Spring break is still around the corner for some, and if your celebration is anything like the movies, then you might be celebrating on a cruise like college students usually do - filled with enough alcohol to make the entire cast of Jersey Shore sick.
Alcohol and sun is never a good mix and combined with the craziness of Spring Break. Things are only bound to get worse. Although you and your friends might be able to achieve those Instagram worthy photos, sunburns, hangovers, and waking up in a strangers bed are all possibilities.
We all know how to avoid sunburns (it's called sunscreen for those who might have forgotten and are now burnt lobsters). But what about hangovers? How can we prevent that horrible combination of dizziness, nausea, and awful headaches?
1. Drink plenty of water.
This sounds like a no brainer, but it is vitally important if you're attempting to avoid a hangover. Since alcohol is a diuretic, you run the risk of getting dehydrated. Try rotating between water and alcoholic drinks. This will slow down your alcoholic consumption while keeping you hydrated.
2. Eat a healthy and full meal before going out.
We have all heard it is a bad idea to drink on an empty stomach, and regardless of how many of us try eating handfuls of bread after the fact, it won't help anyone recover from a drunken night. According to Dr. Elizabeth Kovacs, the director of the alcohol research program at Loyola University, the extent of a hangover is related to how you metabolize alcohol. She recommends eating something that contains fats, proteins, and carbs. Skipping the meal might not leave you bloated, but it will make it more likely you will end up with your face in the toilet the following morning.
3. Avoid dark-colored liquor.
Liquor like whiskey and wine contain chemicals called congeners that occur naturally during the fermentation process. This is what often leads to the horrible headache that accompanies hangovers. Instead, switch to clear liquor like vodka, gin, and tequila. Another great tip is avoiding add-ins like sour mix which is full of sugar.
Remember, alcoholic drinks contain roughly 150 calories without mixers so do the math. After a week of non-stop parting, how many empty calories are you consuming and how many pounds will that be?
4. Find the electrolytes.
Although it is tempting to crawl directly into bed after a night out, before you succumb to this, try to drink something like Gatorade or coconut milk. Don't try to chug a gallon of water before you go to sleep, but leave a glass of water by your bed if you get thirsty in the middle of the night.
5. Get some sleep.
Even though it is incredibly challenging, I refuse to fall directly into bed after a night out. I have to take my makeup off, wash my face and my teeth, and then I can finally crawl into bed. Getting a good night sleep and reduce the quality of your hangover the next day. Sleep allows your body to recover from your crazy night out. Getting a good night's sleep also increases your chances of waking up in a bed, not your head on the cold tile bathroom floor.
6. Remember to pace yourself.
The one thing I don't understand is this obsession within college culture to shotgun a beer. Why? Most of the beer ends up on the floor so why are you competing to see who can pour the beer onto the floor. Remember, you have all Spring Break to drink, you are not in a competition to see who can drink the fastest. Pacing yourself also allows you to drink water in between drinks.
During this Spring Break remember the sunscreen and these little tricks to avoid hangovers. And regarding waking up in a strangers bed and having to resort to the "walk of shame," throw that phrase out the window because I am pretty sure you have nothing to be shameful about whatever happened.
