10 Things About Being Sober

For 6 months this year I was unable to drink so I could not partake in a few drinks when I went out with my friends. I have to say in the past 6 years of being able to drink I was never a huge drinker but there is a difference in choosing not to drink and not being able to drink. Over my time sober I have learned a few things that I think everyone should know.

1. People you love can suddenly become very annoying. No matter how much you love your friends they will suddenly become annoying and you will zone out in a matter of seconds. 

2. You really start to question why you like your favorite night club. When you are drinking and/or drunk you really don't pay much attention to your surroundings. However, when you take off the bear goggles you start to see your favorite nightclub for what it is..... A sticky floored room full of desperation.

3. Be prepared to hear one story on a loop from the drunks. You will learn to master the art of acting interested when you have heard the same story 3 times in the last half an hour, but you secretly wish you could tell them to shut up!

4. The Question. As all us Irish know, drinking is some what of a culture and a norm here so when you are not drinking you know the question is going to come. You need to be prepared to answer this question over and over again, alternatively you could always make an announcement when you meet all your friends to save you a lot of time. However, no matter how many times you answer it you will get bored of hearing the question.

6. You become the babysitter. As you are the only one in any fit state to make sure no one gets lost or stuck somewhere you become automatically responsible for making sure people are okay for getting home at the end of the night. 

7. You get tired and want too leave before anyone else. You may be up to staying out until the crack of dawn when you are drinking, but when you are the only one sober you want to leave and crawl into your bed and fall asleep before anyone else. This can also lead to you having a bit of a short fuse for any annoying person within arms length.

8. You notice how much everyone is drinking around you. As you can not drink you seem to realize how much people around you are drinking. This may lead to you telling people they are on their 5th pint of the night which does not always go down well. This is all a side effect of point number 7.

9. You start to dread the next time you drink. You may be able to drink any of your friends under the able but you start to have the fear of the next time you ever have one drink! Then even worse you star to fear the hangover you will have when you do drink again.

10. The one good point! You can go out with the amazing thought that you will wake up in the morning feeling so refreshed when your friends are dying with a hangover and the fear from the hours that they can not remember.