Any teetotal MBAers?

Question

I used to drink regularly in my late teens / early twenties but these days I drink very rarely, I do a lot of sport and enjoy feeling healthy and having a clear mind

I'll be starting my MBA soon and my expectation is that there will be a lot of drinking going on - my concern is that I'll slip back into it and also that if I don't that may exclude me from some activities

Any advice from teetotal people or infrequent drinkers as to how you handled this? Was it an issue at all?

Jerz · Answer

There's plenty of people who don't drink or drink very little. While there is a lot of drinking and partying that goes on at bschool, you shouldn't have a problem finding people to do non-drinking related activities with. Or if you prefer going to bars and just not drinking I know people who do that too. The people who aren't big drinkers or don't drink have plenty of friends - including friends who drink heavily - and their social experience doesn't seem to be much different from the drinkers, other than not having the experience of being hungover.

Joanne27 · Answer

Cool - that's great to hear - thanks for sharing your experience!

obsessively · Answer

There are plenty of ways to get involved with the other students without drinking.

-Go to campus networking events and sign up to hear guest speakers
-Start a golf club for MBA students
-Get involved with volunteer projects, or propose fundraisers to benefit the business school
-Join a campus book club
-The possibilities are endless

Or you could always go out partying and volunteer to be the responsible ride home (your friends will love you).

shadow · Answer

The fact that you won't / don't drink shouldn't preclude you from hanging out with the people who do drink. If people are going out to a social event where there's drinking (i.e. a bar or a dance night), you can still attend and just not drink. There's no need to artificially segregate yourself based on your preference to imbibe; if anything, treating this as a "me vs. them" situation will only hurt your b-school experience.

nink · Answer

I am a light drinker. 3+ bottles of Heineken will get me drunk ~

In addition, I get very passive/reclusive when drunk, so usually, I cut myself off after 2 bottles of beer and order a glass of coke at the bar. Most people think you are drinking rum & coke or something, and no one cares whether you are there to drink or not. Just bring your social skills.... (plus, designated drivers are always needed after a night out and always appreciated....)

imerial · Answer

I don't drink and I'm constantly around alcohol, so I usually do one of two things. If it's a bar, I'll get a water with ice and a lime. It looks like Vodka, so people don't ask questions. Otherwise if people offer alcohol, I just shrug and say my liver's not that great and that's the end of that.

Any teetotal MBAers?

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