9 Reasons Digital Drinking Is The New Way Forward

I got a little drunk the other night. At home. In my PJs. On my own with my friend on the other side of the laptop screen.

And it was great.

I’ve not normally been privy to these sorts of calls before.

I’ve ducked my way out of the endless pub quizzes and virtual happy hours and stuck to the odd video call with my closest friends and family — and certainly no calls lasting longer than a couple hours.

But things changed the other night.

I don’t know if it was the additional day off the following day and the ingredients for Aperol Spritz’s seemingly grinning back at me in the fridge, but I was ready for a girl’s night in — digital style.

To be clear, the original plan was an Aperol Spritz and a catch-up. My friend lives more than an hour’s drive away and I was due a night at hers just before lockdown set in.

Of course, one turned into two, then three… and four. And there we were almost six hours later wondering how we’d got here and that it was probably time for bed.

And the best part? We both got to go to our own beds.

So let’s look at all the other reasons digital drinking is the new way to go (aside from the fact we have no choice right now).

1. You don’t have to get dressed

I mean you might need to wear something depending on the level of your friendship but the point is that you can be comfortable. You can wear something pretty up top and your comfies on the bottom, or you can wear your dressing gown like I did.

2. You don’t need to put make-up on (or partake in any form of grooming if you’re male)

If you’re meeting in the evening, it’s darker anyway which hides an array of sins. No more spending hours dolling up for a night out — and then waking up with a fake eyelash on your pillow.

3. You have immediate access to blankets

Instant comfort awaits if you have a blanket nearby, or alternatively you could move the call to your bed. No judgements here. The world is your oyster — well, to the extent of what you have in your house.

4. If you have pets, you have instant access to those too

Half of the call was spent cooing and ‘awwing’ at our respective animals. My friend didn’t have to get a dog-sitter and I didn’t have to worry about filling the cat bowls up extra high with food to get them through the night.

5. You pour your own measures

Which is either a good thing or a very bad thing. You go to a bar and it’s either too weak or too strong. At home, you have the chance to perfect your drinks — even if it takes you a few to get it right.

6. You avoid crowds and inappropriate groping

No more queuing up outside clubs and bars to get in, no more pushing and shoving, and most importantly, no more inappropriate groping or grinding as you make your way across the dance floor.

7. You can hear what your friend is saying

For those of us who actually like spending quality time with friends and having interesting conversations rather than shouting over impossibly loud music, staying in is a blessing. You never know what juicy gossip you might miss out on otherwise.

8. Save those pennies

In a world where we’re living month to month, waiting for the next paycheck to come in, now is the time we want to be saving as much funds as possible. I think we can all safely say that we’ve wasted significant amounts of money on nights out in the past — and what do we get in return? A killer headache.

9. No driving on a hangover

The worst part about going on a night out or tipsy sleepover elsewhere is the drive home the next day. Having a bit of wild night in doesn’t eliminate the hangover part, but at least you can stay in bed the next day.

Staying in really is the new going out. And if you’re feeling less wild, maybe skip the drinking part. Your tomorrow self will thank you for it. A hangover is still a hangover whether you’ve gone out or stayed in, but it’s still pretty funny to attribute it to a virtual sesh.

And after all:

“The best place to wine down is at home.”