The Etiquette of Drinking

Drinking is an enjoyable act that should be enjoyed when the time is appropriate. There are rules to drinking however to make sure that everyone can enjoy in the activity and no one is put out by the experience.

1. Know thy limits and drink with in them. There is no worse buzz kill and fun destroyer than someone that gets falling over drunk within 10 mins of drinking. You will end your and your friend's night early if you do so.

   1. If you are new to drinking, practice at home with a few close friends. No need to just go jumping into this experience.

   2. Start with one beer, one shot, a glass of wine or one mixed drink and see how it affects you. Then continue with the next one. Rule of thumb is “Beer than Liquor, you couldn't be sick. Liquor then beer and you are in the clear.”

   3. NEVER EVER be ashamed of being a lightweight. Being a lightweight just means that you can get drunk for a lot cheaper. The problem with most lightweights is that they try to stay up with the heavy drinkers. This is most certainly end your night quickly.

   4. Note to heavy drinkers – Never tease a lightweight about not being able to drink. If you push one to drink too much, you know what will happen. You may encourage to push their limits, but never force them to go above and beyond. If your encouragement of a lightweight gets them in trouble, it is your sole responsibility to see to their safety for the rest of the night.

   5. Main reason to know your limits when out drinking. When you pass out hard, your friends are near obligated to prank you as they see fit. Some examples of this would be drawing, antiquing, and putting hand in water. If you don't want to be a victim, don't get pass out drunk.

      1. To those that would prank in this situation, please use some constraint. Please refrain from doing anything that would be considered a sexual assault or could cause real harm to the person.

2. If one of your friends happens to go over their limit, help them without hesitation. Even the most careful of drinkers will have a night where their limit is off. So help them to the bathroom, hold their hair back, get them some water and in the rare occurrence, get them to the hospital if needed.

   1. If one has a friend that seems to always drinking passed their limit, you must confront them about it once sober and let them realize that they are abusing your thoughtfulness and need to play within their limits. If problem continues, you may need to have more interventions with them and possibly stop drinking with them.

   2. In the very unfortunate situation that you have to take a friend to the hospital and you are both underage, put that fact behind you. You need to worry about what is at stake at the moment and what is at stake is your friend's life. Put the blame on them and/or lie about your involvement with the drinking, but do what needs to be done. No night of drinking should end with a fatality.

3. Never drink and drive outside of the legal limits. Its not worth it mentally and financially if you get pulled over or if you get in an accident. If need be, wait it out, or call a cab. Always plan out your night with the return first. That way, you and your friends will know how you are getting home without having to worry about it when the time comes and judgments may be altered from drinking.