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Summer is social drinking time. From backyard barbecues to work gatherings to graduation parties, the season is ripe with booze-related functions. But just because your friends are indulging in Sunday Funday and have no qualms about calling in sick on Monday, that doesn’t mean you don’t.
That’s why we’ve put together this handy-dandy guide for productive social drinkers to make sure your output doesn’t go down the tubes just because the weather is ripe for binge drinking.
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Guide To Drinking Productively
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Take A Nap
You’re no spring chicken. If you’re planning to spend a night on the town, nobody will fault you for taking an afternoon nap before you begin drinking. Plus, what’s better than sleeping for an hour (or two) in the middle of the day? Nothing, that’s what. You’ll be refreshed and ready to rock until 2 a.m. (or at least midnight).
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Work First, Drink Later
If you have any work to do, don’t get your party on until you’re completely finished. It’s bad enough that you text your ex-girlfriend when you’ve had a few too many wobbly pops. But, it’s hard to come back from a drunken email to your boss or co-worker. Or even worse, sloppy, unfinished work that looked fine with your Fireball goggles.
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Eat First
Whenever you’re imbibing large amounts (or any for that matter) of alcohol, it’s important to eat first. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach is a really bad idea. Grab a cheeseburger, bowl of pasta, bag of broccoli, bag of trail mix, whatever. Just put something in your stomach before you start drinking.
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Pace Yourself
You’re not in college anymore and shotgunning four beers in a row isn’t such a hot idea if you plan to enjoy (and remember) your evening. We’re not saying you have to nurse your drinks; we’re just saying you should actually taste your drinks. Enjoy the pure hoppiness of your beer. Experience the rich sweetness of the bourbon in your Old-Fashioned. Take your time. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
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Don't Chug
Go ahead and chug a bunch of beers right in the beginning of the night. You’re going to immediately regret it as your friends head out on the town and you’re already passed out a face covered in magic marker tattoos at 10 p.m. You don’t need to chug to have fun. Don’t worry, even drinking casually you’ll get the proper buzz required to have yelling conversations with total strangers as music blasts in the club.
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Don't Play Drinking Games
We are all for drinking games (as long as don’t have any plans for the next day). All those games of kings cup, beer pong, and flip cup are going to take their toll and you’re going to wake up feeling like a marching band has been playing the Notre Dame fight song all night directly adjacent to your ears.
