In the past I’ve often gone out to drinks with friends without the intention to drink and I’ll often get just one drink. I have recently been thinking about this and wondered why I just have one drink because I don’t necessarily really enjoy the drink. I’m not drinking to get drunk (obviously) but I’m also not enjoying the one drink, I’m getting it because I feel like I should. I also notice my sleep gets affected after just one drink, especially if it’s a beer.
This has really made me think, why is it that sometimes we have that one drink. I think we do this because when everyone else is out drinking we don’t want to be seen to be ‘the boring one’ who doesn’t drink, and that one drink is enough for people to leave us alone. This is a shame really and a testament the our great Aussie culture of drinking where we’re looked at funny if we aren’t drinking. I also think that if we’re out with a big group of friends it can be seen as a sign we don’t like the people as much. I could be wrong here but if we go out and everyone is getting drunk and having fun, without a drink in hand we aren’t committing to the night at the same level as everyone else; regardless if we’re having just as much fun.
Another aspect of it I believe is also that we may be thought of as judging the drunk people more so people become a little more guarded around us.
The dynamics of drinking at a party can seem straightforward, but when you decide not to drink I feel like we’re seen as not committing and joining in as much.
Harrison Hansford 