Last week while on break, my co-workers and I had a discussion about alcoholism.
They were three ladies. It is hard to win an argument with three ladies. We were trying to decide how much is too much. They said that even drinking one night a week may be too much. Of course, I took offense to that statement because, as some people might know, I sometimes drink twice a week. I do not make it a point to drink twice a week, but that is how it turns out. I told the women that I did not have a problem, and I seriously do not, but the conversation did get me thinking.
Why do I drink? Is it because I am thirsty? No. Maybe it is because I want to. I do not need to. There is no peer pressure on me. To be honest, all I get out of drinking is 20 trips to the bathroom, stinky breath and gas the next morning.
Maybe it is the way that drinking is portrayed, how it is made out to be cool. I used to watch sports teams win championships on television by celebrating with champagne showers. I was led to believe that was the way to celebrate.
I have seen many people drink a lot of beer more than once a week and how it has affected them. Some people have had to alter there lifestyles because of drinking.
Think about it. How easy is it to get beer around campus? I can go over to Circle K and buy beer without being checked for identification. Warehouse Pizza is often times packed with beer drinking students. Are they all 21 or over?
It makes no sense to me. People know that drinking can be dangerous to their health, yet they still do it.
The worst thing about drinking is when people drive home from a party. When I see this, I think how stupid they are for doing it. I am no better, though. I have ridden home with people that have been so drunk that they could not even pee straight. I always told myself not to drive drunk, but I should have told myself not to ride with a drunk person as well.
People need to analyze what drinking really does to them and listen to themselves the morning after. Usually the first words out of someone’s mouth are “I was so drunk last night….” Then they go on to tell stories about stupid things they did.
When people get drunk, there is no telling what they might do. Some women act seductive. I have even known a few to start undressing in public. The thing that bothers me the most about these female drinkers is that some have the ability to blame someone else for there actions when drunk.
When some women get drunk they become susceptible to advances made by men. People will sometimes have sex with others and regret it. The next day they may wake up and say they were taken advantage of.
Men should not be held responsible for women’s actions. Men know that it is easier to have sex with some women when they are drunk, but why should a woman have trouble saying “no” when she is drunk? It is only one word.
Women are individuals and should be responsible for their own actions. The smart thing to do is give up drinking. And that is exactly what I am going to do.
I am publicly admitting that I will not drink for at least one month starting today. I do not need to drink, so why do it? I figure I will save some money, feel more awake and clean out my system all at the same time. I am going to prove to those three ladies that I do not need to drink. Veronica, Liz and Vanessa—you did indeed drive me not to drink.
Some people will never stop drinking. I just hope that it does not kill them. I can stop, though, and I will not let peer pressure get to me. I am now officially sober. I am sure I can have just as much fun sober as I could have drunk. As of today I can no longer be labeled as a drunk.
