By Alexz Hattier, NSU Student

They say in order to have fun at a party you have to drink, but really you don’t have to drink to have fun. I know this because I’ve been to two parties so far as a freshman in college and I can truly say we can get down at a party with nothing to drink. I’m a strong believer when it comes to this because I’ve heard about kids that I went to high school with that have had close calls and have almost died. Also, when someone gets extremely trashed he/she starts to have a bad night and makes everyone else’s night bad also because they have to watch that person the rest of the night.

The first party I went to was on campus. People kept coming up to me left and right asking if I wanted alcohol and I would say no. I would get funny looks, but to me that was okay. I have never been a believer that alcohol makes you have a lit night. In my opinion, it only makes me have a crappy morning.

From going to my first party, I see all the peer presser that is given at the party. When my two friends went to the party they couldn’t say no because they were scared they would be looked at as losers, but really, they wouldn’t have been. I go to parties with the intentions to have fun and to remember my night. Furthermore, as girls, we have to be careful because if we get too drunk or wasted, that’s when most guys want to take advantage of us or even slip something in our drink when we’re not looking.

Another thing is when you’re at these parties nine out of ten times you drive to the party or you have someone drive you. When they’re tired at the party and you want to go home, they either get behind the wheel drunk or let someone who’s been drinking get behind the wheel. That’s where things go wrong. When we’re so intoxicated we don’t think and others that are there aren’t thinking either.

I went to my second party and it was really fun! I didn’t have a thing to drink and was still enjoying myself. I had people come ask me to dance but I said no because they reeked of alcohol and it made me want to throw up. The party itself was really good though. The music just had my hips moving the whole night. Again, I had people come up to me and ask me, “Do you want a drink?” and I would just say “No I’m good.” They would give me this look like “Girl, just take the drink so you can have fun,” and I just laughed and kept dancing my little heart away to the music.

I shouldn’t have to go to a party and feel like I have to drink in order to have a good night. If you ask the ones around that drink, “How was the party” or “How did your morning go,” I bet they can’t tell you how the party went, but they can tell you the room is spinning. I’m a strong believer that one can go out and enjoy their night with no alcohol in their body and still have a great night with their friends. I believe going to a part sober is way better than going to party and getting messed up.