h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Most people drink at parties, right? Probably only a few get drunk, but I wonder what effects does it have on different people? With people I know, they go to extremes. Some get very emotional, very ill-tempered, very depressed/silent, and one begins dancing, and making a fool of himself in front of everyone. I become simple, BTW, laughing at every stupid thing and punishing myself after I've laughed (not drunk...).

Personally I just get very suggestable - someone will suggest jumping off a cliff, and I'll be like "ooh - great idea!"

Every real teenage party has either booze or weed somewhere; don't let your kids fool you. On the other hand, if you don't trust them enough to let them go to these parties, and drink responsibly, then the parties aren't the problem.

And always have someone willing to go get the kid if they can't find a sober ride home.

I do stupid s**t when I'm drunk... with the opposite sex But not stupid enough to do any real harm.

Everyone experiments at one time or another with drugs and drinking, from my own experiance the more my parents told me not to do anything the more I did it. Parents should trust thier kids and be able to talk with them. *grins remembering the silly times *

Alright you wanna know my experience???

I'm a meer 14 years old and back in November when I was still 13 I was at an 18th birthday party, and I was the youngest there, the next oldest was 15 so it wasn't all bad....anyway, the party was in London so not living in London I had to find accomodation, so that was with the birthday girl, meanwhile it was her neighbours who took me there, as they were going too. I hung around with them for most of the evening as I didn't really know anyone. These were two guys both aged 20, who I didn't realise until later obviously didn't know my age, they thought I was about 16 or 17 (apparently). Anyway all evening they were trying to buy me pints of guinness, and I was always saying "no thanks", in the end they FORCED me to have a little sip fo their's, and I'm so glad I didn't have a pint to myself.....too bitter....

The abuse of Alcohol by teenagers is more accute in Britain and the US than in more liberal countries such as mainland euroope. Where children are given wine etc at the meal table by their parents from a far younger age. The restrictive cultural bounds which mean children aren't to experience alcohol may be in some way having a adverse effect as teens feel the need to go off and drink whenever they can, and not drink for a social occasion, but to get drunk, which is the difference.

Well considering I've had a religious input in my life wine has always been a major thing with me, and I have to admit if the wine is sweet I don't know when to stop, the night I almost got drunk from it I was literally stumbling home grabbing onto Shim for dear life, and when I said "I think I'm going to be sick" his reaction was "cool!", and he got a telling off from our mum.

It's now a well known fact that I only have to have a slight sip of champaign and I will get drunk from it, so take note if I'm at a party don't give me champaign unless it's very near to going home time.

Seder with the four cups really gets to you, eh?

DD -
What you observe is quite valid, but what's wrong with wanting to get drunk? My parents offer me wine regularly and I always decline, but I'll drink with my friends... they're far better company when you're tipsy.

MAybe I'm getting old. But people are far better compnay before they get full. My ex is a prime example. I was stone cold sober the other night he was as pissed as a skunk. And he was an absolute t**t.

loreth-you should have seen me on this year's seder night! I had FAR TOO MUCH wine and it didn't help we went out, (we were staying in Golders Green) so we had to get back to Shim's, I was stumbling home grabbing onto him for dear life, and when I said "I think I'm going to be sick!" his reply was "cool!", so I get in thinking "damn I'm gonna throw up bigtime in a moment!" but luckily I didn't, twice I had heartburn, that had to be my worst time ever! As for Shim, I think he was quite probably too drunk to take things seriously, how about changing the lyrics to that Madness song (this was him and his friend Mitch singing in their drunken state):

"Welcome to the house of bondage now I've come of age, welcome to the house of slaves...." You get the plot? Baisically Shim would sing one line, then Mitch would do the next one, then Shim......

You have a nice Seder night then? (I suppose you're going to have a nice time in Israel, lucky you!)

I'm in the evil position of being a teenager who's allergic to alcohol...no, stop laughing, thank you...consequently I always end up being the responsible sober one at parties who's looking after people who are being very ill.

The bummer about alcohol is that as soon as people start drinking, the possibility of intelligent/reasonably coherent/well, anything conversation goes out of the window; you can tell when a friend of mine is getting drunk by the way she descends into monosyllabic giggles (this is usually after a single drink)...

Having spent many nights as the designated van driver, and therefore the sole sober person, in a group of a dozen fairly hard-drinking caving mates (often many long hours after legal closing time), I have to agree it can be very boring watching people get drunk.

However, you do learn an awful lot about the difference between how people behave when drunk, and how they *think* they're behaving. It's also possible to learn a great deal by listening to drunken conversations - if your friends drink to the point where they can't remember much of the evening, the chances are their tongues will be much looser than normal. There's the possibility of some seriously good wind-ups the next day when no-one's quite sure what they told you, what you overheard, and what you're making up.

I can get a little bit merry if I have a little bit to drink, I've never actually got *properly* drunk

Allergic? bummer.

I've had several good conversations with mildly drunk people... drunk enough to be free with their words but not gone silly, y'know.

I have a friend who often goes on late night trains after shabbat and he says he often has some very good conversations with the drunks, and if you're nice enough they'll even offer you a drink!

My parents are pretty cool . . . when they have friends over and they're drinking wine, they'll pour me a glass, too (I'm 14, but definately a mature 14). Somehow they always expect it to affect me more than it does, though. However, this doesn't really seem to change the fact that I would MUCH rather drink with my friends than with them. A bottle of Jack at a party still has that illicit thrill, even though alcohol is hardly a taboo subject in my house.