly shown to you! I only started touching alcohol in grad school-ish b/c I realized that a few sips won't make me lose control (and I often don't even finish that first glass of wine), and some alcoholic beverages taste better than some non-alcoholic beverages. Not all - I don't drink beer, and last time my parents asked me if I wanted a glass of wine w/ dinner I chose a raspberry smoothie instead (Yum!) - but some. So yeah, when I drink nowadays it's b/c I want the taste that I can't find in a non-alcoholic beverage, and it's only in company of people I trust, and when I'm NOT driving!

[l0stmyrel1g10n.livejournal.com]

i've noticed that after a drink [in Antigua where it's legal!] i tend to loosen up a bit. but never as much as when i'm completely sober and legitimately having fun, such as hanging out with CTYer-like people. my feeling is, if alcohol is necessary for you to have fun, then what you're doing doesn't really count as fun.