[Spider]

Hey guys, I have a bit of an issue that's really been fucking with my head.

So I don't want to get into too much personal detail, but I've basically struggled with chronic male yeast infections for a little over 2 years. Nasty, I know...

Through a lot of research, doctor visits (both medical and naturopath/homeopathic), and personal experimentation, I've found that my problems are basically erased when I keep a clean diet, and most importantly when I stay away from sweets (sugar) and ALCOHOL.

The past few months I've essentially abstained from alcohol, and I've been feeling the healthiest I've felt in years. Tomorrow I'm going back to school for spring semester (I was suspended this past semester).

I'm going to be living in my Frat House, so the fact that I'm at a big University + living in a frat house makes the idea of not drinking really tough.

In relation to gaming, I'm a sometimes quiet and reserved dude, and I tend to use alcohol to help loosen me up. I'm afraid that being sober will be extremely awkward and uncomfortable when I'm going out on the weekends and chilling with a bunch of wasted college kids.

I know that not drinking AT ALL is what's best for my unfortunate health issue, but I feel like people will think I'm being a bitch and/or that I'm weird for not drinking at such an environment like College. I also feel like it's going to be much harder to have fun on the weekends and other nights I would normally go out, if alcohol isn't involved.

Any advice/reassurance would be much appreciated.

[FourToTheFloor]

Does the type alcohol make any difference?

[Sorter]

I decided not to start drinking when I got to college and that's true even today, many years later. Hands down one of the best decisions I ever made.

Unfortunately, these 4 years will be the most difficult, because alcohol is everywhere at college, more so in the Greek system. The first thing is to get a core group of friends who understand your situation and accept it. These will be the guys you go out with to bars and parties and the fact that you do not drink should be no big deal to them. They should look out for you, grab the extra shot/beer that's handed to you when a round comes your way, so as to avoid an awkward conversation. Next, you need to embrace this 100%. Own it, be honest, up front and confident with your answer. DO NOT MAKE IT A BIG DEAL (no need to explain your situation).
Be the sober driver, be the guy who gets your shit-faced friends home safely, be the guy who apologetically backs your insanely drunk buddy away for the 300lb bouncer before he gets squashed. Trust me, people will appreciate this and you will always be a hot social commodity. As for chicks, use it to your advantage. Be the guy who can have an actual conversation, make a joke that's not a drunken scream, handle your business all night, most importantly be different from drunk frat guy because every sorority girl gets tired of it.

It's not easy, I've found a small percentage of people are openly hostile to a person who doesn't drink. Avoid them, it's not worth the drama and they usually turn out to be degenerates. Look at the upside: you will be healthier, have more time to get shit done (not hungover for days at a time) and avoid tons of stupid trouble your peers will get into.

[RandalGraves]

If you can drink it, carry around a Gatorade bottle at parties. People will assume it's mixed with something. Also, if you're normally introverted, allow yourself to get caught up in the crazy vibe of the party.

[Bronan the Barbarian!]

I quit drinking when I was 17 and have been straight edge since I was 21 so I have a little more than a decade of alcohol-free experience. I've been kicking around the idea of writing a series drug/alcohol free game posts on my blog. I'll make it the focus of next week to get a few posts out there.

[UgSlayer]

If you're in a frat, befriend the guy who DJ's all the parties and have him teach you his shit. When he graduates, you DJ all the parties. All it takes is a laptop and most frat houses have the speakers.

Most frat brothers have assignments during parties in shifts to make sure no one gets too too fucked up, throws up all over shit, fights don't break out, bartender, guy who distributes beer and jungle juice, etc. Make sure you're doing that even take a couple more shifts. But dictate the more fun ones. Talk to your president of your frat and tell him you have a medical condition that gets worse with alcohol. Most likely if he's president he's a cool guy and understanding. Tell him you're willing to pick up more shifts than anyone but they should be fun stuff, like handing out the liquor.

Be the guy going around pouring liquor and beer into peoples mouths. You can still have a great time. No one is going to force you to drink unless you join a douchebag frat. Plus, it's an easier excuse to get a girl to be compliant if you're the alcohol guy.

As you become more comfortable in that type of environment which won't take that long, you'll lose that stigma you feel that is attached to not drinking at a frat party. The guy who pulled the most tail in one of my friends frats drank maybe a beer or two a night when they had parties. He had the best logistics ever, though. His room was literlly next to the bathroom. He would just chat to girls while they stood in line for the bathroom and invite them in. There were nights he never left his room. He fucked the hottest girls at the party every weekend. He had game and was in his mid-late twenties because he served in the military but still wanted the full college experience so he joined a frat.

Hope this helps. Try to get the room next to the "public" bathroom

[Avarence]

(01-10-2013 11:22 PM)UgSlayer Wrote:  

He had the best logistics ever, though. His room was literlly next to the bathroom. He would just chat to girls while they stood in line for the bathroom and invite them in.

[babababalot]

my brother was alcoholic at 18. my mum too who has been sober 12 years now. my little bro's now 19 but been sober 9 weeks - he will most likely never drink again. he is starting university in two months time and will be the guy that doesn't have a single drink while at university.

as they say for people with alcoholism... '1 drink is too many, 100 not enough'

i've told him it's a blessing in disguise. he won't have any problem making friends because he's way cooler and independent than any other kid his age - doesn't supplicate to others.

[Spider]

I'm planning on carrying a 'buffer' drink whether I'm at the house or at the club (I'll just ask for a seltzer and lime) to keep 1 of my hands occupied. Besides that I'll just try to be loose and social as if I was drinking along with everyone else.

[thegmanifesto]

(01-10-2013 10:30 PM)Spider Wrote:  

Through a lot of research, doctor visits (both medical and naturopath/homeopathic), and personal experimentation, I've found that my problems are basically erased when I keep a clean diet, and most importantly when I stay away from sweets (sugar) and ALCOHOL.

Why don't you just become the Weed G at your school?

You could probably graduate with enough money you that you could pay your way thru graduate school.

Quote:

I'm going to be living in my Frat House, so the fact that I'm at a big University + living in a frat house makes the idea of not drinking really tough.

Interesting that you call it a "Frat".

I thought only people that weren't in Fraternities called them "Frats".

Thoughts?

[snoop]

(01-11-2013 11:31 AM)Spider Wrote:  

I'm planning on carrying a 'buffer' drink whether I'm at the house or at the club (I'll just ask for a seltzer and lime) to keep 1 of my hands occupied. Besides that I'll just try to be loose and social as if I was drinking along with everyone else.

I knew a guy who would do that or he would get a solo cup and fill it half full and just carry it around.

Nobody really notices who is actually drinking versus who just has a half full cup of beer

[Spider]

(01-11-2013 11:36 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(01-10-2013 10:30 PM)Spider Wrote:  

Through a lot of research, doctor visits (both medical and naturopath/homeopathic), and personal experimentation, I've found that my problems are basically erased when I keep a clean diet, and most importantly when I stay away from sweets (sugar) and ALCOHOL.

Why don't you just become the Weed G at your school?

You could probably graduate with enough money you that you could pay your way thru graduate school.

Don't think dealing drugs is a great idea. I'm trying to avoid getting into trouble...

Quote:

I'm going to be living in my Frat House, so the fact that I'm at a big University + living in a frat house makes the idea of not drinking really tough.

Interesting that you call it a "Frat".

I thought only people that weren't in Fraternities called them "Frats".

Thoughts?

Not sure why calling it a 'frat' is a big deal...perhaps you would prefer the term "Brotherhood"?

[Samseau]

(01-11-2013 11:36 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(01-10-2013 10:30 PM)Spider Wrote:  

Through a lot of research, doctor visits (both medical and naturopath/homeopathic), and personal experimentation, I've found that my problems are basically erased when I keep a clean diet, and most importantly when I stay away from sweets (sugar) and ALCOHOL.

Why don't you just become the Weed G at your school?

You could probably graduate with enough money you that you could pay your way thru graduate school.

Quote:

I'm going to be living in my Frat House, so the fact that I'm at a big University + living in a frat house makes the idea of not drinking really tough.

Interesting that you call it a "Frat".

I thought only people that weren't in Fraternities called them "Frats".

Thoughts?

You're not supposed to call it a frat if you're in a fraternity, but that only applies if you're talking to your brothers.

[lurker]

The common Greek life saying is "Don't call your fraternity a frat. Would you call your country a cunt?" My answer was always, "yes, if 'cunt' were an accepted shorthand slang for the word 'country' and not a euphemism for the vagina." That usually got no response.

[thegmanifesto]

(01-12-2013 01:16 AM)Spider Wrote:  

(01-11-2013 11:36 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(01-10-2013 10:30 PM)Spider Wrote:  

Through a lot of research, doctor visits (both medical and naturopath/homeopathic), and personal experimentation, I've found that my problems are basically erased when I keep a clean diet, and most importantly when I stay away from sweets (sugar) and ALCOHOL.

Why don't you just become the Weed G at your school?

You could probably graduate with enough money you that you could pay your way thru graduate school.

Don't think dealing drugs is a great idea. I'm trying to avoid getting into trouble...

Quote:

I'm going to be living in my Frat House, so the fact that I'm at a big University + living in a frat house makes the idea of not drinking really tough.

Interesting that you call it a "Frat".

I thought only people that weren't in Fraternities called them "Frats".

Thoughts?

Not sure why calling it a 'frat' is a big deal...perhaps you would prefer the term "Brotherhood"?

Because you are the only person I have ever met that is supposedly in a Fraternity and calls it a "Frat".

Sounds fishy.

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

I stuck to drinking only water, juice or Coke Zero for years and people were at first really confused about it. But no one thought less of me, and as I adamantly stuck to it, people came to respect the ability to have fun without getting drunk. It's not that terrible. Of course, your environment (particularly if it's a fraternity, which in my mind represents the height of shallowness) might be different.

[Saladin]

If you want to have fun in college without drinking I suggest you spend all of next summer going out sober and solo to nightclubs. Going out to the club scene sober will really help you out because you anchor your fun self to your sober self.

That shit will literally force you to learn how to have fun without any alchohol, drugs, or even friends.

Alcohol sucks, its fun once in a while but I'm trying to avoid it in college by just going to the local bars instead of partying in houses/dorms. I'm used to being sober at nightlife so I never get any questions regarding if I"m sober or not cause once I do a couple of warmups it seems like I"m buzzed.

I can't take the loss in productivity from a Fri and Sat night of drinking. Additionally it makes your immune system weaker which makes it easier to catch a cold.

[Spider]

(01-15-2013 08:52 AM)torontokid Wrote:  

If you want to have fun in college without drinking I suggest you spend all of next summer going out sober and solo to nightclubs. Going out to the club scene sober will really help you out because you anchor your fun self to your sober self.

That shit will literally force you to learn how to have fun without any alchohol, drugs, or even friends.

Alcohol sucks, its fun once in a while but I'm trying to avoid it in college by just going to the local bars instead of partying in houses/dorms. I'm used to being sober at nightlife so I never get any questions regarding if I"m sober or not cause once I do a couple of warmups it seems like I"m buzzed.

I can't take the loss in productivity from a Fri and Sat night of drinking. Additionally it makes your immune system weaker which makes it easier to catch a cold.

Agreed man, I've actually been feeling a little healthier since I stopped the drinking...I get sick easily.

Last night my FRATERNITY had our first house party of the semester. I just chilled with a red solo cup which had a little vodka and soda in it, but I didn't sip on it.

Def felt a little less inclined to open girls, but I did anyway. Working on busting through that slight awkward feeling when everyones drunk and you're not.

[UgSlayer]

There are two forms of frat party game, especially if you're a brother or close friends with one of the brothers.

1.Be LOUD and have fun

Caveman

Dance a bit

Isolate

Make-out

Lead to your room or a cool buddy's room and bang her out.


2.Make sure your room is next to the bathroom

[le prince perdu]

Buy yourself a bong
Buy yourself some dank weed

Take bong hits before party
Take 2 joints with you

Alcohol would not be necessary.

[blackglasses]

i am shy as well. I do not have the luxury of the frat house so I adapt in other ways. I prefer different quiter places to find girls. Maybe a coffee shop since I am not the party type. I would suggest just staying sober since it sounds like alcohol was a crutch if you find yourself unable to socialize without it.

[germanico]

So, dont drink.

Is drinking a requisite? Do they make you take a sobriety test to ensure that you are drinking? Are they going to kick you out of the frat if you dont drink?

Whats the problem then?

[Spider]

(01-15-2013 12:17 PM)UgSlayer Wrote:  

There are two forms of frat party game, especially if you're a brother or close friends with one of the brothers.

1.Be LOUD and have fun

Caveman

Dance a bit

Isolate

Make-out

Lead to your room or a cool buddy's room and bang her out.


2.Make sure your room is next to the bathroom

sounds like a solid step-by-step. my room is like 10 ft from the bathroom.

[Insignia]

I find alcohol gives you "state" but the bad thing is that that type of state will crash after a while. So I think if you can cultivate state you will not want to drink at all, some people just like the taste but I think since you are considering staying sober in college that I think that state is what you are looking for.

[polymath]

Yo, I'm well accustomed to the frat life sans drinking. I used to diet so hard that I'd abstain from drinking and even take a scale to dinner and weigh everything I ate to add it to my weight loss data. People in my house thought it was absurd.

Basically you just have to put up with other people having their own opinions. Do what is right for you.

You could also just take up a lifestyle that downplays drinking. Study hard, get good grades, lift/run/row, etc. That gives you an excuse to avoid drinking, and also improves your life (job prospects, health, etc)