How I Quit Drinking in College

How does the title of this post make you feel? Intimidated? Scared? Overwhelmed? If so, I'm here to tell you that all of these emotions are perfectly normal! Quitting drinking in college at such a young age is not the norm in today's society, so it makes sense if you feel like it cannot be done. Never in a million years did I think I would be sitting here writing a blog post about how to quit drinking in college, but here I am.

It's no wonder the college experience normalizes heavy and unhealthy drinking. When you expose a bunch of teenagers living on their own for the first time to the extreme drinking behavior of students who are just turning the legal age to drink, what do you expect? And on top of THAT, add in the intensity of college level courses and the pressures of young adulthood. It's not surprising that many college students are looking for a release.

I believe there is a time and place for everything, and that it is perfectly normal to want to enjoy drinking with your friends in college. But the hard question is...where do we draw the line between harmless and unhealthy drinking?

If you've found yourself waking up too many times wondering, "what the fuck happened last night?", and if you are damaging your health or your relationships because of alcohol, it may be time to rethink your drinking habits. If alcohol is taking more from your life than it is adding to it, it may be time for a change. I know that cannot convince you to quit drinking in college. No one can. At the end of the day, only YOU will know if and when this decision needs to be made.

If you have already decided that it is time to quit drinking, it can be overwhelming to think about where to go from there. Read on for some of the most important things you can do to help you quit drinking in college.

Check out my YouTube video on this here.

Decide That There Is No Better Time than Now

The first thing that you have to do is to decide that there is no better time to get sober than right now. It's going to be one of the hardest things you've ever done, but here if something to think about: if you can quit drinking in an environment known for binge drinking and keg stands...you can be sober anywhere!

I put off quitting drinking for many months because I never felt like it was the "right time". There was always an event in the future that I knew I wanted to drink at, so I'd tell myself that I would wait until after that event to quit. My 21st birthday, a friend's birthday, a sorority formal event, a concert...something new always came up. There were even times when I thought, "I'll just deal with my drinking problem after college". But guess what? Parties and drinking do not end when college ends. If you keep up this kind of mentality, you'll be waiting for the right time for the rest of your life!

You get ONE life, don't let alcohol steal any more of it from you. To be honest, I do not remember a lot of my freshman and sophomore years of college...that is a lot of time forgotten and a reality that I will have to live with. If you can relate, I encourage you to make the decision now to quit drinking in college so that you can remember the rest of your college career.

Identify What You're Afraid Of

What are you afraid of? No more hangovers? Newfound energy? Improved health and relationships? I'm just kidding...it's is perfectly normal to feel afraid of making a big life change! Identifying why the title of this post sounds scary to you is the first step in combating those fears. Sit down with yourself and really think about why quitting drinking in college scares you.

Are you afraid of judgement from others? This was a big one for me. I was afraid of the stigma that came along with getting sober. Just try to remember that your true friends will support you no matter what and that the people who choose to judge you do not matter. One thing you will learn is that with sobriety comes CONFIDENCE! I am more confident now than I ever have been. If people are judging me, then I let them judge! Do not let the fear of judgement from others stop you from bettering yourself. What you think of yourself is way more important than what other people think of you.

Are you afraid that your social life will change? Many people put off quitting drinking because they are worried their social life will change. They're worried they won't be able to do the same things they're used to or attend the same events as before. If you are like how I used to be, and tend to spend most of your free time drinking with your friends, then guess what? Your social life probably WILL change. But ONLY FOR THE BETTER. Seriously...you will learn how to attend all the events you once did, sober, and have a great time doing it.

Are you afraid of failure? Do you think that there is no way you'll be able to quit drinking and commit to it? Believe me, I doubted myself as well. And I did fail! Many times! But the thing is, failing is part of the journey and there is no shame in that.

Start Off By Treating It Like An Experiment and Take It One Day at A Time

I got this idea from the book, This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. You can find a link to it on my resources page. Instead of viewing the idea of quitting drinking as a huge lifestyle change, think of it as an experiment. Just give it a try. Try showing up to one event sober. Choose one that you have never been able imagine attending without drinking. What is the worst that could happen if you DO try vs if you DON'T try? It WILL be uncomfortable at first and possibly the entire time you're there. The next day, try to focus on how great it feels to know you did not drink yourself silly and that you did not wake up with a hangover. When you succeed with one event, try going to another one. It will get easier with each event you go to, but this will take time.

It's important to focus on taking this journey one day at a time. It can be overwhelming to think of the bigger picture. When I was going through counseling, the idea of never drinking again was daunting. Something that helped me was focusing on smaller wins such as being sober for a day, a week, a month. Soon, it stuck and once I started seeing my "days without drinking" number slowly increasing, I was motivated to keep going! Which brings me to my next point...

Get A Days Counting App

I use the app called "I Am Sober". In addition to tracking how many days you've been without drinking, it also sends you notifications when you hit major milestones. You can even track how you are feeling at the end of each day. This was a tool that I used every day when I first quit drinking. It was nice to be able to look at how I was feeling early on and see the progress I have made! There are many apps similar to this one, so find the one that works for you! Some days when I felt the urge to drink, I would choose not to, solely because I did not want to set the app back to day zero. It's very rewarding to see your sober days increase. This app will help you stay motivated to keep going and will remind you to take it one day at a time.

Find At Least One, True Supporter

This person can be a a boyfriend, a best friend, or a family member...but this cannot be just anyone. Pick a person who will hold you accountable, who you are comfortable with telling anything to, and who will call you on your shit. If you don't think you have anyone like this in your life, then finding a counselor or support group might be your best option. It can seem scary to open up to a complete stranger, but just remember that they've seen it all and are not there to judge you. They are there to help you. Most colleges provide free counseling services for students. That's the option I went with! And with COVID-19, I'm sure there are many online counselors and therapists ready to help you.

If none of these options sound appealing, let ME be that person for you. Send me an email (funshitblog@gmail.com) or dm me on Instagram (@funshitblog). I am by no means a professional, but I will be there to to listen and help you in any way that I can!

I kept a lot of my emotions bottled up inside when I was too afraid to tell anyone about my problem. This was not good for my mental health. As hard as my first counseling appointment was to go to, I felt the BIGGEST weight lifted off of my shoulders when I spilled everything to this complete stranger. It's so important to have at least one person in your life who will go on this journey with you so that you can feel supported.

Find A Hobby To Replace Drinking

If you're like me, and most of your free time was spent drinking with your friends, you're going to have a lot of free time on your hands once you decide to quit drinking in college. If you don't fill that time with another hobby, you'll spend it miserable, always thinking about the fact that you are not drinking. Blogging, working out, and hiking became my new releases. Find something you enjoy and something that will keep you busy!

Find Alcohol-free Drinks and Treats That You Enjoy

If you're current alcohol consumption is at the same level that mine was, you're going to experience some withdrawal symptoms and cravings once you quit drinking in college. I am by no means an expert on this topic, but here is a great article on what to expect in the first few weeks and how to cope. Having an alcohol-free drink to enjoy or a treat that you like while you are experiencing these cravings is essential. "Withdrawal symptoms" and "cravings" may sound scary, but try to think positively because they won't last forever! They are just signs that the alcohol is leaving your body and you are becoming a healthier, happier person!

Know Your Resources

Find resources that you like and that you can relate to. Even if someone praises a certain book or podcast, it might not be right for you. It may take a while to find resources that you like and can relate to, but once you do, use them to your advantage! On the resources page of this blog, I have listed some of the things that have been most helpful for me.

Now, it's important to mention that if you physically cannot stop drinking alcohol and none of these tips work for you...I recommend seeking professional help. And there is no shame in that. There are many national hotlines you can call that will help you get connected with free rehabilitation centers in your area. See my resources page for a few of those numbers.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, only you can make this decision for yourself. You can read as many books and blog posts as you'd like, but if you truly want to better your life and quit drinking in college, it has to come from within. When you look back on your college experience, your most fond memories will consist of living on your own for the first time, finding your people, and reinventing yourself...not the alcohol you consumed.

It is going to be hard. Breaking the chains of alcohol dependence is one of the hardest things a person can do, but BOY let me tell you, it is also the most rewarding. Soon you'll realize that you aren't giving something up, you're gaining more than you could ever imagine.