How to Party like a pro

Party

NOUN [pahr-tee]
When people come together to socialize and celebrate
Synonyms: celebration, festivity, shindig, hootenanny

There are many different ways to party. Sometimes we choose to drink when we party and sometimes not, and some people choose to opt out of drinking all together. If you want to party without the booze (and without dealing with drunk people) Dal after Dark has some great alcohol-free events. Follow them on Facebook to see what they have in store for this year!

No one plans for bad things to happen when they party, but we’ve all had that night that didn’t turn out the way we thought it would. Here are some of the ways you and your friends can party like pros

protect Yourself

If you choose to drink, these tips could help reduce your chances of ending your night on a bad note.

• pros Lead Balanced Lives

  Make sure you balance your social life with your responsibilities, like showing up to class and work. Choose times to party when you don’t have other commitments. When party time is over don’t forget to take a break, especially if you choose to drink – set aside periods to catch up on sleep and work and let your body recover.

• Party Where You Feel Safe

  It's important to go out with friends who you can trust to watch your back and make sure you get home safe. Make sure you party where you feel safe, and when you’re at the bar always make sure you and your friends watch your drinks. Trust your gut: if you feel unsafe, leave. It's always a good idea to have an exit strategy.

• Stay Hydrated

  It’s a good idea to drink plenty of water, especially while you are drinking alcohol. You can do this by alternating your favourite beverage with water — this way you won’t get too dehydrated and it will give your body time to break down the alcohol you already drank. Not only is water good for you (duh!), but it can also make it so you aren’t as hung over the next day. No, drinking water won’t "cure" a hangover, but staying hydrated will lower your chances of having a headache the next morning, which will increase your chances of making it to class… like a pro!

• Eat Before You Drink to Slow the Absorption of Alcohol

  Foods like bread, cheese, potatoes and pasta work great to slow down how quickly your body absorbs alcohol (and are also delicious) meaning you won’t get drunk so quickly. This helps protect your body by reducing your chance of alcohol poisoning, which is when your blood alcohol level has gotten so high it's toxic to the body.

• Set Limits

  Setting limits for yourself helps you party like a pro without missing out on the fun. Each person’s limit may be different. You've passed your limit if you experience:

  • Feeling unsteady
  • Blurry vision
  • Slurred speech
  • Poor hand-eye coordination

  Track your drinking with this free app.

  
• Put Lots of Ice in Your Drink

  Not only will this help you take smaller sips, but will also keep your drink nice and cold. Now you’re drinking like a pro!

• Pace Yourself

  Drinking too much, too fast is dangerous. It also leads to being a sloppy drunk...which nobody likes! Our body can only metabolize 1 drink per hour. If you can pace your drinking, you’ll be able to maintain that low-level buzz and avoid doing things that you'll regret later (like showing off those not so great dance moves).

• Avoid Mixing Drugs and Alcohol

  It can have unpredictable effects and can be seriously risky, especially if you mix alcohol with drugs like antidepressants or sleeping pills. Even over-the-counter drugs (e.g., allergy meds) can have negative effects when mixed with alcohol. This doesn’t mean that you should skip your medication if you're planning to drink, as that can have harmful effects as well. Instead, check with your health care provider or pharmacist about the effects of combining your medication with alcohol to make sure you stay safe and healthy like a pro!

• protect Yourself Online

  Don't let your reputation be compromised by drunken posts or texts. Your digital reputation can impact your relationships and your future professional opportunities. Monitor what other people post of or about you on social media. Untag yourself from your friends' pictures or ask them to take the picture down if they're inappropriate.

Do you want to drink as safe as possible? Way to go pro! To make it easy for you, Canada has developed a list of rules you can follow to make sure that you can have a few drinks, while lowering the chances of experiencing the bad side of drinking:

protect Your Friends

Taking care of yourself is important, but pros also watch out for their friends. Here are some tips to keep your friends safe on a night out:

• Start Together – End Together

  If you start the night together, make sure you keep checking in and that everybody makes it home safely. When you know where your friends are and who they're with, you can make sure they're partying like pros and getting home safe at the end of the night.

• Help Your Friends Stick to Safer Limits

  Don’t encourage your friends to drink more than they want to, or to the point where they get sloppy. Set limits ahead of time and help your friends stick to a good pace. Hey, you'd want them to do the same for you!

  Here are some situations where you might need to step up and be a pro:

  You’re getting ready to go out to a party and your friend says something like, "I’m going to get so wasted tonight!"

  What can you do to handle this situation like a pro?

  • Encourage them to eat dinner and drink some water
  • Make sure they know how to get home (that they have bus tickets, cab fare, etc.)
  • Make sure their phone is charged so you can reach them later

  You're at the party and you notice your friend is drinking way too fast.

  In this situation a pro would:

  • Ask their friend to go outside and get some fresh air
  • Take them to the dance floor (without a drink)
  • Be straight up with them. Tell them they're getting sloppy and warn them that if they keep drinking at this pace they'll be embarrassed
  • Ask them to leave the party to grab a bite to eat
  • Mix their next drink for them… but be sneaky and mix it really weak
• If Your Friend Drinks Too Much, Take Care of Them

  Sometimes being a good friend means ending your night early to walk your friend home and tuck them in. Just be careful they aren’t too drunk and in the danger zone for alcohol poisoning.

• Don't Lose a Friend to Booze

  Know the signs of alcohol poisoning so you can help them like a pro.