Sober Shapes

I went to a club completely sober.

It was sort of a spontaneous night actually. We had dance practice that night which meant I was super sweaty, since the crew was practicing for an upcoming competition. My energy was running quite low during rehearsal because I didn't get much sleep the night before (no surprise there) and I went swimming in the afternoon. I just wasn't feeling like practicing, but of course, the committed member I am, I pushed through. Towards the end of rehearsal, my friend and I spontaneously decided we'd go for a night of more dancing. Dressed in our crew shirts, we blended in among the fancy-dressed crowd.

Now here's the thing, as we entered the club, I got my friend and I a cup of water since we were so thirsty from dance rehearsal and then I thought, why not try not drinking the whole night? 

There's a few things about being completely sober in a club - and by sober, I mean ZERO alcohol. No predrinks, no Jack Daniels and Coke, heck, no VKs (although not something I get really). Most people that do go on Night Outs say it's boring and awkward going completely sober, but you know what? I actually really enjoyed it. One of the best nights I've had.

One thing for sure, I was completely comfortable in my leggings, baggy shirt and sneakers. Although I'm comfortable in my heeled boots that I usually wear when I go out, the freedom of wearing trainers was different. Don't get me wrong, I like dressing up and wearing nice clothes, but I felt super relaxed in what I was wearing and didn't have to worry about anything that made me uncomfortable or any wardrobe malfunctions that could happen. Wearing flat shoes meant I could bust out my moves, to the point that people looked at us as if we were super drunk because my friend and I were going completely at it. Heck, I didn't care. Although, the consequence of dancing a lot and the crowded area meant that sweat was literally dripping off my face.

If you ask for a water, the people at the bar are like triple the speed giving it to you than if they were serving you a double vodka lemonade, so that was a plus side. Whilst I drank my water, I could see the on-goings around me and boy, it was a hilarious sight. You can see so many people desperately trying to grab other people's attention. The rugby lads, holding bottles of VKs two in each hand, the group that went all-out with their costumes for a club social, and also the awkward ones perched by the walls on their phones.

Although I probably won't be doing the same thing again for all the times ahead, I'm glad I can say that I can have fun without the need for alcohol. I used to dance around the kitchen with my flatmate drinking OJ and we'd still have such a laugh. I suppose it depends on your company and how you are among crowds of people and loud music. For me, it was an experience that showed me that good company is always a great idea. 

I'm not saying to go out and not drink anything at all, but you could perhaps consider a few things. Think about why you're with the people you're heading out with, what makes you have a fun time and how much you only need to still 'golden stage'. Some people find that teetotalism is the best way for them, and I respect their decision. Drinking too much can give some people major hangovers the next day which means laziness, unproductive and feeling ill, it can eat through your bank balance without you realising it, and it can have damaging effects on your liver/health if you go over the top. As we all know, it can affect people in different ways. Knowing your limit is important. Most of us have experienced 'a few too many', so we know how we end up feeling a bit guilty the next day.

Alcohol for me is just something that you drink that can make you merry and giddy, but it's not something I'm dependent on in order to have a fun time. Enjoy the people you're with and let drinks gradually lift your mood as you chatter and laugh away.