After nearly a full year as a college student, I can confidently describe myself as a peer pressure warrior.
I’m no stranger to spending nights with my friends in Dupont Circle, a notorious hotspot for Georgetown students on a night out. But most people wouldn’t guess that I do so without drinking.
My decision to remain sober at college is not an uncommon one, but it still elicits unsolicited questions from my peers. I also have to reaffirm the choice to myself, as I often find that my conviction leaves me isolated. I frequently wonder, am I missing out?”
When asked to describe college, most people would list all-nighters, one-dollar ramen, messy hookups, and partying. A party can be met with many interpretations, but the quintessential Georgetown party looks a lot less like someone’s parents’ basement and more like downing jungle juice in an affinity house backyard, already dreading the Sunday morning hangover in Lau. Around 80% of college students drink to some extent, with around half of those participating in binge drinking, or having many drinks over a short period.
Though I’m definitely in the minority, I am far from alone. For sober students, this very personal decision can be shaped by a number of factors: past experiences, values, religious beliefs, health concerns, and more.
“I made the decision not to drink when I was really young, around maybe 11 or 10. This comes back to the idea of growing up around a lot of house parties and alcohol,” Jonathan Alexander (CAS ’28) said. “[Seeing] a lot of fights, sometimes even seeing a completely different side to family you’re very close to—you end up associating alcohol with that.”
Alexander describes a common experience, in which early adverse encounters with alcohol led him away from drinking. A 2019 study revealed that even among children whose parents drink moderately, 35% named at least one negative effect of their parents’ drinking.
Others have religious foundations for their abstinence. Some Muslim students note that their sobriety is an act of obedience towards God.
“In Islam, there’s this idea of sacrifice, or submission towards God’s will,” Maya Mohosin (CAS ’27) described.
Islam is one of the more commonly known religions that prohibits drinking, but many other religions contain similar teachings grounded in the idea that alcohol induces a loss of self-control.
“I didn’t like the idea of not being fully in control of what I was doing. The forefront of my reason is the religious aspect, but on a secondary front is that loss of control,” Humza Husain (SFS ’26) said.
Choosing to never drink can seem like a daunting and irreversible choice. Ellie Kemper (SFS ’25) expressed that sobriety is possible no matter what your history with drinking is.
“I had my first drink when I was 15. By then, it was obvious that I was going to do this because everyone around me was doing it,” she explained.
Kemper began exploring sobriety halfway into college for a multitude of reasons.
“I stopped drinking in July of 2023, the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college. It was a culmination of personal and health factors,” she said.
Kemper ultimately chose to go sober after weighing the costs and benefits of drinking.
“To me, it just felt really mentally debilitating. I don’t know if I ever drank and the next day felt good about myself,” she said.
Despite sobriety being a personal decision, half the battle comes from explaining yourself to other people and dealing with their reactions.
“A lot of my friends keep pushing the idea that this weekend we’re going to go out and drink, but all I ask is to accept it and to be mindful [of my sobriety],” Alexander said.
Similarly, Mohosin said that she often faces unfair judgment from peers when they first learn of her sobriety, assuming that she doesn’t like to party or have fun.
“Don’t treat me like a child. Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t like to go out,” she added.
Choosing whether to drink is a personal decision that shouldn’t be influenced by the perspective of others around you. While others may pass judgement, your choices are ultimately yours and choosing whether to drink is part of the agency that comes with becoming an adult.
“College feels kind of suffocating. It feels like a lot of people are watching you, but, at the end of the day, lowkey nobody cares—or nobody should care what you do with your life and with your body,” Kemper said.
As for those naysayers who give you a hard time, Kemper thinks they should hold up a mirror to themselves.
“The only people who do care what you’re doing with your body are the people who are so insecure about themselves that they want to point their finger at someone else. Do what you want with your life,” she said.
Coming to terms with this aspect of my college years hasn’t been an easy journey but I take great pride in it. Being able to remain disciplined with this gives me the strength and confidence to do so in other realms, too. Staying sober has taught me to build social skills and an appreciation for fun nights out—based solely on having fun with people I love.
I hope more people feel comfortable partying without drinking, not because it’s “better” for you, but because sometimes you just don’t feel like drinking. FOMO is only in your head because there’s a community of entirely sober people just like you. Make these decisions on your own terms, not anyone else’s.
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News Commentary
A sobering reality: You don’t have to drink to have fun
By Minhal Nazeer
March 28, 2025
After nearly a full year as a college student, I can confidently describe myself as a peer pressure warrior.
I’m no stranger to spending nights with my friends in Dupont Circle, a notorious hotspot for Georgetown students on a night out. But most people wouldn’t guess that I do so without drinking.
My decision to remain sober at college is not an uncommon one, but it still elicits unsolicited questions from my peers. I also have to reaffirm the choice to myself, as I often find that my conviction leaves me isolated. I frequently wonder, am I missing out?”
When asked to describe college, most people would list all-nighters, one-dollar ramen, messy hookups, and partying. A party can be met with many interpretations, but the quintessential Georgetown party looks a lot less like someone’s parents’ basement and more like downing jungle juice in an affinity house backyard, already dreading the Sunday morning hangover in Lau. Around 80% of college students drink to some extent, with around half of those participating in binge drinking, or having many drinks over a short period.
Though I’m definitely in the minority, I am far from alone. For sober students, this very personal decision can be shaped by a number of factors: past experiences, values, religious beliefs, health concerns, and more.
“I made the decision not to drink when I was really young, around maybe 11 or 10. This comes back to the idea of growing up around a lot of house parties and alcohol,” Jonathan Alexander (CAS ’28) said. “[Seeing] a lot of fights, sometimes even seeing a completely different side to family you’re very close to—you end up associating alcohol with that.”
Alexander describes a common experience, in which early adverse encounters with alcohol led him away from drinking. A 2019 study revealed that even among children whose parents drink moderately, 35% named at least one negative effect of their parents’ drinking.
Others have religious foundations for their abstinence. Some Muslim students note that their sobriety is an act of obedience towards God.
“In Islam, there’s this idea of sacrifice, or submission towards God’s will,” Maya Mohosin (CAS ’27) described.
Islam is one of the more commonly known religions that prohibits drinking, but many other religions contain similar teachings grounded in the idea that alcohol induces a loss of self-control.
“I didn’t like the idea of not being fully in control of what I was doing. The forefront of my reason is the religious aspect, but on a secondary front is that loss of control,” Humza Husain (SFS ’26) said.
Choosing to never drink can seem like a daunting and irreversible choice. Ellie Kemper (SFS ’25) expressed that sobriety is possible no matter what your history with drinking is.
“I had my first drink when I was 15. By then, it was obvious that I was going to do this because everyone around me was doing it,” she explained.
Kemper began exploring sobriety halfway into college for a multitude of reasons.
“I stopped drinking in July of 2023, the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college. It was a culmination of personal and health factors,” she said.
Kemper ultimately chose to go sober after weighing the costs and benefits of drinking.
“To me, it just felt really mentally debilitating. I don’t know if I ever drank and the next day felt good about myself,” she said.
Despite sobriety being a personal decision, half the battle comes from explaining yourself to other people and dealing with their reactions.
“A lot of my friends keep pushing the idea that this weekend we’re going to go out and drink, but all I ask is to accept it and to be mindful [of my sobriety],” Alexander said.
Similarly, Mohosin said that she often faces unfair judgment from peers when they first learn of her sobriety, assuming that she doesn’t like to party or have fun.
“Don’t treat me like a child. Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t like to go out,” she added.
Choosing whether to drink is a personal decision that shouldn’t be influenced by the perspective of others around you. While others may pass judgement, your choices are ultimately yours and choosing whether to drink is part of the agency that comes with becoming an adult.
“College feels kind of suffocating. It feels like a lot of people are watching you, but, at the end of the day, lowkey nobody cares—or nobody should care what you do with your life and with your body,” Kemper said.
As for those naysayers who give you a hard time, Kemper thinks they should hold up a mirror to themselves.
“The only people who do care what you’re doing with your body are the people who are so insecure about themselves that they want to point their finger at someone else. Do what you want with your life,” she said.
Coming to terms with this aspect of my college years hasn’t been an easy journey but I take great pride in it. Being able to remain disciplined with this gives me the strength and confidence to do so in other realms, too. Staying sober has taught me to build social skills and an appreciation for fun nights out—based solely on having fun with people I love.
I hope more people feel comfortable partying without drinking, not because it’s “better” for you, but because sometimes you just don’t feel like drinking. FOMO is only in your head because there’s a community of entirely sober people just like you. Make these decisions on your own terms, not anyone else’s.
Minhal Nazeer
Minhal Nazeer is a freshman in the SFS from Louisville, Kentucky. She is a lover of gift giving, sweet potato fries, and sleep. Commonly found meowing or stalking Spotify’s.
More: alcohol, Binge Drinking, drinking, sobriety
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