How to stay sober when going out - and actually have fun while doing it.
I couldn't count the amount of people who have 1. said they were impressed with me staying sober while going out and 2. asked me for real advice on how I do it. Usually in the moment, I don't really know what to say. So I figured I would write a post with my best advice on how I stay completely sober and still have fun while going out (I promise it's not as hard as it looks).
Firstly I'll disclaim that I have never been drunk, and I admit that this definitely makes it easier for me to stay sober. Since I've never experienced what it's like to go out drunk, I have nothing to compare my sober experiences to. I just compare them to each other, and that makes it a lot easier mentally to turn down the drink when offered. So to anyone who has never drank and doesn't plan on it - stick with that! I can genuinely say that I have fun going out a majority of the time, and one of the reasons I don't drink at all is because I want people to know it's possible (because in college/high school, I definitely understand that it doesn't seem possible in the moment).
Practical tips to stay sober for ANYONE:
Go out with good people - seems obvious, and sometimes not possible, but the people you are out with make the biggest difference on the time you're having. Seek out people who respect your decisions (staying sober always, or even just for a night you don't feel like drinking), do their best to stay with you throughout the night, and who have a positive attitude. If the people around you are being negative because the party isn't fun enough, then it's going to be pretty hard for you to have fun too.
Decide before you go out that you're going to have a good time - a few years ago, this was the hardest piece of advice for me to follow. If I knew there was going to be drinking at a party/hangout, I would dread going because I knew I would probably be one of the only sober people there. My night was ruined before it had even started. But when I started anticipating events with excitement because I was going out with my best friends, suddenly my nights got better. And even if the party was boring or bars were dead, I was able to make the most out of it.
Not every night is going to be a good night -this kind of contradicts the point I made above. I will say that yes, you should decide you're going to have fun regardless of what happens, but also, sometimes going out isn't fun and THAT'S OKAY. Don't let one bad/boring sober night out deter you from going out the next night sober or trying to be sober again.
Socialize - talk to new people if possible, or people you may not know super well. Some of the best parts of going out for me is forming new friendships with people, even if it's only for the night.
Always dance - this one is pretty simple. I definitely have the most fun out when I'm dancing with friends and I'm not self conscious about what the people around me think.
BIGGEST TIP: The only way you're going to stay sober and have fun while doing it is if you stand firm in your reasoning - I know a lot (or most) of the people reading this post have gotten drunk before or don't stay completely sober. THAT IS OKAY. I want to emphasize that I am not "better" than anyone else for staying sober, and I don't do it on my own accord. It is only thanks to God that I'm able to have fun going out while resisting the temptation to drink. I still struggle with wanting to do what everyone else is doing, especially because we can all admit that drinking is fun in the moment. But having a reason behind why you aren't drinking is going to be the only thing that allows you to have fun in the midst of being sober. Mine is my relationship with God, but that doesn't have to be yours. It could be that you don't remember the last time you went out without drinking, and you want to prove to yourself that you don't need it to have a good time. Or it could be you just need to take a break for the night for your own well-being. Whatever it is, stay strong in that. I promise you that no one is judging you/looking at you differently for not drinking, and if they are, then those aren't people you should surround yourself with or base your lifestyle off of. Be true to yourself in whatever decisions you make so you will feel confident in yourself when the night is over.
Well honestly, that's all I have. If you found this helpful at all please let me know which of these types resonated with you the most! I'll end off with two verses that I live by when people ask why I don't drink -
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8
"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you." 1 John 2:15
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