Drinking and Teens

[buckner]

I'm 18 and I can say that none of those apply to me. I have never drank with friends or without my dad. My dad has offered me sips of whatever he's drinking ever since I was little - he doesn't think alcohol is bad, and neither do I. He taught us that if we were to drink, to never drink and drive, or get in the car with someone who has been drinking. But I just don't like the taste of the stuff - beer, margaritas, whiskey, etc. It's all butt-flavoured to me. :P But, even though I don't like the taste of it, I have drank sips of my dad's. Usually, everytime he's drinking something new, I'll have a sip. But never more than a sip of everything. Even on New Years Eve, he's poured a glass of champagne for me, I take one sip, go "icckkk", and give it away. He tries new stuff every year, and hasn't found one I like yet. :P

So I can't say I've never drank, but I can say that I will NEVER drink to get drunk, I will NEVER be drunk, and I have NOT had anything more than a sip at a time.

[CagneyDog]

So I can't say I've never drank, but I can say that I will NEVER drink to get drunk, I will NEVER be drunk, and I have NOT had anything more than a sip at a time.

This basically sums up my drinking experiences too. I've never been drunk, and never will get drunk. I was also taught that drinking is alright in moderation. A lot of my friends drink just because they are not allowed too. My dad has always allowed me to have a sip of alcohol but I've never taken large amounts because for the most part, it's pretty gross.

[DrKym]

I drank at parties as a teen, not often and not to much excess, I drink as adult in certain circumstances and I have been known to have an after dinner drink. I raised all my kids to respect alcohol and to ask if they are curious, none of my adult kids drink at all neither does my husband, our 9 yr old has no curiosity about it yet so we shall see if it's a 3 out of 3 thing.

[CalliesMom]

I had a handful of drinking experiences as a teenager and somehow always ended up being designated driver. I'm 26 and have a beer maybe once every three weeks/month, but drank a little more frequently when I was in undergraduate in college. I've gotten drunk a couple of times but it was always at a friend's house and made sure I was not driving that night.

I like the taste of some alcoholic beverages and feel anything done in moderation is not a bad thing. I don't drink to get drunk, but just have a beer/margarita with dinner.

[cloverfdx]

My friends and i were allowed the occasional small drink whilst being supervised by a parent on special occasions like Birthdays, Graduations etc. It was never excessive, and we never got drunk. When we hit about 17 and starting having parties without adult supervision things started to change and we did start to drink more and often ended up drunk and ill.

I think we all went through binge drinking stages and i look back now and realise how stupid we were, and we were lucky to never get into any serious trouble. I rarely drink now, i had 2 last night for a friends 24th Bday and that was enough for me. I also witnessed and all in drunken brall outside of the nightclub we were trying to get into, the sight of people bashing the living *&^% out of one another is not pretty .

Oops sorry started to ramble a bit .

[k9krazee]

So I can't say I've never drank, but I can say that I will NEVER drink to get drunk, I will NEVER be drunk, and I have NOT had anything more than a sip at a time.

That pretty much sums it up for me too. A lot of my friends drink, and it worries me but I stick to my values and I won't ruin my life because of alcohol.

[CathyBogart]

I started drinking a bit at 19 or 20, not sure which. Up until that point I had hated anything alcoholic I had tasted. My drinking habits have pretty much always stayed the same....I drink occasionally, sometimes at parties, sometimes I skip drinking at parties, I am perfectly capable of enjoying myself without it.

I guess the major difference between me and the previous posters is that I do enjoy getting drunk occasionally. Never enough to make myself sick, I always make sure to have plenty to eat, and I ALWAYS have a 2 liter bottle of water with me, that I make myself finish drinking before I go to bed. I've never been hung over, and I'd say I do that maybe once a year, probably a little less often.

Oh, I have also never drank by myself, except once where I was making beer-braised rabbit and I finished the last ~4oz of the beer rather than dumping it down the drain.

[Glacier]

I guess the major difference between me and the previous posters is that I do enjoy getting drunk occasionally.

I'm the same way--I enjoy a good buzz every once in awhile--used to be more often, now maybe twice a year and almost always at home--We throw a great party!

I drank as a teen. I was about 17 when I started. Nothing serious though and never got into any trouble with it. My parents were well aware that I was drinking. I had an agreement with my mother that I could call her anytime, anywhere, no questions asked if I needed a safe ride home. I took her up on that a couple times. Moved away from home, drank alot more, never considered it a problem, had a fabulous time, still managed to graduate from university on the Dean's list and a year early.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I don't drink and have absolutely no desire to even try it. I don't have anything against it as long as people are drinking responsibly, its just not my kind of thing.

[DogLover9501]

I just turned 19 last month, and I've never drank/don't intend to.

One of the things I hate about alcohol, is that some people think they need it to have fun. I would rather be fun the way I am

[DJFyrewolf36]

I had a real problem with alchohol when I was younger. It got to the point where I would have to drink every day (not get drunk, just have a drink or two) and I'd be getting $**tfaced almost every weekend. Dad always had it around plus all my friends were drinkers too. (still managed to graduate high school with honors though, go figure) In college, I kind of began to realize that I hated how the booze was making me feel. I didn't really get help though until my husband came along and made me realize I had an actual problem with drinking. Im proud to say Ive been sober for 3 years. I'll drink a beer on occasion (although I can hardly finish one) but Ive sworn off of all hard alchohol (it makes me ill now)

[ramanth]

I WAS a teen who never drank. (with friends)

If I had a drink under 21 my parents were present. I just never saw the glamour in getting wasted.

It probably helped that I didn't run with the "in" crowd and didn't get invited to many parties. And what parties I did go to I never had alcohol.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

I was a teen who NEVER drank. (and I am an adult who STILL never drinks)

Good for you!
I'm a teen, who has never had a drink, and I really have no intrest to.

[BOBS DAD]

I guess I will weigh in on this!!!

I remember those teens years (way back when)... and all the pressure to "be cool". I was one of those kids who did not drink and went out of my way to make it known. I think it was a little easier for me though to make my stand than maybe others. I was an athlete (sort of the star baseball and basketball player - AWHHH - those glory days - passed me by) and a popular person in HS.

Around 17 years old and on, my Dad would ask me if I wanted a beer on special occasions - like my brothers graduations, Christmas and other holidays. I would occasionally accept - although like most of you - I found the taste bitter and one that most have to "acquire a taste" for. He always said I could have "1" and that he would rather "see" me drink and introduce me to the experience - than to have me sneaking around, experimenting on my own and perhaps overdoing it and getting into trouble. NO PROBLEM... he didn't realize I was an advocate for not drinking amongst my peers.

Now in College...
Well that's another story! All the pressure of classes and long hours, paying for it myself, working at the Public Relations office full time (pretty much - 30 hours a week) and playing baseball - I found myself enjoying parties and that relaxing, letting go experience with a Beer Induced Buzz. And Yes, good thing I never got into any real trouble because I did overdue it more times than I would like to remember. Thank God I did not own a car!!!

Now... Well now is (and has been) since those days, a time of moderation. I don't think I have been "drunk" for as long as I can remember and I've never been sick (throwup sick, hugging the toilet bowl, praying to the porcelain Gods Sick) since shortly after college. It's an occasional Beer now and then. Maybe 3 during the Super Bowl, but all in all - probably on average - a Six Pack every month.

That's my story!!!

P.S. A note on those HS years and trying to find a place and take a position. Everybody turned out about pretty much the same. Those that started early and maybe went overboard - most (with the exception of a few who developed problems) have come back to the very same state with those who defiantly avoided alcohol and eventually matured into moderate, occasional social drinkers. Seemed to have all evened out for "most" folks.

[primabella]

The whole concept of planning to get drunk still confuses me.

I'm 18 and drink occasionally and with friends. I've never been drunk either - I drink for the taste and don't blow my money on things like that so I usually stop at one. Haha. Thing is, I can get totally "drunk" off a good atmosphere. Once I was having a really watered down drink and being my weird self, and my friends assumed I was drunk. Humph. How dare they.

Everything in moderation I say.