How do I stay sober in college?
 

Hey my last drink was on New Years, I'm currently a senior in college and do not want to start drinking again. The longest I've been sober while in school was six weeks until I had a slip up and started drinking again. I attend a party school, so being six weeks sober was a great accomplishment to me. I still want to go to parties and the bar (sober) with my friends because that's just something we do to have fun. Any tips on have to stay sober at a party school?

Most schools have AA on campus. You might look into that. If it's a larger school they may also have social clubs dedicated to sober pursuits. Some specifically sober and others where the activity is not focused around drinking.

I probably would stay away from bars. Then again, my college friends were really all just drinking buddies and they would have encouraged me to drink and then insisted that I drink. I'm not sure I would have stayed sober in that environment.

Best of luck.

Focus on school and academic achievement. Also, look into volunteering abroad, it's a great time in your life to do that. Exercise and focus on fitness. Make grand plans for career or grad school. See your friends, but for lunch or coffee...and make new friends to add to the ones you have.

20 years down the line, these are the things you'll wish you had done in college...I'm not assuming you aren't doing any of this, just that these are important things to focus on rather than bars.

Some of my friends in college didn't drink or do drugs, and they were respected for it. I think it's probably not as big a deal to be a non-drinker as you might think. :)

Focus on school, not the parties.

I wanted to quit drinking and drugging a lot of times in my 20s. But I also wanted to still hang around with my drinking, drugging friends doing alcohol and drug fueled "fun" and failed every time. At the time I never made the connection. Now, at 62, finally clean and sober I understand. When I quit this time I stayed out of "wet places" where alcohol and the pressure to drink was present.

Not easy in college, I'm sure. But essential if you are an alcoholic.

You stay sober at school the same as you stay sober anywhere else: you just don't drink no matter what. I'd suggest staying away from bars and parties until you've got some serious sober time.


Focus on your studies. Staying sober can be hard but it's so worth the effort. :)

Any tips on have to stay sober at a party school?

stay away from wet faces and wet places.
find new playmates and playgrounds.

sure hope we dont have to reada thread titled," i should have listen to you. now im worse off" from you in the future.


theres a crapton of things to do in party schools town thaf doesnt involve drinking and parties.

Hi Dani,

Are you worried about going to bars and starting to drink again or are you worried you'll lose friends, be made fun of, not fit in, etc.?

If it's the former, then I'd stay away from bars. There are plenty of other ways to spend your evenings. I'm sure you have some interests outside of bars. What are those interests? It's 2018. We have phones and computers and Netflix and xboxes and e-books and 24 hour gyms....and there are still folks and animals in need who could use some volunteerism. No excuse to be bored. Even if you're broke there are plenty of things to do.

If you're worried about the latter, don't be. Not such a big deal to be a non-drinker.

I drank my way through seven years of higher education. Don't make the same mistakes I and others did. Quit while you're young.

I'm worried that if I go to parties/bars that I will start drinking again...I've been to parties sober and I stayed sober but it was a little bit uncomfortable. I still want to hangout with my friends but they are drinkers.

You are probably right. As others have mentioned, it's best to stay away from parties and bars right now. Part of getting sober is changing what we do and who we do it with. There are lots of people at every college that don't drink too, check with your campus student activities department and you will find there is a whole world of things to do that don't involve alcohol.

im worried that if i put my hand in a deep fryer it will get burned. i did it once when the heat was low and didnt get burned but have done it many other times with the heat up and got burned BAD.
should i put my hand in a deep fryer
again?
simple way to remove the worry- dont do it=no burns possible.

why not tell your friends whats going on and suggest non drinking ways to have fun?

true friends dont do this
My friends joke around and tell me I'm an "alcoholic" which I'm beginning to think is true.

true friends dont joke about life threatening problems.

[QUOTE=DaniPistol;6739442I still want to go to parties and the bar (sober) with my friends because that's just something we do to have fun. [/QUOTE]

This is the problem.

In my experience......not possible. I had to give up drinking friends completely in order to have any success. Alot of times you will realize that these so-called "friends"....werent friends at all. I found out that my "friends" really didnt care a lick about me.....if I wasnt drinking along side of them. I stopped hanging out with them...yet they left me behind to go to the bars and parties and drink. I also realized, they too....were alcoholics.....and most of them are still drinking. If you truly are serious about quitting......you will seek new, sober friends....

Thanks everyone for all of the advice! Obviously I’m still early in my sobriety so I think it’s best to stay away from all of the places that trigger me to drink.

Great call !! Most college areas have AA meetings for students. And Im sure you would find good friends there. And plenty of things to do....sober!!! Good luck !!!

Your worries are well-founded.

I think you can go to bars or get and stay sober, but not both.

Bars are made for people who drink - not us.

I don't gamble, so I don't go to casinos.

It was a revelation for me to learn that the whole world didn't commence drinking every time the sun went down.

There is a large group of fascinating people who don't hang out in bars.

I had to find them.

I echo earlier posters' recommendation that you find AA meetings on or around campus.

I still go to them, and I have been sober a good while.

Glad you're here.