For many of you, college is the first time you have complete freedom. To those of you that will not heed the warnings of your parents and choose to drink and party, at least follow these guidelines to do so safely.
1. Eat Before/While Drinking
According to a study done by researchers from the University of Missouri, “drunkorexia” is a growing problem plaguing college students across the country. Drunkorexia is the practice of starving oneself prior to binge drinking in order to compensate for the calories in the alcohol one is going to consume later. Aside from possible short-term consequences such as more blackouts and alcohol poisoning, the real nightmare is the long-term consequences of depriving your brain and liver of nutrients followed by getting intoxicated from heavy amounts of alcohol. So eat a good, hearty dinner with lots of protein and carbohydrates before going out.
2. Know Your Limit
Many students get caught up in trying to show how much they can handle, but it’s okay to admit that you had enough after a couple of shots or whatnot. So a good technique you can use is to tally the amount of drinks you’ve had on you wrist so you and others will know when it’s time to stop. For the average person, remember that as a rule of thumb, one ounce of alcohol will be processed by the liver about every hour.
3. Pour Your Own Drinks
This sounds like a cliché, but you really can’t trust anyone you don’t know well, so before grabbing a cup of who-knows-what from some random guy you just met, think twice and pour your own drink.
4. Drink Water and Take Vitamins Before Bed
Alcohol dehydrates the body, which leads to your terrible hangover in the morning. So, to prevent that, make sure you drink lots of water, and if you can remember it, it probably won’t hurt to take a vitamin chew, Emergen-C, or a fruit. Frankly, you probably can also take them before you go out, and it will still help.
5. Remember to Have Fun
You’re out with your friends to have fun, dance, and enjoy Cal, not to be sitting by a toilet or waiting with your friend in a hospital. Be sure to socialize throughout the party, and if you do choose to drink, do so responsibly. Don’t let your goal of seeing how drunk you can get ruin the night!
Citations
- Hints for safe, sensible, and responsible drinking by Ruth C. Engs from the Trustees of Indiana University, Bloomington <http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/holiday.html>
- Drunkorexia: Women going without food so they can binge drink from The Daily Mirror by MGN, Ltd. <http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/drunkorexia-women-going-without-food-1497531>
Article by Arya Minaie
Feature Image Source: College Magazine
