How to Have the Best Sober Night Out

TW: This article contains discussion around alcohol and sobriety.

Nights out and drinking notoriously come hand-in-hand. The most popular (and easiest) places to hang out with mates after work or on the weekend are at pubs and bars. However, whilst these are the most lively of places to go for an evening, they are also the places where people are consuming the most alcohol. Drinking and socialising work well together, for the most part. Alcohol for many gives a sense of confidence, relaxes a person's mind from their stresses and worries and lets them tap into that buzz and excitement that they have spent the week working so hard towards. Alcohol can ease the overthinking that social anxiety often brings for some, so socialising in drinking environments is a great situation for many people. But what about for those who prefer socialising sober?

Sobriety should never be something that has to be explained to anyone. "You're not drinking?" is a question that many encounter in these alcohol-infused social situations. Being sober in a room full of drunk people may seem like a challenge at first, and no one's idea of fun. But as a result of speaking to fellow sober friends and experiencing a few sober nights out myself, I am here to share with you the steps to take to ensure that you can still have the best night out without the booze!

Remember why you aren't drinking - and make sure your friends respect your choice.

People are sober for hundreds of different reasons, none of which need to be explained to anyone unless you wish to. They can also come from the result of deep and personal experiences, or something as simple as having an early morning the day after.

"I'm not the biggest drinker to begin with, so I will really have to feel the need to drink when out for it to be worth it." - Marc-Anthony, 21.

Regardless of the reason why you are staying sober, it's important to stay true to yourself throughout the night and stick by your choice, and so should your friends. As they get progressively more drunk there may be times when they try and entice you into having one or two - "It won't kill you!". And sometimes it can seem tempting, but a strong part of having a great night out is the feeling of being in control of your actions and choices. Staying sober and doing what's best for you will feel so much better in the long run than that feeling of giving in to peer pressure of others. If the people that you are socialising with cannot respect your choices or see it as a negative that you are not drinking then you are not with the right company.

Socialise in an environment that you feel comfortable in

There are areas where being sober can be uncomfortable for some, such as a club where most people are heavily drunk. However this is a preference and differs from one sober person to another. Following a discussion with friend and student Marc-Anthony, he commented that "I would say the best environment for being sober is a bar as it's very social and it's easier to sense how much others have had to drink, while also being a free place to roam and meet others who might also be sober."

I agree, bars and pubs can definitely be the easier of places to feel comfortable sober, hwoever I have also had sober nights out at both clubs and festivals that have been both positive and negative experiences. Being sober in a club can be hard as sometimes I feel insecure about dancing, whereas alcohol helps to remove that barrier from my mind. But being sober at a festival recently was a refreshing experience as the environment alone was so energetic and I was feeling so great that I didn't even notice I hadn't been drinking. I think the key to enjoying a sober night out in a dance envoronment such as a club is to remember that everyone else is drunk, so just do the things you would normally feel comfortable to do if you were drinking because no one will be judging you as they already look a lot more silly than you!

Drink what you enjoy

How do you expect to have the best night out if you are not enjoying what you are drinking? Some people enjoy sticking to water - it's normal to not be a flavoured drink fan and if that's what works for you then enjoy it (plus its free!) However, if you enjoy a fizzy or sugary beverage then don't let the restriction of sobriety stop you from enjoying a drink during the night. A popular drink of choice while sober on a night out is Coke or Pepsi, but remember you can drink anything that they serve at the bar, just minus the alcohol. Being sober on a night out has been made a lot easier with the introduction of many alcohol-free versions of favourites such as Gordon's Classic Gin and Pink Gin, and beer's such as Heineken 0.0, so you can get the taste of what you're used to/what your mates are having without the effects that come with it. If you're a cocktail fan, most bars offer alcohol-free cocktails which can help you to feel like your joining in with the group if you're doing rounds.

Pick the Right Company

Many people find that the best part of being sober on a night out is to have someone else sober with you. This is because you have someone to socialise with during the night who is in the same mindset as you, and it helps to normalise the concept of being sober while socialising. Enjoying a night out in a place where others are drinking can show that you truly have the right company and that alcohol is not the be all and end all to have a good time. There is more to life than getting drunk and forgetting parts of life that maybe weren't even that great to begin with.

Remind yourself of the effects of alcohol on others

People do a lot of things when they are under the influence of alcohol that they probably wouldn't do sober. Being drunk is not an excuse for any inappropriate or harmful behaviours, but when being a sober person in the situation it can sometimes be hard to rememeber that others' mindsets have been altered, even though you feel completely sane. Take everything said with a pinch of salt; remember that the actions and impulsive topics of conversations are the result of how a person is reacting to the levels of alcohol in their system and that this is not them in a 100% sane state of mind.

Let your hair down and have fun

Remember that just because you're sober tonight does not mean you can't get a bit wild and have fun! Use a sober night out to unleash your true personality, switch your brain off from any stresses and worries and treat yourself to a refreshing soft drink surrounded by your friends and good music.

*If you are currently struggling with any areas relating to alcohol, pleasde do not hesitate to contact one of the support links here.