Life&Style.

100 days without alcohol

Quick tips and advice for
achieving sobriety

By Keating Smith,
Staff Writer

would like to start off

by quoting everyone’s
favourite American
father, Mr. Homer J.
Simpson, who once said,
“To alcohol, the cause
of, and solution to, all of
life’s problems.”

But what if alcohol
is becoming more of a
problem in your life and
less of a solution, like it
was for me towards the
end of summer?

In a personal quest
to test my will and seek
clarity, I have abstained
from consuming alcohol
for 100 days. The journey
has been interesting.

If you are reading this
and thinking to yourself
that you might have a
problem with the bottle,
here is what I have to say:

1) Be strong-willed.
Like, really strong-willed

The thought of
refraining from alcohol
may seem nice, especially
if you think you may
have a problem with the
amount you consume.
However, the action of
staying sober is not as
enjoyable—especially for
the first few days. Dump
all your boozehound
friends, quit going to
the bar, keep walking
when you pass the local
liquor store, and, most
importantly don’t give
up. Keep a positive
frame of mind and when
you have accomplished
something huge, reward
yourself with something
besides booze.

2) Research the
negative effects of mass
alcohol consumption and
seek advice

There is a ton of

literature you can find
on the consequences of
consuming too much
alcohol. You don’t
have to wander further
than the search bar on

6G

YouTube. Another good
resource at your disposal
is the counselors at both
campuses who typically
can be seen on a drop-
in basis. Your tuition
pays their salaries and
these professionals can
help you with your
goals of staying away
from alcohol and any
associated influences in
your life. Finally, if you
think you have a really
big problem with
the bottle and
need a support
group, go to an
AA meeting.

3) One day at a time

Rome wasn’t built
in a day and neither
should your journey to
sobriety. If you think
about how awesome
you will feel after a
month of not drinking or
how shitfaced you will
get after a month as a
reward, chances are you
will fail miserably. When
you took your first steps
as an infant were you
running in a marathon
two days later? Didn’t
think so.

4) Exercise

Treally don’t have
to explain this one in
detail, but I will say
that once you have quit
drinking and overcome
the drowsy / lethargic
stage that typically lasts
a few days to a week,
I guarantee you will
get a massive surge of
energy and will need to
go and get rid of it. Go
Forrest Gump-style and

Go Forrest Gump-style and run across the country.
Who cares, just keep physically active.

 

  
   
 
   
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

run across the country. back, from the high your physical and

Who cares, just keep school parties, to the mental health (including

physically active. social gatherings as an gaining confidence, self-
5) Don’t substitute adult, to even essay esteem, and peace of

drinking with other writing in college. All mind) are all incredible

“extremes” aforementioned events feats. I don’t want to

throw some spiritual or
religious lecture at you;
I just want you to know
that there are certain
questions your mind

You may feel the involved some type of will answer that can
need to substitute the inebriation, which at be heavily silenced by
void in your inner self times was extreme. alcohol in the big picture.
with some other lewd On a final note, the Good luck!

act. Examples include:
overconsumption of
energy drinks, becoming
the village bicycle, illegal
or prescription drug use,
and performing socially
unacceptable

amount of money
you will save

and the good
you’re
doing

       
 

      

IT am $6
bloody MS erable

   

Gre

actions.
Don’t
do these
things. This
is a personal
journey to
find “you” without
the assistance
of substances
or extreme
behaviours.

To be honest,
I don’t miss
alcohol at all.
This feels
weird to say
considering
my old
buddy
and
Igo
way
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