You will be a loser if you don’t drink on New Years

It’s 19 December, 2023. I am sitting in my class.

And all of a sudden, someone shouts:

Who is going to get blacked out drunk this New Year?

Me bro, let’s get blacked out drunk together!

That’s what most people answered.

Like normally, I was shocked.

Why would anyone want to drink poison?

I tried to hide it, but one kid noticed.

Sam, are you going to drink this New Year?

Few people in my class knew I stopped drinking alcohol in September.

I tried to not make the question a big deal and answered.

Probably not.

Just a casual answer.

Didn’t feel like putting any reasoning behind why I wouldn’t drink.

Well, the next thing shocked me.

Are you serious?!

Yes, I answered.

Hahaha, you’re a loser if you don’t drink on New Year!

Well, I didn’t even know what to say.

I nodded and put my attention somewhere else.

But why?

Drinking alcohol once won’t make me an alcoholic.

Worst case scenario it might give me a headache the next day.

I know this because I experienced it myself.

But I still didn’t give you an answer, why won’t I drink on New Year?

To simplify it, I didn’t find the need to do it.

When I think of alcohol, the only thing I can think of is:

• Why put it in your body, it’s literal poison.
• Makes you act like a drug user with the mind of a goldfish
• It’s expensive as fuck

For me, the biggest reason was fitness.

I wanted to reach my fitness goals.

Here is where I just got disappointed.

In September, I told my friend I wanted to stop drinking alcohol.

He respected it but got straight to the point.

1 glass of alcohol boosts your testosterone!

This wasn’t the first time he told me this.

I mean studies don’t lie, right?

People will convince you to drink, no matter the reason.

I have heard numerous explanations on why you should drink.

It’s fun and you just do it on the weekend.

You need to take time off.

Relax bro.

The same day, after school, I had push day.

This time around I was with another friend.

We were benching and he felt great!

Sam, I am going to go for a PR today!

I was excited for him, as I had been training with him for a long time.

He lays down on the bench, puts on 90kg in total, and there he goes.

LET’S GO, 90KG!

I was proud of him.

After some small talk about how great the lift was.

The mood switched for me, right after what he said.

Sam, you know, I have been drinking every weekend, and I still have a higher PR than you now.

Saying it while we both laugh.

My laugh was fake.

I didn’t know why he told me that.

Is he trying to prove that by drinking, you will either way achieve your goals?

That drinking once a week isn’t that bad?

It got me thinking, was I wrong all this time?

It fucked with my mind real bad.

Thursday, 21 December.

I was scrolling through some posts on Medium to gain some inspiration and knowledge.

I came around this post.

It changed my mindset.

I was proud again of what I was doing.

It even gave me an extra boost.

There are always people around you, with the same mindset as you.

My goal for 2024 is to not take a single sip of alcohol.

I know with the way that I view alcohol, that it’s possible.

I hope that you will join me.

It’s not an easy task, but we can do it.

Happy sober holidays.

Peace out.