Dry January is a contested concept amongst my friends, as it garners many different opinions, ranging from respect and admiration to detest and abhorrence. I challenged myself to a month with no alcohol for no other reason but boredom; wagering with my conscience as to whether I had any self-restraint. Turns out, it was much easier than anticipated.
So, in the least preach-y and supercilious way, here are 5 things that I have learnt throughout my scuffle with Dry January.
- Not everyone thinks that it is good or noble idea and these people will not support your struggle.
- Elderflower cordial and tonic can taste like a gin and tonic if you really, really want it to.
- The cinema is a great place to spend an evening without a drink (recommendations: Vice, Beautiful Boy and Collette).
- Health improvements: mainly my bank account has never looked in such fine fettle, on average I think that I have saved close to £200 by subbing out the vodka in a vodka, lime and soda (humble brag).
- Going to a club or house party is an anarchic and entertaining experience, almost equivalent to being an onlooker at a zoo. As much as I love them all, my friends when drunk are akin to a smack of jellyfish or a troop or kangaroos; riotous, uncouth and, ever so slightly feral.
my friends when drunk are akin to a smack of jellyfish or a troop or kangaroos
At the end of the 31(thousand) days of January, I think that my main takeaway from my month of abstinence is the discovery of JOMO – the Joy of Missing Out. This probably boils down to the fact that I did not have a hangover for a whole month; meaning I was the smug housemate who woke up early and made it to every lecture for the whole of January (and whom everyone hated.) I probably (definitely) will be having a drink on the 1st of February, and I cannot wait; however, I do think that Dry Jan has made me realise that I can survive without the magical elixir that is alcohol.