Drinking Habits

When I questioned my interviewees as to their guess on how often I drink, both answered with 2-3 times a week, which, by most measures, is correct. I would describe my drinking frequency as responsible; I do not drinking days before major events or tests, and avoid drinking during the week as much as possible. Many times my friends have difficulty telling if I've drank or not, but they can usually guess, however, when I begin smoking cigarettes, a habit I've developed as a direct result of my drinking atmosphere. Interviewee one reinforced this idea when she replied that I only smoke after I drink.

I don't show many of the "traditional" drunk signs (losing coordination, walking into objects or people, becoming emotional or belligerent, etc.) other than my tendency to become louder when I speak. This might have to do with the fact I'm a "heavyweight," meaning I need to consume more alcohol before I feel the effects of it. This, however, does not mean that I have built up a certain resistance to alcohol. My interviewees guessed that it would take between nine and fifteen beers for the alcohol to take effect. This, also, is correct. When I further questioned them about the differences between "sober me" and "drunk me" one answered casual drunk signs while the other answered that I become noticeably more promiscuous, an observation I can't deny. Though true, I respect boundaries and have never forced myself on anyone, ever. Interviewee two even described me as "fun" when drunk, and neither interviewee has ever been worried about the amount of alcohol I have ever consumed.

On the other hand, I do suffer some more negative consequences due to my drinking. Both interviewees can recall at least one time where I've had to cancel plans or neglect class or my work as a direct result of my drinking. While not my proudest moments, I too can recall several instances where I couldn't go to class because of a hangover or having had too late a night.

All in all, these interviews told me very little I hadn't known before. I didn't find myself arguing with either of my interviewees and found myself agreeing with much of what they said. This, I feel, means that what I thought of my drinking habits and myself were right. I am responsible, in spite of the alcohol statistics and what others have said, in terms of my drinking habits. I would consider myself mature enough and intelligent enough to engage in social situations and occasions where alcohol is present due to the non-habitual nature of my consumption. To an extent I feel that the response and attitudes to alcohol are skewed based up on embedded hysterical contradictions. The notion that all underage drinking is bad because it is illegal is arguably true if one upholds the law in every instance, however it is also bad to dismiss the importance of common sense as it ignores the