One Month Challenge: Sober

January 30, 2010 5:00 pm     Posted in Reality  Lauren - University of Michigan g+ page

Bye bye booze

In this new series we will be following a different CollegeCandy writer for a month as she takes on a personal challenge. This month we’re following Lauren from University of Michigan. She’s going sober for the month of February and will be sharing her ups and downs with us each Saturday.]


By Lauren

When I told my friends I would be giving up alcohol for an entire month, I got one of three reactions:

1. Why would you do that?!
2. I bet you $100 you don’t make it.
3. Why the hell would you do that?!

When I told my family, I got these reactions:

1. “Bullsh*t.” – Mom
2. “Why would you do that??” – Dad
3. “It’s a good thing your friends are still drinking; I doubt anyone would like you if they were sober.” – Brother

You see, I am a party girl and everyone knows it. I am incredibly responsible, hard-working and focused when I need to be, but when I let loose, I really let loose. My friends can always count on me to not only join them at the party (flask in hand), but to be the party. They didn’t call me Drunk Lauren freshman year for nothing. 

And that’s exactly why I decided to take on this challenge. Since I got to college and took my first sip of alcohol (which was Jungle Juice served from a garbage can, mind you), I have not gone an entire month without drinking. Usually pretty heavily. I spend my weekends (which often start on Thursday nights) in a perpetual cycle of drunk, hungover, feeling a bit better, then drunk again. It’s exhausting, it’s expensive and I know it’s the reason over half of my jeans don’t fit anymore.

I want to go sober for a month to prove to myself that I can do it. I’m also curious to to see how much better I can feel, how much money I can save and how much weight I can lose. (That last one isn’t really important, but I’m curious to see if cutting all those empty calories out/not being too hungover to hit the gym on the weekends makes a difference).

I know it’s going to be hard. Drinking, as much as we don’t like to admit it, is central to our social lives. It’s what we do. So what am I going to do now that I can’t partake in the drinking festivities? If I want to see my friends at all during the month of February (which, obviously, I do) I have two options: learn how to go out and not drink or try and convince all of them to do some alternative sober activities. Neither of which will be easy considering my friends’ favorite pastime is Beer Pong.

But I’m going to do it, despite the fact that not one person I know believes me. When I put my mind to something – even something as difficult as this – I do it. Of course, I wasn’t totally into this decision last night as I was taking my last O-Bomb for the month and dancing to Ke$ha on a stage. But seeing as I spent my morning moaning in my bed until someone brought me a Gatorade and a bagel and have now taken 40-minutes to string my thoughts together into a coherent post (a task which would normally take about 5) , I’m actually looking forward to the next month of sobriety.

I can’t wait to see what February brings!

17 Comments on "One Month Challenge: Sober"

  1. Lauren says:
    Sat, 30th Jan 20101:17 pm 

    Haha good luck…and good choice on the month seeing as you'll only have to do 28 days rather than a long 31

  2. Lenna says:
    Sat, 30th Jan 20104:51 pm 

    Good luck.

    At least you did chose the shortest month…:) That should be easier than a long month, right?

  3. RIKO says:
    Sat, 30th Jan 20105:26 pm 

    I think you can do it.

    Once you start giving something up, you honestly realize that you don't really need it that badly, cheesy as that may sound.

    For example, during April I gave up Coke (not as dire as alcohol). At first, it sucked so much because I usually drink about 3 cokes a day. But it wasn't that bad in the end. In fact, now i sometimes find coke to be a little too sweet!

  4. Kels says:
    Sat, 30th Jan 20107:14 pm 

    My *21st* birthday is on February 18! I'll go sober with you until then. :-)

  5. Angie Marie says:
    Sun, 31st Jan 20104:00 am 

    I drink "socially" in the way that adults use the term, ha. I'll often have one beer or a cup of punch when I go out, but I've NEVER allowed myself to drink enough to get drunk, or even heavily tipsy. I'm half-way done with sophomore year, and this policy has been awesome throughout my college experience. I haven't made the drunken mistakes that a lot of girls regret, and I'm really happy about that. My guy friends and even random guys that hit on me have always expressed respect for my moderation. Once in a while, when a night is on the boring side, I wish I were the type to let loose…but most nights are awesome. I sometimes dance so hard (sober!) that my head throbbs at the end of the night. There's that same rush of adrenaline that comes from "partying" generally, without the dangeroud loss of mental clarity. It's false that guys aren't interested in girls who aren't intoxicated, because the nights often end with me giving out my number! GOOD LUCK. Sorry this is so long, but I want girls (especially high schools on their way to college this fall) to understand that partying is safer and still fun when done sober/ slightly buzzed.

  6. Angie Marie says:
    Sun, 31st Jan 20104:01 am 

    And sorry for the grammar mistakes in that long paragraph!

  7. tissue says:
    Sun, 31st Jan 20107:46 am 

    Yay sobriety!! I haven't ever been drunk in college, but I always have fun at parties!

    It is possible!!

  8. Mintii says:
    Sun, 31st Jan 20107:58 am 

    /like

    Good luck! My friend and I are going one month without soda. We're slowly starting to crack. lol The caffeine is so great now when we need to study! One 20 oz. bottle of Pepsi can keep me up all night.

  9. jennifer says:
    Sun, 31st Jan 201010:25 am 

    Lauren,

    I KNOW you can do it. I am a 59 year old alcoholic that started out just as you have, sans college until I was 45. DO NOT waste your life in such a way. I have a degree, I am a functioning alcoholic but I would much rather be a functioning sober human being.

    That said, don't listen to the naysayers, to include your family. You have it in you, you CAN do it, and my thoughts/white light/prayers/and kudos are with you.

  10. Lauren - University says:
    Sun, 31st Jan 20102:02 pm 

    First of all, I'd just like to say that I did not choose February because it was so short! I guess that's just a nice little coincidence. And seeing as I have to be back home the first weekend of March, this little experiment will probably last more like 33 days.

    I just want to reiterate how excited I am. I spent the entire day in a hungover haze (thanks to one very strong margarita last night) and I feel like total crap. One month of fully sober weekends seems like total bliss right now.

  11. April says:
    Mon, 1st Feb 20106:54 am 

    I did this last year – also for the month of February. Granted I graduated a few years ago so it's a little easier to find stuff to do in the "real world" than in college – but when you hang out with nothing but social drinkers it gets hard. FEB is the best month beacuse 1) its the shortest 2) no major happenings (except superbowl and valentines day). If you end up being DD for your friends (which you will) they will always offer to pay for parking, etc! Good luck!

  12. Megan says:
    Mon, 1st Feb 20106:16 pm 

    Good for you! I think you'll be able to do it despite what everyone is saying. I usually only drink if we go to the bar but one night of $1 beers and a horrendous hangover the next morning was enough to keep me from not picking up another beer for 3 months!

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