Every day, teens deal with pressure, but it shouldn’t come from a beer can. Saying ‘no’ to alcohol doesn’t make you weird… It makes you normal. It’s a fact that less teens are drinking nowadays. So, you shouldn’t feel alone in choosing not to consume alcohol. Many young adults don’t drink — and that’s totally cool.
We recognize that there will be times in your teen life when you will encounter alcohol…whether at a party, a school dance, or at a friend’s home. Here are some easy tips for how to refuse alcohol without feeling uncomfortable.
Remember that saying no to alcohol is totally okay.
Before entering the party, let your good friend know that you don’t want to drink so both of you can come up with a plan together on how to handle situations with alcohol. You can come up with code words or signals to keep it discreet.
Say that you’re the designated driver for the night or you have an important event the following morning and are unable to drink.
Hold a cup of soda or juice in your hand.
Tell people that you’re allergic to alcohol.
Say that you don’t want to consume alcohol – that you don’t like the taste or how it makes you feel.
Take a stand and say you don’t drink.
Leave altogether. You don’t need alcohol or intoxication to have a good time.
There are so many reasons to say ‘no’ to alcohol, from its impact on your future to its negative affects on your health. Here are our top 10:
10.
It impairs your judgement.
9.
Getting caught with it could result in not being admitted to the college you want or losing a scholarship.
8.
You could lose your driver's license.
7.
It takes away your ability to make safe and healthy choices.
6.
It could damage your brain.
5.
Drinking can make you depressed.
4.
It is strongly linked to other risky behaviors.
3.
It affects your memory.
2.
It could result in serious injury, or even death.
1.
The majority of your peers are already saying no!
You don’t need alcohol to have fun. There are many other ways to have fun with family and friends that don’t involve alcohol.
Read a book
Go to the beach
Binge-watch a television series
Try a new sport
Adopt a fitness routine
Go hiking
Watch a movie
Play video or board games with friends
Explore the town
Visit an animal shelter