Alcohol noob.

[acting101]

(Sorry if this is the wrong section)

All throughout high school, my group of friends weren't big on drinking. Now that we've all gone away to university, they've started bringing alcohol to our get-togethers. I have no problem with this- I'm not against drinking or anything -but it's made me realize how little I know about alcohol. The crowd I'm with at university doesn't drink an awful lot, so I still haven't really experienced it.

On New Years we got together, and I was the only one not drinking. I would have, but I don't really know what to do with it. A friend of mine offered me a thingy of flavoured Smirnoff vodka, but I didn't do anything with it because I didn't know what to do xD They were all mixing stuff with like, pops, but I didn't know if certain drinks can only got with certain soda or what. I didn't want to ask them, because I felt kind of dumb.

So basically, my question is, are there any like... rules to drinking alcohol? Or any suggestions what a first time drinker should have?

[NINJA PRINCESS]

To your first question there really isn't but there is and to your second one, Don't drink to much the first few times cause you will drink your self sick. Not a good thing you need to learn how to hold your liquor.

[Ghost On The Highway]

Rules from an ex-alcoholic:

1) Never start with mixed drinks, especially sugary ones. You will drink more than you intended.
2) You're clear with beer. In my experience, it is nearly impossible to get "sick drunk" off of Pabst Blue Ribbon.
3) Alternate with water. Alcohol suppresses the action of anti-diuretic hormone, making you piss away H2O and dehydrating you. Drinking water is the best "hangover preventer."
4) Limit yourself. My happy place is 3-6 drinks. Find yours and go slow at first, it's easy to overshoot and wind up vomiting in a trash can.