A few months ago, I published Why I Choose Sobriety, which outlined my own personal experience and viewpoints on choosing to live sober while at college. In that article, I talk a little bit about alternatives to drinking, but I knew that I would want to revisit the topic to delve further into the many ways that we can entertain ourselves without having to get drunk. So, this time I offer up just a few of the many ways I, and many others, have had made great memories and shared fun times without the use of alcohol.
Let's set up a scenario here:
You're sitting in your dorm at 7 p.m. on a Friday night. You and your friends are wondering what you're going to do with your 48 hours of freedom, starting with tonight. Sure, there's plenty of parties going on, as always, but they're all the same and you just want to try something else for a change. Here are some options...
1. Movie Night
A classic crowd-pleaser, this could range anywhere from Netflix binge watching to a full blown popcorn, candy and sodas affair. One of my personal favorite things to do, my roommate and I hold a weekly movie night in our dorm for anyone not out partying, and it's always a huge hit.
2. Cook For/With Friends
Bake a cake, cook some pasta, try something new, just get yourself in the kitchen and have some fun. Whether you create five star cuisine, or set off the smoke alarm, it is a guarantee you'll have a good time.
3. Date Night
Got that special someone in your life? Why not take some time to go on a proper night out. Hell, make it a double date! Do something where you can spend quality, undistributed time together– maybe even something away from the world of electronics!
4. Game Night
Board games, video games and anything in between! Different people may want different things, but I promise, even if it's just an app on your phone, you can find something(s) that everyone will enjoy!
Side note: I highly recommend the Jackbox Party Pack games
5. Go To An Arcade
Sometimes there just isn't a substitute for that feeling–that feeling you get after having spent 20 dollars only to come away with a bouncy ball and a finger trap that broke in the car on the way home, and yet somehow still have a smile on your face... That feeling of being a kid again. If you're like me (a perpetual child), this will be for you.
6. Go Campin
Ahhh, the great outdoors. Grab some friends that won't spend the whole time complaining, and go take on the wilderness! We are blessed with some truly beautiful scenes of nature all around us in America, so let's go appreciate them!
7. Go Thrifting
Must–resist–the–urge–to quote–Macklemore.
8. Group Gym Trip!
Oh yes, the suggestion everyone loves. But hear me out on this one, going to the gym with your friends can have multiple layers of benefits! In addition to help ease the self-consciousness of working out alone, you can do all sorts of things together, like play basketball or go swimming.
9. Walmart Antics
The nice thing about Walmart is that you can go there and look/act crazy, but not even stand out among the normal clientele. A perfect spot for tomfoolery and shenanigans. But nothing illegal, of course.
10. YouTube Binge
We've all been there... it all starts with "dude, did you see that video of the chimpanzee riding on a segway?" then somehow 2 hours later you've made your way over to your fourth "Top Ten" video in a row.
11. Go To A Sporting Event
Supporting your school is always a good thing. Plus, there's just something about live sports, from little league all the way to the pros, that gets us excited and engaged.
12. Do Something Completely Random
Climb a tree, roll down a hill, play a prank on your RA, go to the music department and jam out, literally just shout something out, then go do it.
13. Trampoline Park
Need I say more?
14. Drive Aimlessly
Okay, maybe not completely aimlessly... but sometimes an uncharted adventure is the best kind!
15. Go Somewhere to Watch the Sunset
Hey, at the very least it'll make a kickass Instagram post.
16. Just Talk
It's fascinating to me how much pressure we all feel to always occupy ourselves. It's like we feel this need to always be going out or doing something to keep our lives moving at a fast pace. But we need to learn how to slow down and just enjoy some simple moments in life.
So there are just a few of the many, many ways to have sober fun. Everyone is different, and everyone may enjoy different things, but there are so many combinations of these things and many other activities that can yield not just fun, but memorable experiences. I hope that the next time you're considering going to yet another frat party, or some other event in which the chief advertisement is alcohol, you'll maybe stop to think about enjoying the world though your own eyes.
Finally, I'd like to end with this statement: I haven't had a single drink since being at college, and I don't regret anything. I never regret the parties I didn't go to. I never regret helping a stumbling person home, or taking care of my neighbors. I've always been a "carpe diem" kinda guy, I do plenty of random, crazy things. Most people would think that would make me the perfect college drinker. But "seizing the day", "living in the moment", or however you want to phrase it, will never be an excuse for going overboard with alcohol.
Seize the day, but do it in such a way that you can cherish the memory of having done it once the next one comes around.
