After a sports event last night, myself and my teammates went to a nearby pub for team Christmas drinks. But I had driven to the game and I decided I wasn’t going to be drinking alcohol.
So pretty quickly after arriving we were standing in a corner of the pub holding our respective drinks when it dawned on my teammates. I remember it quite clearly. The moment everyone realised I wasn’t drinking alcohol. It was like the whole circle turned to me in slow motion and stared.
‘Are you not drinking?’
‘No, I’m driving’
‘Just leave the car here and pick it up in the morning’
Ah there goes your excuse. You know what comes next. They started to apply the pressure to conform with jabs such as:
‘I’m disappointed in you’
‘You’re so dry’
‘Tom is shit craic’
A few comments is expected, but one guy wouldn’t let it go. He kept at me and made me feel very uncomfortable.
So now I have a decision to make: do I cave to the peer pressure or do I stick it out and hold my ground?
I’m glad to say I held my ground. I stuck to the non-alcoholic drinks last night.
I woke up this morning refreshed and proud of myself.
If you’re ever looking to test your resolve and grow your self respect I’d recommend trying a sober night out with drinking friends. Having no reason to be sober except that you want to will undoubtedly make the night harder but also the reward sweeter.
Sticking to your beliefs especially when they’re unpopular ones is a courageous thing to do.
Who knows why that one guy got so upset with me for not drinking. That somehow my drinking water was affecting his enjoyment of alcohol. That’s a question for the psychologists.
A side note is, you know you’ve found a good friend if they respect your decision and don’t pressure you into drinking with them.
Thomas Duggan 