Letter to the Editor

It is coming to be the end of the year and, probably like many students on campus, I have gone overboard one too many times. In the end, I have decided that I like myself a lot better when I am not drunk at all.

I am done stressing about what I did and did not do when I was blacked out. I am the type of person who advocates that if you cannot handle your liquor, don’t drink. I have slowly realized that I can’t handle past a certain point and I do not want to get to that point anymore.

I have still been casually drinking but it has been a sip here and there. Even at home there is drinking socially. When you don’t have in mind to get drunk and forget something, you don’t go overboard and you don’t have a bad time.

Personally, I have to keep it in my head that I am not allowing myself to get drunk anymore. One drink is enough for the night, if that. I have been metaphorically slapped in the face too many times by my intoxicated self and I need to realize that me + alcohol = bad time.

Now that I have cut back tremendously on drinking, I am keeping my liver healthy, not killing brain cells, and I am happier knowing how I spent my night. I haven’t been on the floor, crying, or yelling at anyone in weeks and that makes me much more comfortable with myself. I hate how some people get when they’re drunk and I’m sure I would hate myself drunk if I could see it.

If you make a drunken mistake I’m all about taking responsibility for it. You drank too much and made a mistake, no one made you do that. If someone did make you drink or do something stupid then they probably aren’t worth being around, but think about what made you listen to them. If they are forcing drinks into you without you knowing then they are probably not a very good person, and they should be removed from your life. If they are convincing drunk you to do things that sober you wouldn’t do, focus on what you can do to change and maybe talk to them about being smarter about someone else’s life.

Another bonus to the lack of drinking—saving money!

Now I’m not saying that you should never drink alcohol, I’m just saying I am happier when I’m not drunk and out of control. Maybe it is because I like being in control of my life or maybe it is because it just personally doesn’t agree with my body, but either way, I am satisfied being the designated driver/babysitter of my friends. I like making sure no one is getting themselves into trouble the way I did.

I know a lot of people have gotten to this point of sobriety. They drink and drink and drink until they make too many mistakes, or they feel sick every time. I have gotten to that point. I hope not many people have to get to that point, that they can just be smart about it from the start, but that is how I used to be and I spiraled away from the safe life. Now I am back and I am content with being safe.