I was never a party girl. Maybe for the summer of my 21st did I even drink more than 1 day a week, but getting wasted, even occasionally, isn't quite my thing.. at all. I may have had a sip of wine in a park once when I was in high school, but my focus was on school and sports and so I didn't even have the time to think about going to a party on the weekends when someones parents were out of town. I'd even say going to college was at times an internal battle. As a freshman, all the girls were going to frat houses or house parties on the weekends. I joined in to make a few friends and meet people, but it never felt right to me to drink heavily and pass out weekend after weekend.
Joining rugby helped me in the "meeting people" department and it probably wasn't until my sophomore year that I even felt comfortable drinking with a group of people. I think it's because I trusted those people. Whether it was having a bunch of rugby people over at our house for a last minute party, or spending the night at Caseys after a night of drinking with him and the roommates. I'd consider those my "party days". Drinking was a part of rugby and I was ok with that because winning games and going to nationals was more important (at least to most) than that. Friday nights before a home game were usually team bonding nights inclusive of massive amounts of spaghetti and getting excited for our game. After all, "SATURDAYS A RUGBY DAY!"
Since graduating college 5 years ago, I could probably count on one hand the number of nights I went out and actually got drunk. My focus went from school and rugby to being successful at work and training for whatever adventurous race I could get myself into. I still continuously struggle with balancing my life with the life of what seems like everyone else in this world is in. It seems like no matter where you go or what you do, beer and alcohol is always a part of it. As naive as it may seem, I still find it weird that runners get a free beer after the PF Changs Marathon and half marathon.
I think alcohol makes people, or allows people, to think they are invincible and any thing they do can't come back to hurt them or anyone else. Half the time they don't even remember so why should it matter? But the fact is the hurt happens more often than I'd care to know and probably hurts deeper than anyone intends and it never really goes away, even with time. Most of the time it's a selfish act but selfishness affects far more people than they realize.
Now don't get me wrong, I love to go out for a beer or two and I definitely love to try out new micro-brewerys or try beers when we travel, but it frustrates me to go beyond that. And yes, it bothers me alot to be around people that drink to the extreme and lose control of all thoughts and actions. Even the thought of that scares me. And maybe it is frustrating to me because I know these people and I know they have far more potential than they realize and Gods plan didn't involve a substance controlling ones life and affecting so many more. Maybe it is just for one night, but that one night could turn into the rest of your life. Heavy stuff. I know.
Bottom line is I guess I just don't understand it. Whether it's addiction or just for fun on the weekends, I have far better things to do with my life.
So call me lame and anti-social, but I bet I've experienced more in my 26 years traveling abroad and pushing my physical and mental limits than any avid party-goer out there.
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