Engineering school is full of pressure: pressure to keep healthy grades, pressure to balance all your major and minor subjects, pressure to keep up with your engineering classmates, pressure to keep up with your professor’s confusing lectures–pressure everywhere! That’s why many engineering students find different outlets to let out all the stress from the pressures of engineering school, and one of those outlets for some students is drinking alcohol.
Source: Odyssey
Personally, there’s nothing wrong with drinking alcohol as long as you’ve reached the legal age at your country and you know how to drink responsibly.
If you choose to drink, drinking responsibly is a MUST especially if you’re in engineering school. Because at the end of every drinking session, engineering school will still be your priority and you wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin what you’re working hard for–your engineering degree.
So we’ve created a list of hints for drinking: Alcohol 101 for the engineering student’s soul
1. KNOW YOUR LIMITS
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This is the number one rule, and I intentionally placed it in all-caps to reiterate that IT IS THE NUMBER ONE RULE. If you don’t already know how much alcohol you can handle without losing control, try it out one time at home with a family member or a trusted friend. We’re engineers, so explain to them the experiment you’re attempting.
People have different limits so don’t base yours off someone else’s. Once you’ve found out yours, stick to it!
2. Eat food while you drink.
It’s good to have something in your stomach when drinking, so as to slow the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system. Foods that are rich in proteins are good for this, such as peanuts, and cheese.
3. Sip your drink.
Source: EOnline
Don’t go gulping your drink like you’ve been arched in a desert. If you do, you are losing the pleasure of drinking, tasting and smelling different flavors. This is especially true for wine (Nope… no one gulps wine…)
Accept a drink if and only if when you really want one.
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If for some reason some obnoxious person forces one more drink on you, as for ice or drink a non-alcoholic beverage. Keep yourself safe from people who don’t take no for an answer.
Choose quality rather than quantity.
We engineers love to learn new things that add to our coolness in conversations. So learn the names of fine wines, whiskeys, as well as beers. Learn what drink goes with different foods.
Skip a drink now and then.
When you are at a party, get a non-alcoholic drink in between your alcoholic one. This will keep your blood alcohol concentration down. Create spaces between your alcoholic drinks to keep the desired blood alcohol concentration.
If driving home, have meals with your drinks.
When you’re going to drive yourself or your friends home, have your drinks DURING a meal, not after. This will give the alcohol time to be burned up and for it to be slowly absorved into the circulatory system.
Beware of unfamiliar drinks.
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Be very careful when trying something new. I know how curious engineers are, so just be careful. Don’t order a lot of it, always test the waters before diving in.
Make sure that drinking improves social relationships rather than destroy them.
Okay, you’re already pressured in engineering school, don’t add more stress when you’re drinking. It defeats the purpose of unwinding.
10. Use alcohol carefully in connection with other drugs.
If you’re taking medicines such as cold or cough medicines, sleeping pills, or antibiotics or and any other drugs, AVOID ALCOHOL. Always check with your physician or pharmacy before you drink while you’re on any prescription drug. PLEASE, at least google it.
Respect the rights of individuals who don’t want to drink.
Yes, as much as you hate being forced to drink, respect other people who say no. Don’t force them to answer why either, they may have their reasons and you MUST respect it.
Avoid drinking mixed drinks on an empty stomach on humid days.
Doing so may cause hypoglycemia, which can cause dizziness, lethargy, and mood change.
Schedule your drinking days
Source: MetroUK
Know your schedule in engineering school by heart. Make sure you have adequate time to rest after drinking before entering your next class. You know better than to crawl home drunk and knowing you have that fluid mechanics exam the next morning.
Future engineers, DRINK RESPONSIBLY. CHEERS!
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