Drink Safely, Have Fun

Things to Keep in Mind on Girls' Nights Out

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I am a 28-year-old woman with a large group of female friends. Someone is always planning "Girls Night Out," which is a great time. However, I have noticed that everyone --myself included-- tends to go out and drink a lot more than we usually would. 

Last week, one of my friends had the scary experience of passing out in a cab and waking up to the driver shaking her for directions. She was extremely lucky that he was a good person; obviously, the outcome could have been a lot worse. We're all a little shaken up by the entire incident, but we don't want to stop our girls' nights out because they're a lot of fun and most of us look forward to them. What can we do to stay safe and in control?

Sincerely,

Girl in the City     

A:

Dear Girl in the City,

You're smart to recognize risky behavior and your friend is lucky that her situation, while traumatic, was not much worse. Going out to bars is certainly a big part of a lot of young women's social lives, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's great that you have a group of friends to socialize with. But you must keep in mind some tips to stay safe while out.

Women have a tendency to be more influenced by alcohol because they usually weigh less than men, so one drink has more impact on a woman’s body than a man’s.

HOWEVER … not everyone has the same tolerance to alcohol, so even women who have six drinks and have a high tolerance to alcohol, may not behave as intoxicated as men who have three drinks and have less of a tolerance, weight aside.

Here are some tips to stay sober while bar-hopping:

1. Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Not even one drink.

2. If you’re getting a drink from a bartender, ask him to go heavy on the juice, the soda or the water in the drink. A wine spritzer or a cosmo, heavy on the juice, will pack less punch than a neat drink.

3. Ice will dilute your drink. On the rocks is a better choice that straight up.

4. If you’re having more than a drink or two, intersperse each alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic drink. For instance, have one cocktail, and then have a bottle of water (drink the whole thing) before you have your next cocktail. The water will dilute the alcohol and promote urinating, which will also dilute the alcohol content in your body.

5. Just because it’s a celebration doesn’t mean you have to have an alcoholic drink. Many times alcohol is associated with celebration, but you don’t have to keep that pattern going. You can have something else you really love — like root beer or a milkshake.

6. If you’re taking medication — no matter what kind (prescription, non-prescription or even herbal supplements from the health food store), don’t drink or just go easy on the alcohol, but best of all, call your pharmacist and/or physician and ask about interactions between your meds and alcohol.

It's particularly important that as women you stay aware of your surroundings and watch out for one another as much as possible! 

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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