Orientation: Drinking

We here at The Gateway encourage you to engage in a raucous night out now and again, but we also care about you, and want you to be as safe as possible. Follow these tips to make all your nights out both fun and trouble free.

Look out for each other

It’s no fun going out alone – so bring a group of your pals along with you. In addition to providing you with drinking buddies, they can help keep you together if you overdo it. Whether it’s consoling you when you’re hugging the porcelain at The Rack, keeping an eye out for any nefarious characters that may want to sully your evening in some way, or keeping you out of confrontations, your friends are an integral part to a successful night out.

Be aware

Unlikely as it may seem, someone may try to slip something very unpleasant in your drink. Don’t leave your drinks unattended at the bar, and despite how turnt you may want to get, don’t grab unattended drinks from other tables or bars, you never know who had them last.

Be considerate

Remember that people are at the bar to have a good time, so don’t go around picking fights or constantly getting in people’s faces. It’s a crowded public place, so chances are that guy who bumped into you didn’t do it on purpose. All that a bar fight earns is a bruised ego and a swift kick to the curb by a very large bouncer.

Plan your way home

I’m not here to tell you that drinking and driving is stupid, because you already know that. With that said, make sure you have plans for a safe ride home – both Uber and cab companies have apps that make calling a car as easy as clicking a button. If you don’t want a ride home from a stranger, call whichever friend you’re most comfortable owing a favour to. If you think you could use the exercise, walk home. When you’re planning a night out, see if one of your friends is willing to be a designated driver. Whichever way you get home, make sure it’s safe, for everyone’s sake.

Where to drink

Now that you know how to go about drinking safely, here are some of our fave spots on campus to grab a beverage.

Garneau Pub

The Garneau Pub is best known for it’s infamous combat juice. A dangerous drink, it has an ungodly amount of hard liquor mixed with a beer and some juice that makes it taste like a creamsicle. Drinker beware, you’ll down the first and want another in a heartbeat because it’s so dang good. Just prepare to be unavailable for the entire next day.

Devaney’s

Right across from the Timms Centre, Devaney’s is the accessible Irish pub near campus that weirdly serves pizza and butter chicken next to their shepard’s pie. With tons of drink specials, a huge basement to watch sports in and delicious food, it’s always a safe bet on a Saturday.

Ratt/Dewey’s

You will never find that campus agrees on which of the two campus bars are the best. Some vouch for Ratt, with the best view in the city and cheap food specials. Others are partial to the Dewey’s couches and seemingly endless pool tables. Regardless of which spot you choose to spend your time, both are easy to get to and are guaranteed to give you a great place to get drunk before your night class.

Hangovers

So now you’ve had a wild night and are nursing a wicked hangover. Fear not, here are some tips to get you through the struggle.

1. Fluids

Be it water or sports drinks, it’s important to replenish and rehydrate after a night of drinking. Alcohol is a diuretic, which in layman’s terms means a substance that makes you pee far more often that normal. This can often lead to dehydration, which is often a major cause of all those dreaded hangover symptoms. It’s important to drink substantial amounts of water before, during and after a night of heavy drinking. If you’re able to leave the house, try and grab some Gatorade to have with your water.

2. Food

This one may seem a bit broad, but really, all food is good for dispelling a hangover, be it fast food or otherwise. Food in any form helps slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, so a solid meal before a night of drinking can help delay the effects of intoxication as well. If you’re looking for specific foods to help after the fact, look for ones high in carbohydrates, which can help bring your blood sugar up to normal levels, and stave off some of your hangover symptoms.

If you find yourself unable to keep food down, try making Pedialyte popsicles in an icecube tray. It’s full of electrolytes and vitamins to help get your body back to normal, and the slow consumption of popsicle is light on an upset stomach. Work in saltine crackers or dry ramen as the day goes on, and soon enough you’ll be able to eat a greasy meal.

3. Drinking responsibly

You’re going to have to face the music sooner or later. Hangovers grow more difficult to deal with as you age, and this difference can start to become apparent as you progress beyond your late teens. We’re not here to tell you to not get fucked up if that’s your preference, but if you’re really set on avoiding a hangover, you’re got to think about what and how much you consume during your night of debauchery. Follow the one drink per hour rule if you really want to feel fresh as a daisy the next day, as your body takes about an hour to metabolize each drink (or shot) you take. Also, if you’ve been drinking for as long as some of us here have, you probably know your body and your limits in regards to alcohol consumption, trust yourself, unless your self has had a few too many drinks, then maybe seek the advice of a more sober friend.

Things to avoid

Drinking more (hair of the dog)

Cracking another beer may numb the feeling of the hangover, but it’s doing nothing to actually alleviate the symptoms, and it’s just making things harder on your already overworked liver. Give your liver a break and stick to water the morning after.

Certain pain medications

Certain pain medications can actually do more harm than good when you’re hung over, becoming a strain on your liver. Stick to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s for short) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Avoid Tylenol and other drugs that aren’t NSAID’s.

Coffee

While it may help you feel more alert, coffee, like alcohol, is also a diuretic, and the last thing you want to do with a hangover is make yourself more dehydrated. Stick to water and you’ll be good.