Sober Thrills
Adventurous experiences and crazy decisions do not always need alcohol
By Naisargi Mehta
I have two things to say to the college folks who don’t drink: 1) It’s okay and 2) I feel you. There are many kinds of sober people on any campus: the never-making-that-mistake-again sober, the never-felt-like-drinking sober, the strict-childhood sober, the prevention-is-better-than-cure sober, and so on. All of them are okay, by the way. I am the last kind. Self-control has never been my strongest suit. I am aware that drinking responsibly is usually not harmful, but I mean, come on—responsibility and me? I can easily see myself go life-threateningly bonkers on alcohol from miles away, standing on the other side of the land of sobriety.
Does it have to be the other side, though? Booze or no-booze is just another preference. It doesn’t really have to be a head-turning one. I have been to social gatherings where I’ve seen people get drunk and do all kinds of crazy things. And I have seen myself be that crazy without booze. Yeah, I’m a little weird. Moving on. So, to honor those of us who have managed not to give in to peer pressure, let’s take a look at the feel-good moments you can absolutely enjoy without the assistance of alcohol. (A lot of it involves music for me, but you do you, boo!)
Long Drive and/or Walk
If the Minnesota weather allows, I always prefer a walk over a drive. Crank up some Hozier and just start walking. Somewhere. If you witness a girl walking zigzag with her hands flailing on the bridge, that may just be me. There are only a few things more satisfying than walking to the beat of your music.
2. That Musical Event
If a nice prog rock concert doesn’t do it for you, I don’t know what will. Experiencing each moment of the blissful concert is better than having no memory of that evening the next day.
3. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
You don’t have to be good at dancing to feel it in your bones. If the walls of my room could talk, they would be dumbstruck by my weird dancing skills. It’s fun, okay! Whatever gets you in the mood, follow it.
4. Sitting in Silence
For some people, i.e. Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec, complete silence does it. When you rid your brain of all distractions and let it wander, looking at that tree branch about to break, that guy’s feet stomping in time to his music, those fingers typing with a lightning speed on an assignment due in an hour, those perfectly shaped snowflakes falling down and merging into a big plane of white land—I promise you can get a high from nature and the chaos of the everyday life. It feels more fulfilling if you have someone to share that silence with.
There are many different ways you can go wild without putting any substances in your body that you don’t want to. Just one drink can lead to good memories for some, or life-altering challenges for another. If you choose something, believe that you have chosen wisely. If your choice does not resemble that of the others around you, it’s okay.
The world won’t end if you don’t drink. Well, it’s eventually going to end, and humans will have ended it, but that’s beside the point. Self-care, self-respect, and most importantly, self-awareness supersede everything else.