Why do people drink?

[MikeMike]

it lightens the mood for most. you have to learn limits (ive learned them, but McCormicks destroys those limits for no reason) and then doing stuff drunk is always more fun. and it just relaxes you and stuff. and its a social occasion.

MIKE

 

[clamum]

Nancies

 

[James3shin]

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
drinking is fun when you're around people that know their limits. Watching people puke is not fun. Having to take care of people is not fun. Having to drive an hour home after drinking is stupid as hell.

Basically, I dont care about underage drinking as long as the participating parties are responsible. Of course, most of them aren't, which is why we have so many problems with this.

isn't that statment quite contradicting? I mean if your underage you should NOT be drinking, and if you are, its just plain irresponsible...i don't know many underage people that drink responsibly, hell there aren't many people that drink responsibly from my unfortunate experiences. Most of the time the kids are just drinking to get smashed, "cuz its fun/cool". As for a relief of stress, ever try something like, i don't know, just sitting back for a minute?

 

[Kasper4christ]

while i've never been drunk, and am still underage ( i don't drink period)
i belive that people in my area (read: underage) drink becuase of a lack of anything else to do
puyallup is a relativly boring place to be, there are very few activities and things you can do in a social setting outside of parties etc, where people drink ALOT, so
sadly its because of bordom

 

[dartworth]

you'll never know until you try...get off yourself and have a little fun.

 

[YoYoBabyYo]

Originally posted by: clamum
Nancies

:Q

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: YoYoBabyYo

Originally posted by: dderidex
I didn't drink under 21.

You shouldn't either. It's bad. :|

That said, I do drink...eh...fairly regularly now. Few beers once a week or so, maybe get right smashed once a month, if that. It's a nice way to blow of stress. Which is why it's stupid for kids to do. However stressful you think high school is, college is worse. And however stressful you think college is, "real life" is MUCH worse. Starting drinking in high school is thus totally lame.

I am approaching 22 and I still haven't had a sip. I really do not see what is so great about drinking when most of my friend in college drink just to get drunk. I think for the most part to my not wanting to drink is after I read the article about Jacqui SaburidoJacqui Saburido, and it depresses me to realize how irresponsible many people can be.

But I would understand if people drink because they are stressed out, since I almost considered turning to alcohol when I found out I earned a D in one of my classes this past semester.

Don't 'drink to get drunk' - drinking is a journey, not a goal.

Seriously, try a couple beers in a small group of friends you regularly have fun with. Just a couple. You won't go off your rocker and forget the evening or anything, don't keep drinking until you can't see straight, etc.

Alcohol, in moderation, just makes fun times more fun. That's about it. Yeah, you can go overboard with it, but you can go overboard with anything.

It's like Pizza, really. One slice is good but you want more, eating a whole pizza in one sitting will make you quite sick (well, most people, anyway). There is a point after you've had a few slices where you realize that's pretty well enough for you, and any more would be pushing it. Same thing with alcohol. One beer is nice, you'll probably want more, but you'll have a pretty good idea LONG before you are drunk that you are getting there.

FWIW, also don't make your first experience 'piss' beers that...well, taste like piss. Buds, MGDs, etc. Try a local brewpub (every town has one, or has one nearby) and try some of their beers. That's really the best way to go. More expensive, but worth it. Plus, they usually have some really interesting dinners, too (the place we loved to go to in NE Ohio had pizzas that the crust was made from the 'spent' grains from brewing. OMG, those pizzas tasted *awesome*.)

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
it was helpful in making me less uptight, which allowed me to be more social. I used to be very quiet, but after a couple of talkative nights thanks to alcohol, I became a much more social person.

It helped me, but i think i'm in the minority on that one

Nah, I think that's the effect it has on everyone.

It's more the rare cases (people who've led a rough life, usually) that get mean or angry when they've had a few. Most people it just makes feel better.

 

[NewSc2]

Well, OP, I agreed with you back when I was in high school. I asked my dad, "what's so great about drinking alcohol? i don't need it" and he just replied "when you grow older you'll understand."

Well.. it just tastes damn good, and then you lighten up. And sometimes it doesn't taste very good, but it still lightens you up. But man when it tastes good it's amazing, drink a
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout with a pizza or have a Spaten Optimator. Man you got me wanting one now.

Of course, drinking too much brings you down, so you can see there's a little dilemma around there, how can lightening up lead to getting sick.

..okay i was gonna say something about marijuana there but i really shouldn't. but i will say i've never puked from it and it's never made me sick =)

Edit: Btw I just turned 21 like 3 weeks ago.

 

[James3shin]

what the difference in having a good time with a soda and having a good time with a beer?

 

[dighn]

i drank a little bit of wine/beer when i was "underage". it was mostly during dinners with parents' friends and relatives.

i still drink ocassionally (21 now) but never drink enough to get drunk. 2 beers worth of alcohol at most. i've grown to like the taste if taken with food.

 

[Indolent]

Originally posted by: clamum
Nancies

haha

 

[nageov3t]

I hate that attitude that people have where they think that drinking automatically equals falling-down, blackout drunk.

like almost everything in life, it's all about moderation and self control.

 

[PoPPeR]

Originally posted by: James3shin

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
drinking is fun when you're around people that know their limits. Watching people puke is not fun. Having to take care of people is not fun. Having to drive an hour home after drinking is stupid as hell.

Basically, I dont care about underage drinking as long as the participating parties are responsible. Of course, most of them aren't, which is why we have so many problems with this.

isn't that statment quite contradicting? I mean if your underage you should NOT be drinking, and if you are, its just plain irresponsible...i don't know many underage people that drink responsibly, hell there aren't many people that drink responsibly from my unfortunate experiences. Most of the time the kids are just drinking to get smashed, "cuz its fun/cool". As for a relief of stress, ever try something like, i don't know, just sitting back for a minute?

no that statement isn't contradictory because there are 18 year olds more responsible than 45 year olds. Age doesn't matter. Of course the younger you are the more likely you are to be irresponsible, but I feel as though I'm a very responsible underage drinker. I know my limit, I never drink if there's a possibility that i'll have to drive, and I don't do stupid sh!t. Mainly what happens is I drink, get faded, and go socialize. I dont strip off my clothes and go streaking or try to pick fights or go piss on someones lawn.

 

[PoPPeR]

and yes, I know the law says you need to be 21, and I know no matter how I try to explain it what I'm doing is still illegal, but then again I'm sure all of us paid for every piece of software and music on our computer as well

 

[Gurck]

I enjoy it, plain and simple. I've become an expert at finding the line between being pleasantly smashed and inviting a hangover, and sidling right up next to it.

 

[PoPPeR]

Originally posted by: James3shin
what the difference in having a good time with a soda and having a good time with a beer?

i've never seen a girl strip off her clothes because she was too buzzed from soda

 

[DrumminBoy]

I'm 18, drink pretty much every weekend. I guess the allure of drinking to me is just being drunk; you lose your inhibitions which is nice sometimes. Having a nice buzz makes you very amicable and you have fun. That being said, it does suck being around people who go over the line: driving drunk, starting fights, etc. I say if you're curious, just down a few beers or take a few shots some night with your friends and see for yourself, it wont kill you.

To answer your questions:
It's not peer pressure.
Alcohol is a depressant.
And most of what I drink (cheap beer, cheap liquor) doesnt taste good at all.

To put it simply, I drink to have fun, and I'd say most underage drinkers do also.

 

[PoPPeR]

i'd trade drinking for the legal right to gamble at a casino

 

[randal]

I drank under 21 simply to get lit up and lose some inhibition. I was pretty tightly wound in my previous life, and drinking was one of the few ways to let go -- especially when it involved good friends & good times. And sex.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: MCrusty
Drinking in moderation can be quite fun. Drinking to the point of not remembering what the hell you have done is stupid. I've done it once...and never again...

I've done that many times. People usually tell me that we all have a great time....I just can never remember. .

...actually, there's been several times when it's all come back over a few days....usually I get some good laughs as the memories get pieced together.

 

[James3shin]

don't ever say "it won't kill you" slim...i've lost 2 of my friends from being drunk and driving. The dumbasses...

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: dderidex

Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
I don't see the fun in getting wasted, passing out, and waking up the next morning not remembering a thing that happened the night before. Call me a geek but going over to a friends house for poker and LANing is a lot more fun.

Going over to a friends house with a SMALL group of people for LANing, SFB, and having beer and pizza, though, is *substantially* more fun.

Drinking for the sake of drinking is stupid. However, it does lighten the mood and make something otherwise just 'fun' MORE fun.

No doubt! Examples:

Dance Dance Revolution
Four player mame cabinets (specifically with NBA hangtime maximum)
Bomberman
Any crazy-assed game you can create (i.e. balancing on bar stools upside down contests)

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: James3shin
what the difference in having a good time with a soda and having a good time with a beer?

People don't put lampshades on their heads after a few sodas.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: James3shin
what the difference in having a good time with a soda and having a good time with a beer?

People don't put lampshades on their heads after a few sodas.

awesome.

 

[Rhin0]

I don't drink either... Underage drinking is a HUGE problem. Most kids are not responsible or mature enough to be drinking, some people over 21 aren't either.

My big thing is drinking and driving. The penalties are way too easy. You drink and drive, you go to jail- that should be the bottom line. First time is like 30 days jail, lose drivers license for a year, big fine. 2nd time- you do some time, no more driving ever, fines. 3rd time+ = strike, your out

Plus the fact that it makes you fat, costs a bunch of money, turns to poison in your body, etc. No good reason I see to do it. Haven't seen much if any good come out of it for anyone. Plus it is a big factor in rapes and other problems.