Yes, I am in college—and yes, you heard that right, I don’t drink. It could be baffling how in high school, people would alienate each other for drinking. The tables have turned. Every day, I am judged more for not drinking than I have ever judged anyone in my entire life for their drinking habits. Quite frankly, that is okay with me—people simply do not understand.
You see, there is this prefixed assumption in America that when you go to college, you are partying. “But Mike, college is the best time of your life! You have very few responsibilities, just let loose!” You’re right. College is the best time of my life. The past six months have been absolutely incredible. I am ecstatic about the next three and half years—never in my life have I had so much fun.
Look, pretty close to 100 percent of my friends, with the exception of maybe one or two people, drink. Close to half of those people use drugs regularly too—and I’m not just talking about pot, there’s quite a bit of heavy stuff in that mix too. I hang out with people like this every single day of my life even though I don’t participate in the same activities as they do, and yet I have never been happier. “But Mike, how could that possibly be?”
Just to set things straight, I don’t abstain from drinking because I’m not 21. I don’t abstain from alcohol because it can get pricey. I don’t abstain from alcohol because I think it’s bad. I don’t think anyone who drinks is a bad person. I don’t think anyone who does drugs is a bad person—granted, I wish some of my friends would refrain from using those life-ruining drugs, but that’s beside the point. Whatever you want to do with your life, you should do. So why is it that I am judged for my decision to abstain from drinking? Well, it’s simply because people don’t understand.
In college, a lot of social activity revolves around alcohol—that’s probably not surprising. So, there are probably a lot of people out there who consider me anti-social, or boring or lame if I’m not partying every other weekend. Anyone who knows me, knows I am always up for adventure. I do a lot of things to keep my life interesting, I’ve just never felt the need to have alcohol assume that role for me. If you like to feel the buzz of being drunk or high with the plans you make, that’s totally cool and there is not a single thing wrong with that. Everyone should do the things that make them happy.
I am misunderstood, but I understand myself. It seems as though people feel sorry for me if I am not drinking with them, but I am completely happy. Because people may not always see that on the outside, people make assumptions about my life and my choices. So no, I do not drink. And no, I do not judge you. So, why am I being judged? Seek to understand before you make an implicit judgment about my character. The world is a beautiful place, and perhaps the most significant characteristic we all share is the ability to choose. We are our choices, and these choices are what make being human such a profound thing.
