Clubbing and Getting Drunk - Why!?

[Spartan]

Why do so many people of university age insist on going clubbing, only to consume large amounts of alcohol and act like complete idiots? Please someone tell me why, becuase I really can't understand its appeal.

You hear so many young people at university talk about getting wasted and partying hard in the different night clubs. Some talk about it with such exuberance, that I wonder what I'm missing. People say things like 'your only young once.' I say 'so what!?'

I've tried clubbing a few times, but I always felt like a complete idiot, dancing just to fit in with the drunken crowd.

Why do so many young people think getting drunk and acting immature is the only way to enjoy yourself?

[jaamkie]

probably the wrong person to reply, I rarely go out to clubs and when I do I usually don't bother to drink cos am too busy dancing/talking- yet really I'm a total introvert... but I do understand the attraction- I think the thing about it is getting out of a normal mental state to one where you're acting without too much thought/calculation/worry, where you're floating/moving to music instinctually... but again I'm a silly person who has a glass of wine and dances around alone in my apt singing along- can get in the same glorious happy state without the annoyances of clubbing/drinking too much/being bothered by men... I think it really is all about the music and the decision to let go of normal worries.

[awakentransform]

Spartan, you're so lucky if you're in your early 20s and already realized that drunken clubbing is a waste of time. I have been there, done that. I haven't had alcohol in years.

From my own experience, I used to drink because it helped me loosen up. I love dancing but I always used to feel so self-conscious unless I was drinking. So there is a certain sense of freedom and courage that would come with drinking. Also, it makes people feel connected, like they're a part of something.

I'm not defending it. I really wish I didn't waste so much time and money partying when I was younger. Some people need to go through that stage before they realize that it leaves them feeling empty inside. Most people grow out of it. Just consider yourself mature and lucky.

[Superficial Serenity]

Spartan, I totally agree with you, some of my friends live for the clubbing and wastin away on weekends, they call it "enjoying life"........
to me, partyin with people you dont care about and acting like a complete idiot is pointless...
I'm 18, 'young', in uni, and enjoyin life without the booze , its not too hard lol

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Why do so many young people think getting drunk and acting immature is the only way to enjoy yourself?

Why do so many people think that watching soccer is the only way to enjoy yourself?

Do you feel you are missing something because you don't club? No? Good! Let the clubbers enjoy their clubbing and you do whatever you do to enjoy yourself - everybody happy!

[Stephen]

I dont necessarily agree with it, but if it has to be gotten out of your system; better at that age than when you are marrued with two kids in your 30s

PS If your still doing it at that stage. you are a complete loser

[Plato]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Why do so many people of university age insist on going clubbing

A selection of reasons for clubbing&drinking
1- girls like dancing
2- some guys like dancing
3- people drink because their worries disappear, and it helps them get a temporary high.
4- it's a place where courtship get's thrown to the wind...
5- people enjoy expressing their wild side in a way that they won't get judged for ("oh, he was drunk")
6- it's social, not everybody is too drunk to communicate with and it's cool to meet new people.
7- hot girls probably enjoy the validation of being hit on.

The big one: *alcohol gets everybody in the group in the mood to party*

But yeah, I don't like it any more. Overdid it last year. Alcohol is a massive waste of money, horrible for your health and is a depressant, no matter what it may seem like in the early stages of getting drunk. Clubs smell, and I notice the superficiality more than before.

[robertanthony]

Hi Spartan

I live in England. The funny thing is that English people always make jokes about the Irish yet the Irish Police would never allow this. For Americans looking at the pictures with this link - this is what really happens in the U.K. It's crazy.

Ambulance service receives emergency call every 8 seconds as Binge Britain welcomes in 2008 | the Daily Mail

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by Stephen

I dont necessarily agree with it, but if it has to be gotten out of your system; better at that age than when you are marrued with two kids in your 30s

PS If your still doing it at that stage. you are a complete loser

I am 35,and i only recently started to get sick of going to bars and clubbing and drinking. I've known TONS of people who were married with kids who still did it. Sometimes you have to let loose and get crazy. It doesn't mean you're a loser.

The reason why i did it was because drinking helped me make friends. I suck at making friends. But if you're drinking with people,you are suddenly REALLY good friends LOL You can talk to ANYONE. You dont give a crap about your problems. Music is better when you're drunk too! I just got sick of it in the last few years cuz i started to get more interested in music and realized i would rather sit home and play piano or listen to my cd's. That and alcohol is expensive,and makes my heart beat funny LOL But i've had some of the best times of my life while out drunk dancing the night away with friends (and near strangers). Good memories!

[robc]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

I am 35,and i only recently started to get sick of going to bars and clubbing and drinking. I've known TONS of people who were married with kids who still did it. Sometimes you have to let loose and get crazy. It doesn't mean you're a loser.

The reason why i did it was because drinking helped me make friends. I suck at making friends. But if you're drinking with people,you are suddenly REALLY good friends LOL You can talk to ANYONE. You dont give a crap about your problems. Music is better when you're drunk too! I just got sick of it in the last few years cuz i started to get more interested in music and realized i would rather sit home and play piano or listen to my cd's. That and alcohol is expensive,and makes my heart beat funny LOL But i've had some of the best times of my life while out drunk dancing the night away with friends (and near strangers). Good memories!

Everyone looks better & is more attractive when you're wearing beer goggles.
But drinking in the long term is destructive, it's horrible for the liver & your heart not to mention your brain. Drinking leads to impaired decision making processes (like drinking & driving and waking up with a stranger the next day).

I'm sure you had fun while you were drunk but if you were really drunk, I'm sure you can't remember half the details of the "best times in your life".

Drinking is ok in moderation but I've seen it hurt alot of people too plus drinking regularly to have a good time sets up a pattern of behavior which teaches you that to have a good time you have to be drinking and when you stop drinking you don't know how to have a good time.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Superficial Serenity

Spartan, I totally agree with you, some of my friends live for the clubbing and wastin away on weekends, they call it "enjoying life"........
to me, partyin with people you dont care about and acting like a complete idiot is pointless...
I'm 18, 'young', in uni, and enjoyin life without the booze , its not too hard lol

Cool, glad to hear it! You sound like a very intelligent person.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Plato

Alcohol is a massive waste of money, horrible for your health and is a depressant, no matter what it may seem like in the early stages of getting drunk.

Nice criticism - I agree with you. Alcohol does make people feel depressed, I don't know if this is what you mean by the word 'depressant', but it has that effect on me. After the initial buzz I feel sad, alone and empty. It's ok in moderation though.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Rockchick26

Sometimes you have to let loose and get crazy. It doesn't mean you're a loser.

Have you ever been to a mosh pit? - Now they look crazy!

[Plato]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Nice criticism - I agree with you. Alcohol does make people feel depressed, I don't know if this is what you mean by the word 'depressant', but it has that effect on me. After the initial buzz I feel sad, alone and empty. It's ok in moderation though.

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant and I'm told it's also true in a strictly biological sense. I've actually given up alcohol totally now. Everybody tells me it's OK to drink in moderation but I don't see the point in drinking at all. At 19 with a social circle who delight in making themselves borderline on puking 4 nights a week my decision goes against the grain. But heh I never liked playing pot luck on whether I was gonna have to clean my toilet the next day anyway, so I don't feel I'm missing out.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by robc

Everyone looks better & is more attractive when you're wearing beer goggles.

But i wasn't going out to hook up with anyone,i never did that. So i didnt care what they looked like.

But drinking in the long term is destructive, it's horrible for the liver & your heart not to mention your brain. Drinking leads to impaired decision making processes (like drinking & driving and waking up with a stranger the next day).

LOTS of things are horrible to your body. You can't get away from it. Smoking,drinking,sitting on the couch,stress,eating fast food...at least drinking took away your stress temporarily while it hurt your body LOL Not saying its a wonderful thing but,i'm just answering the original posters question about why people do it.

I'm sure you had fun while you were drunk but if you were really drunk, I'm sure you can't remember half the details of the "best times in your life".

I didnt get THAT drunk...even on my worst nights i still remember details. I never passed out,never went home with a strange guy,never got any DUI's...i was a resonsible drinker.

Drinking is ok in moderation but I've seen it hurt alot of people too plus drinking regularly to have a good time sets up a pattern of behavior which teaches you that to have a good time you have to be drinking and when you stop drinking you don't know how to have a good time.

Well you get over that,you grow out of that phase. I didnt have to make myself stop drinking to know i can have fun sober...i just grew out of it and didnt care if i drank or not.

[Rockchick26]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Have you ever been to a mosh pit? - Now they look crazy!

lol Yes i have! They're not bad at all,the shows i go to,girls go in them just as much as the guys do!

[Fullcrum]

I go to dance parties all the time. I just never drink. I'm not old enough for clubs yet.

Clubbing is not a waste of time. You can get your social skills super sharp in no time. You also learn different ways of having fun. And you can meet a high volume of people. Don't think "clubbing" and "drinking" go together.

[jaamkie]

reading 'Tis and just learned a new word for waaay too drunk- "stocious" trust the Irish to have good words for stupid-drunk

[YourSelf]

To be VERY honest... I do go to parties often. Not as I did when I was 14-17 (I know, in Europe we become old earlier, I don't know why... but on the other hand many Europeans leave their parents' home and establish a new family only when they're 40 years old :P), but I do so for several reasons:

- I like to dance (I'm a guy, but I like all forms of music, including dance)
- I like to act crazy and say senseless things: and NOBODY criticizes me because they are drunk :P

But you know what? There has never been any alcohol in my body. NEVER!!!
I am completely mad by myself :P

I also used to club a lot because I used to enjoy casual /nostrings encounters, but I'm fed up with that since long time. Especially because I have lot of other things to think about and would like to start looking for a real long-term thing that might help me establish a family

You should bear in mind one thing: if you want to party, club or drink, do so in premises that you choose and you like. If you don't like electronic pop music, there's no sense going to a club that does that music...

Also, don't make it a HABIT to party. Do so only when you want and when you like.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Fullcrum

Clubbing is not a waste of time. You can get your social skills super sharp in no time. You also learn different ways of having fun.

I never thought I'd hear someone postulate a relation between clubbing and improved social skills! I can't even hear myself think in clubs, let alone hold up a conversation!

And I'm curious, what are these different ways of having fun?

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by YourSelf

- I like to act crazy and say senseless things: and NOBODY criticizes me because they are drunk :P

But you know what? There has never been any alcohol in my body. NEVER!!!
I am completely mad by myself :P

Lol. So the mindset of someone who enjoys clubbing without alcohol is that of a madman?

Originally Posted by YourSelf

I also used to club a lot because I used to enjoy casual /nostrings encounters, but I'm fed up with that since long time.

Really? Were the girls you hooked up with drunk? Personally I don't care for those types of girls, or their STD's!

[YourSelf]

To be honest, most of them are horny girls looking for their first experiences :P It really depends on what kind of parties you go to, where, which kind of subcultures, etc.
And you're right. Drunk girls stink But that doesn't mean they can be nice...
Anyway I'm over with that since long time.

Originally Posted by Spartan

Lol. So the mindset of someone who enjoys clubbing without alcohol is that of a madman?

No man, that's just me, and I'm an exclusive case.
There are people who enjoy clubbing without alcohol as well who don't act mad; but I just like to say BS and wreak havoc.

In general I like to make people laugh.

P.S. Sometimes, I say sometimes, I also happen to make very intelligent philosophical discussions with random people I meet at the club. And I also keep in touch with most of them after the party.
The world is big and strange, there are so many different kinds of people, you can't put them all into the same box.