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Hi all,

This probably won't apply to most people, but does apply to me. I have a medical condition that does not allow me to consume alcohol, especially wine. I do not like telling people about this condition as it is my personal business. My concern is that all of the social events at my New York summer program will center heavily around alcohol. It seems like law students and lawyers in general are very heavy drinkers, which I obviously am not. I consider myself to be a social person, but I do not like to be around alcohol very much because of the inevitability of people trying to foist alcoholic beverages upon me, and me trying to awkwardly decline. So are my fears overstated or am I going to be seen as the weirdo at all of the social events because I'm not consuming alcohol? Thanks for any thoughts.

You can just ask the bartender for some icewater with lime and tell people it's a gin-tonic. Nobody will know the difference (unless they smell your breath, which is just strange)

You're not rushing a frat. No one will notice or care.

Assuming you are practiced at being around other people while they are drinking and still being fun/not calling attention to your sobriety then no one will likely notice. At any formal event where wine is served if you don't touch it no one will notice either.

The club soda with lime is a great tip.

People don't care. I don't drink. I just got sodas or waters at the events and socialized. If people try to push drinks on you, just politely decline and nobody will think twice about it.

Don't lie about drinking water. That seems silly.

Your life must be an unending hell from which there is no escape. I would not lie, nor would I get a club soda with lime to even suggest the appearance of drinking alcohol. What happens if someone asks you what you have? You're going to awkwardly explain how you prefer drinking soda water with some lime juice? Just get some water and say you don't drink.

I'd just get a club soda with a lime and if anyone asks/say "why aren't you drinking?" just say you're allergic to alcohol and literally no one will care. (i doubt they even ask you this).

DO NOT say your club soda is a gin and tonic if someone asks. That is IMO kind of borderline weird to lie about.

..

My summer class had a person who didn't drink much. Unlikely that partners will notice or care. Your fellow summer will probably notice, as would most people who regularly go out drinking together. This is not unique to lawyers, it almost inevitably happens to most people who are not drinking at a party/event. It is likely that at some point someone will ask why you are not drinking/offer to get you a drink. You can head this off somewhat by having a non-alcoholic drink. Don't pretend to be drinking since if you're found out you would look pretty weird. Be aware that you may have to make more of an effort to be social since others will more than a little lubricated. There's nothing wrong with not drinking, but don't be mopey.

Nekrowizard wrote:Your life must be an unending hell from which there is no escape. I would not lie, nor would I get a club soda with lime to even suggest the appearance of drinking alcohol. What happens if someone asks you what you have? You're going to awkwardly explain how you prefer drinking soda water with some lime juice? Just get some water and say you don't drink.

Club soda with lime is delicious

2014 wrote:

Nekrowizard wrote:Your life must be an unending hell from which there is no escape. I would not lie, nor would I get a club soda with lime to even suggest the appearance of drinking alcohol. What happens if someone asks you what you have? You're going to awkwardly explain how you prefer drinking soda water with some lime juice? Just get some water and say you don't drink.

Club soda with lime is delicious

To me, drinking club soda is the number one sign for a recovering alcoholic. But hey, if club soda and lime is a real thing that regular, non-alcoholic people drink and it's not weird, go for it OP. It'll for sure throw more people off your sober scent than drinking cranberry juice/water/whatever provided nobody ever asks what it actually is.

I think the club soda and lime tip is a good one and people probably won't ask, but if they do definitely don't lie, because that is weird and just generally bad practice.

If someone really presses you on this, tell them that you have a stomach condition and can only consume alcohol rectally. Then produce from your purse a big red plastic funnel and a large container of KY Jelly and ask if they would mind helping you do a shot.

Nekrowizard wrote:

2014 wrote:

Nekrowizard wrote:Your life must be an unending hell from which there is no escape. I would not lie, nor would I get a club soda with lime to even suggest the appearance of drinking alcohol. What happens if someone asks you what you have? You're going to awkwardly explain how you prefer drinking soda water with some lime juice? Just get some water and say you don't drink.

Club soda with lime is delicious

To me, drinking club soda is the number one sign for a recovering alcoholic. But hey, if club soda and lime is a real thing that regular, non-alcoholic people drink and it's not weird, go for it OP. It'll for sure throw more people off your sober scent than drinking cranberry juice/water/whatever provided nobody ever asks what it actually is.

Club soda is tasty and normal.

sublime wrote:As others have said, just get whatever you want and if someone asks just say you don't drink. Nbd.

This is the correct response I think

If someone really presses you can tell the truth. You can just say something like "I wish I could, but I have issues digesting alcohol so I can't drink" or whatever. No one is really going to care. Maybe people will be a little surprised or something when they hear that in the first couple of weeks or if they notice that you don't drink but it's not going to be an issue. Some people didn't drink in my summer class, I do but I couldn't care less if they didn't or what their reasons were, it was fine and they all got offers and everything. Don't sweat it.

I agree that you shouldn't pretend that you drink, or make a "Hey guys, not a drinker over here!" big deal when other people are drinking. As with most things in life just don't be a weirdo and you're good.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Nekrowizard wrote:

2014 wrote:

Nekrowizard wrote:Your life must be an unending hell from which there is no escape. I would not lie, nor would I get a club soda with lime to even suggest the appearance of drinking alcohol. What happens if someone asks you what you have? You're going to awkwardly explain how you prefer drinking soda water with some lime juice? Just get some water and say you don't drink.

Club soda with lime is delicious

To me, drinking club soda is the number one sign for a recovering alcoholic. But hey, if club soda and lime is a real thing that regular, non-alcoholic people drink and it's not weird, go for it OP. It'll for sure throw more people off your sober scent than drinking cranberry juice/water/whatever provided nobody ever asks what it actually is.

Club soda is tasty and normal.

This. Also there are a ton of recovering alcoholics in the law so that's not even especially weird.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Nekrowizard wrote:

2014 wrote:

Nekrowizard wrote:Your life must be an unending hell from which there is no escape. I would not lie, nor would I get a club soda with lime to even suggest the appearance of drinking alcohol. What happens if someone asks you what you have? You're going to awkwardly explain how you prefer drinking soda water with some lime juice? Just get some water and say you don't drink.

Club soda with lime is delicious

To me, drinking club soda is the number one sign for a recovering alcoholic. But hey, if club soda and lime is a real thing that regular, non-alcoholic people drink and it's not weird, go for it OP. It'll for sure throw more people off your sober scent than drinking cranberry juice/water/whatever provided nobody ever asks what it actually is.

Club soda is tasty and normal.

Is it normal though?

I'm pretty sure that literally the only place on earth that it exists is in a bar coming out of one of those spritzer things being shot into a glass that already has vodka poured into it.

Don't tell me that you can buy it in a grocery store and that people do that because that will blow my mind.

Yes?

I mean, I just have a soda stream and use that, but yes, you can buy club soda in supermarkets. Also it's just fizzy water.

I buy a 12 pack of club soda every time I go to the store

Like 2/3 of the lawyers at my firm drink club soda regularly

Why don't these people like sodomy?

Plain fizzy water? Why wouldn't you monsters at least get some grapefruit flavored fizzy water or something?

I think I've seen Nony express some objectively bad and shameful food opinions before so I shouldn't be surprised I guess but SBL is my carne asada loving brother so I'm a little disappointed to read this

(True confession- I admit that I've done the plain water soda stream thing myself)

LeDique wrote:Why don't these people like sodomy?

I am literally guzzling sodomy right now

As am I.

(And all my food/drink opinions are IMPECCABLE, thankyouverymuch.)

A. Nony Mouse wrote:As am I.

(And all my food/drink opinions are IMPECCABLE, thankyouverymuch.)

For some reason I thought you came down on the wrong side of a chocolate chip/raisin cookie debate but I actually see that your opinion on that point is correct. Could have sworn there was something else though.

I will sheepishly go fire up my plain water soda stream now

(OP- Just do good work and be nice and pleasant and you'll be fine.)