What age did you first consume alcohol?

[they don't love you like i love you]

18

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.
I only pretended to drink the Communion wine when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

[bedstuy]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.
I only pretended to drink the Communion wine when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

You're crazy!

I understand being wary of alcoholism.  There's nothing cool about drinking way too much or drinking to the point that you cause problems for yourself.  And, some people have addictive personalities and issues that makes them better off totally sober.

But, alcohol is 1. fun 2. yummy and 3. a part of our culture.  It's a social handicap to be a teetotaler.  You basically wall yourself off from all these fun places by not drinking.  And, remember, you can go to a party and have 2-5 drinks.  Nobody is forcing you to become a crazy binge drinker.

So, what's the deal with you teetotalers?

[TJ in Oregon]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.

That's how I was for most of undergrad too: surrounded by the wild bacchanalian party scene and somewhat resented that part of it. I got used to being the sober one around the folks falling down drunk and vomiting. In that light alcohol doesn't look so great.

But when you get older and away from the undergrad world, alcohol is a little bit different. You'll go to meetings and discussion where it's served. The adult world treats it somewhat more like coffee or tea than a party item in a professional setting. I know at first taste most people don't find it appealing. But there is still a social usage that stays short of getting hammered that most people discover. Maybe you will be one of the few who permanently stays away from it and that's perfectly fine. But recognize there is such a thing as a responsible use if you ever change your mind.

For me it went something like that. I hardly ever drink but sometimes I find myself in a social setting or function where it is more appropriate for me to get a drink than not and when that happens I usually get one.

I only pretended to drink the Communion wine blood when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

FIFY

[TJ in Oregon]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.
I only pretended to drink the Communion wine when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

You're crazy!

I understand being wary of alcoholism.  There's nothing cool about drinking way too much or drinking to the point that you cause problems for yourself.  And, some people have addictive personalities and issues that makes them better off totally sober.

But, alcohol is 1. fun 2. yummy and 3. a part of our culture.  It's a social handicap to be a teetotaler.  You basically wall yourself off from all these fun places by not drinking.  And, remember, you can go to a party and have 2-5 drinks.  Nobody is forcing you to become a crazy binge drinker.

So, what's the deal with you teetotalers?

Well this site has a lot of young rather nerdy quiet kids who probably see obnoxiously drunk jocks stumbling around their campuses every weekend and don't find that vibe appealing.

[bedstuy]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.
I only pretended to drink the Communion wine when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

You're crazy!

I understand being wary of alcoholism.  There's nothing cool about drinking way too much or drinking to the point that you cause problems for yourself.  And, some people have addictive personalities and issues that makes them better off totally sober.

But, alcohol is 1. fun 2. yummy and 3. a part of our culture.  It's a social handicap to be a teetotaler.  You basically wall yourself off from all these fun places by not drinking.  And, remember, you can go to a party and have 2-5 drinks.  Nobody is forcing you to become a crazy binge drinker.

So, what's the deal with you teetotalers?

Well this site has a lot of young rather nerdy quiet kids who probably see obnoxiously drunk jocks stumbling around their campuses every weekend and don't find that vibe appealing.

Being quiet and nerdy is fine too, but like drinking, it's something you should do in moderation.  And, you can drink with your nerdy friends and be more responsible than stumbling jocks.

And, that's silly all or nothing thinking.  I feel like some of that is the thinking of someone who is afraid to try new things, make mistakes and grow.

[TJ in Oregon]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.
I only pretended to drink the Communion wine when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

You're crazy!

I understand being wary of alcoholism.  There's nothing cool about drinking way too much or drinking to the point that you cause problems for yourself.  And, some people have addictive personalities and issues that makes them better off totally sober.

But, alcohol is 1. fun 2. yummy and 3. a part of our culture.  It's a social handicap to be a teetotaler.  You basically wall yourself off from all these fun places by not drinking.  And, remember, you can go to a party and have 2-5 drinks.  Nobody is forcing you to become a crazy binge drinker.

So, what's the deal with you teetotalers?

Well this site has a lot of young rather nerdy quiet kids who probably see obnoxiously drunk jocks stumbling around their campuses every weekend and don't find that vibe appealing.

Being quiet and nerdy is fine too, but like drinking, it's something you should do in moderation.  And, you can drink with your nerdy friends and be more responsible than stumbling jocks.

And, that's silly all or nothing thinking.  I feel like some of that is the thinking of someone who is afraid to try new things, make mistakes and grow.

Most of them eventually do start drinking. Some people will take more time to get comfortable with the idea. It's an awkward sort of thing and people don't like being pressured to leave their comfort zone. There is also the legal aspect of it too and plenty of people on here are under 21. You might say no one cares about the law but 1) some people do and 2) even if they don't then acquiring alcohol becomes an issue and then requires partying with someone who can supply it.

[traininthedistance]

16, at a cast party for this summer theater thing I did for a few years.

I didn't drink a whole lot in undergrad, getting cheap rotgut at the campus parties was a once-a-semester thing and that was about it.  And then even afterwards I'd have maybe a beer or two if I was out for awhile at a restaurant or house party but never really aimed to get drunk.

Grad school, on the other hand, turned me into a lush.

[bedstuy]

Never (under 21 - "alcohol's bad, m'kay")

Never intend to either. We'll see if I can stick to that though.
I only pretended to drink the Communion wine when I was 7. Even that wasn't happening.

You're crazy!

I understand being wary of alcoholism.  There's nothing cool about drinking way too much or drinking to the point that you cause problems for yourself.  And, some people have addictive personalities and issues that makes them better off totally sober.

But, alcohol is 1. fun 2. yummy and 3. a part of our culture.  It's a social handicap to be a teetotaler.  You basically wall yourself off from all these fun places by not drinking.  And, remember, you can go to a party and have 2-5 drinks.  Nobody is forcing you to become a crazy binge drinker.

So, what's the deal with you teetotalers?

Well this site has a lot of young rather nerdy quiet kids who probably see obnoxiously drunk jocks stumbling around their campuses every weekend and don't find that vibe appealing.

Being quiet and nerdy is fine too, but like drinking, it's something you should do in moderation.  And, you can drink with your nerdy friends and be more responsible than stumbling jocks.

And, that's silly all or nothing thinking.  I feel like some of that is the thinking of someone who is afraid to try new things, make mistakes and grow.

Most of them eventually do start drinking. Some people will take more time to get comfortable with the idea. It's an awkward sort of thing and people don't like being pressured to leave their comfort zone. There is also the legal aspect of it too and plenty of people on here are under 21. You might say no one cares about the law but 1) some people do and 2) even if they don't then acquiring alcohol becomes an issue and then requires partying with someone who can supply it.

I get it.  My point stands, you should drink in moderation and experiment responsibly as you get older.  Maybe some people aren't ready for that at 18 or 19, but if you're in college, you ought to drink sometimes.  If only to facilitate having a normal social life, I don't see the harm in it.  And, if you're that disciplined and shy, you're probably not going to go crazy and become an alcoholic.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

21, and only once since then. I have never had an entire can or bottle of anything.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

It's so sad that so many people here are self-denialists.

[Frodo]

15 or 16 -and under my parents' supervision. That I think is part of the reason why I never took to the binge-drinking ubiquitous on college campuses.

[Maxwell]

17. Got into drinking at 20.

[IceSpear]

14

[Knives]

I had my first drink at like 13 but never got truly drunk until like 15.

[Tender Branson]

At some point between the ages of 5 and 10 (can't say exactly when).

We often used to have barbecues in summer and my dad and guests used to drink a Radler, which is a lemonade-kind-of-beer with a very low alcohol level and I did drink it too a few times.

[Associate Justice PiT]

It's so sad that so many people here are self-denialists.

     What's sad is that some people feel the need to badger folks for not wanting to drink. I've drank a few times in social gatherings and I personally don't care for it. If someone doesn't want to touch it, that's nobody's business but their own.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Sans a sip or two, fairly often starting at 16.

[Simfan34]

18.

And I agree with PiT.

[Thomas D]

I think I accidently had a sip when I was about 8. Nothing else since then and I'm 33 now.

[Kushahontas]

I had my first sip at 16, first drink at 17

[traininthedistance]

Regarding teetotalers and the fact that abstinence is often associated with (and in some cases mandated by) religion: I'm reminded of how it's actually a commandment in Judaism to get a little tipsy on Purim. 

I wonder what Catholics (with their Communion wine) and observant Jews did during Prohibition.  Perhaps there was a carveout?  But perhaps not, given how associated Prohibition was with anti-Catholicism...

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

It's so sad that so many people here are self-denialists.

     What's sad is that some people feel the need to badger folks for not wanting to drink. I've drank a few times in social gatherings and I personally don't care for it. If someone doesn't want to touch it, that's nobody's business but their own.

Oh please.

I have no interest in badgering people, but I do find it silly when people make a virtue out of self-denial. You don't like it? Great.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

8-10. I don't really remember.

[Torie]

Oh, at about 6 years old, when my parents would let me go with a restaurant with them, and Dad would order a beer, I would say, "I want a beer too!," and make a scene. My Dad would let me take a couple of gulps of his brew just to end the drama queen's public performance. I was such a little sh*t back then - just as Grumps would say that I am now - as if nothing has changed in close to 60 years.