So the time had come again at Syracuse for Alcohol Awareness Week. Basically this is a week where students, okay mainly Greeks, are supposed to be more “aware” of alcohol. This “awareness” is culminated in an event called “mocktails” on Friday night. Each sorority is paired up with a frat and then they have a sober party. Not like “let’s just take a little shot beforehand” kind of sober, not “just one joint” kind of sober, not “a bottle of wine with dinner” kind of sober, but actually sober (yeah, the frats were confused about it too and asked if the mocktail money could possibly go towards the purchase of a keg).

While I’m usually the first to hop on (and steer!) the Friday night drinking train, I coudn’t help but be a wee bit reluctant to get my ticket for the Friday night sober train. I mean, really, what could that possibly be like? Unfortunately (or fortunately if you like to look at your mocktail glass as being half full) the thing about the Friday night sober train was that it was mandatory and my ticket had been purchased for me.

So, you ask, what goes on at a completely sober party? And how do people party withut the aid of mind numbing alcohol? Below is a pro/con list of my sober Friday night experience. And let me tell you; getting ready for the party without playing 3 games of Kings was a very strange feeling… Read More »

I would have NEVER ever known what a “MOCKtail” was had it not been for this seven day detox I’m currently on. In fact, I would have never known what it was like to come back to my bed after a night out downtown and still be sober and without a jar of peanut butter in my hand had it not been for this. I did a few things tonight that I haven’t done in since my Christian straight edge high school days and I can’t lie…I feel moderately good about myself.

1. I took the TRAIN home tonight. I can’t remember the last time I took the train home while it was dark. And this has nothing at all to do with safety. I’m just usually drunk when it’s dark and therefore, spending $20 on a cab makes a whole lotta sense. I took the train, I didn’t get lost, and I read my book and listened to Sleater-Kinney on my sober journey back to Astoria.

2. I went downtown and didn’t have a single sip of alcohol. I met up with a group of the writers here at CollegeCandy and I have to admit; the girls were supportive of my war with will power. Instead of binging on my usual wine spritzer (or whatever else a charming bartender graces my tongue with); I binged on fondue. Cheesy, delicious, non-alcoholic fondue. I ate just the right amount and when the thought of grabbing a slice of pizza occurred to me after I left the bar; I had the ability, for once, to think through the decision. Being sober, I could intelligently ascertain that I was, in fact, full, and didn’t need the calories or spent money under my belt. Read More »