Friday 16-11-2018 - 16:04

The Union is not going to tell you not to drink – we know as students that it isn’t always as simple as that. However, we can give you some tips on how to drink responsibly, stay safe, and avoid a morning of waiting for death.

1. Drink water between alcoholic drinks
The rowdy bartenders in the club may try and call you a loser, but drinking water is the easiest (and cheapest) way to make sure you don’t overdo it, and it’s a definite strategy to avoid attending that 9am lecture with a banging headache.

2. Get that kebab
Stopping by a takeaway on the walk home may actually do you some good - getting a chicken kebab is ideal as it gives your liver a good dose of amino acids, metabolises and removes alcohol from your system.

3. Don’t drink on an empty stomach
Food is a big factor in how your night will play out – think about how much quicker you start to feel the effects of alcohol with no food in you. So, without trying to sound like your mum, try and have your tea before you go out.

4. Don’t mix your drinks
It’s really easy to start on a bottle of wine and switch to spirits but that’s also a very easy way to end up forgetting everything that happened last night – therefore, commit to the wine/beer/spirit, you’ll thank yourself for it later.

5. Order a fake drink
You can fool your mates into thinking you’re drinking by ordering ginger beer (they’ll just hear beer and move on), mocktails (self-explanatory), coke (tell them there’s a double in it) and you’ll avoid peer pressure and shouts of ‘why aren’t you drinking?’.

6. Look out for your mates
If you’ve been out with your friends enough, you’ll be able to tell the signs of when they’ve had enough – and they’ll be able to tell yours too. Make sure you look after each other and don’t go home alone – it’s also a good bonding exercise.

7. Look after future you
If you may have over done it a bit, make sure you get that pint glass full of water and some breadsticks on the bedside table – you’ll wake up grateful that you thought of it.

Fancy winning £100? Click here to take the NUS Alcohol survey to be entered into the prize draw. Take part before 25 November for a chance to win.

When someone tries to cut in front of you at the takeaway