Poll: Is it okay to not drink/smoke at a party?

[Gaiseric]

I don't drink alcohol or smoke(weed or cigarettes) and I don't go to parties that often, but yesterday I went to my friend's welcome home party(he just finished his Army training). When I got there he was drunk and kept trying to get me to drink a beer with him even though he knows I don't drink. Every time he would talk to me he would say, "If you are my friend you'll chug this beer with me.", or something like that and every time I'd say no. After about an hour of trying he gave up and got mad at me. Even the other guests looked at me funny when they'd offer me something and I turned them down.

So as a guy who doesn't get out that often, my experience last night did nothing to encourage me to go out to more parties(to many people trying to get me to drink). Is it okay to not drink/smoke at a party? Was my friend just being a drunk ass? Or would I need to go to parties with people less likely to make me feel out of place?

 

[thejackyl]

why the fuck wouldn't it be okay?

Not everyone can handle their beer, some people don't like the taste. Some people don't smoke, and some never will.

Unless you're still under 21, why would you go to a party just to drink/smoke?

EDIT: Screw you Captcha, how am I supposed to type a down arrow?

EDIT: Read your post, Yeah, he was probably just being a drunk ass, and how were you telling them no? Were you getting defensive about it, or was it just "No thanks, I don't drink.", still, IMO I go out with friends to hang out with friends. Drinks just sometimes happen, sometimes they don't. It's not really weird.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Sure, as long as it's fun for everyone, why should you HAVE to?

If anyone says otherwise and try to pressure you into some shit that you don't want, those aren't the people you want to hang around. Ever.

 

[SendMeNoodz84]

Of course it's alright to hold back from drinking or smoking at a party! Unless, it's, like, a rule that you HAVE to. In that case, I wouldn't go to that party if I was you in the first place. Doesn't mean you shouldn't try it though. One beer isn't going to get you drunk, and one puff isn't going to make you an addict.

Just give it a try, but don't do it because someone's making you feel uncomfortable, do it because YOU want to do it.

 

[Gaiseric]

why the fuck wouldn't it be okay?

Not everyone can handle their beer, some people don't like the taste. Some people don't smoke, and some never will.

Unless you're still under 21, why would you go to a party just to drink/smoke?

EDIT: Screw you Captcha, how am I supposed to type a down arrow?

EDIT: Read your post, Yeah, he was probably just being a drunk ass, and how were you telling them no? Were you getting defensive about it, or was it just "No thanks, I don't drink.", still, IMO I go out with friends to hang out with friends. Drinks just sometimes happen, sometimes they don't. It's not really weird.

"No thanks, I don't drink"

I started getting angry towards the end though.

 

[templargunman]

You don't have to drink or smoke, but I enjoy parties a lot more now that I do drink and smoke.

 

[Shockolate]

The last party I went to, I didn`t smoke and I only had one drink.

But that`s because I had a soccer championship game the next day.

No one seemed to care, though two others also didn`t do anything because of that game

 

[Saltyk]

Honestly, after some rather unpleasant experiences, I've pretty much given up on drinking. I might drink a beer every now and then to be social, but the more I see idiots that can't handle their liquor acting like even bigger idiots, the less I want to drink. It sucks, because I can make a coupe of tasty drinks that people like. I just tend to stay sober while doing it.

So, stay sober. If others have a problem with that, maybe they have their own issues to work out. And real friends would respect your desire to not drink.

 

[badgersprite]

Your friend sounds like kind of a dick, to be quite honest with you. I mean, that's kind of like hassling an observant Jewish friend and saying they're not your friend anymore if they don't eat a ham sandwich. What kind of friend just blatantly disrespects your choices and beliefs about what you want to put in your own damn body like that?

 

[AlAaraaf74]

I don't like to drink or smoke, but if I'm at a party, I always feel awkward. I may hold a drink, but I'll probably only take a sip or two. Or, I'll use the designated driver excuse, even if that's not the case.

 

[Simalacrum]

In such a situations, its the person trying to ram a drink down your throat who will look like an asshole in the long term, so don't worry about it. I don't drink/smoke/take drugs either, and I've insisted this point. Although, I do take the occaaaasional shooter... >.> but I've certainly never been drunk before

edit: strangely, I've had people saying that they respect me for being tee-total as well, because I have willpower to reject alcoholism/drugs. So, yay!

 

[AlAaraaf74]

"If you are my friend you'll chug this beer with me."

Btw, Your friend sounds like an asshole boyfriend... like "If you love me, you'd have sex with me..."

 

[Comando96]

After about an hour of trying he gave up and got mad at me. Even the other guests looked at me funny when they'd offer me something and I turned them down.

My dad is an ex-military special forces, now alcoholic. If you can get away with the excuse: my family are all alcoholics and I am teetotal in an attempt to no become like them, then do so. They try to pressurise you, guilt trip them into silence.

For me that is the truth... fro you... try thinking of excuses or just borrow this one

I see no appeal to drinking either but thats because I never have in the first place.

What are your motives for not drinking because if you can then I'm sure there is no harm in having one glass(so long as not a spirit because a glass is way too much ).

 

[Comando96]

"If you are my friend you'll chug this beer with me."

Btw, Your friend sounds like an asshole boyfriend... like "If you love me, you'd have sex with me..."

He just got out of army training and drinks heavily to celebrate... he isn't exactly fucking unique there... fact is a lot of perfectly good people turn into ass holes when gone through the military and then you add alcohol.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

I don't know, provided I don't have to drive anywhere that night I jump on the chance to drink and smoke (but nothing more).

Just come up with an excuse if it really bothers you. Tell them you have to drive home or you have something to do that night.

But the brutal reality is that it's a party for (what sounds like) people who are averaging on 20 years old. Party is basically just an easier way of saying socialized drinking.

 

[Toriver]

Yeah, I just outright left my high school class' big graduation party because I was pissed off that they lied about drinking to get me to come. When I was in high school, I didn't go to drinking parties as a rule, to stay out of trouble. My class knew this, so they repeatedly insisted there would be no alcohol. When they brought out the first cooler of drinks and pressured me to have one, I caught the first ride back home. I was more upset about the lying than the alcohol, but yeah, that was still a situation I didn't want to be in, and I stuck to that principle. Long story short, when it comes to drinking and smoking and stuff like that, don't let anyone press you into doing it if you don't want to. It's perfectly OK to not smoke or drink at a party. I've still never smoked, and although I do drink now, I never get drunk and respect others' decision to not drink at all. That's really how adults treat that kind of thing anyway.

 

[Rin Little]

I don't really like to drink a whole lot unless I'm at a party and even then a lot of times I don't prefer to get drunk. Your friend sounds like a dick to me.