How to drink?

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During your #erasmus_adventure in Poland you will be invited to a lot of parties – and probably you will end upat even more events than you originally planned to attend. Since drinking tones of alcohol is almost impossible to avoid at students’ gatherings, we prepared some guidelines for those of you who are not heavy drinkers. Here are some rules that you should follow if you want to end the night in a good shape:

1. Take it easy.

Instead of 3 shots in a row, try a shot every 20 minutes: you will be able to see and assess how alcohol affects your organism – this rule applies particularly to hard liquors such as vodka (which is served very often at parties in Poland.) You like to party with the locals? Take into consideration that you may not have the same tolerance for alcohol (especially high-percentage one) that your Polish friends do. Be careful – speedy drinking may take a toll on you!

Rule number 1 : take it easy

2. Eat before you drink.

Eating and drinking simultaneously doesn’t go down well with everyone, but nobody ever got hurt from having a dinner two hours before the party! Light meals are for the hungover mornings; before the party you are allowed to treat yourself with a more ‘satisfying’ – even if sometimes unhealthy – meal. It should be rich in proteins and fat – so basically all kinds of meat are okay (yes, you can grab a cheeseburger!); for vegetarians – pierogi ruskie or a pad-thai with a solid portion of tofu should do the trick.

Plate full of polish delicious pierogi will do the work!

Don’t drink on empty stomach! Alcohol needs something to soak into – otherwise, it will go straight directly into your organs, damaging them.
Your guts can really use an extra layer of protection that will cushion the effects of drinking hard liquor – and it is better to eat earlier, so your stomach will be able to start digesting the food and will prepare itself on time for the sudden influx of alcohol.

3. Keep your water intake!

Even though your cup keeps being refilled with beer, wine, or hard liquor-based cocktail, pour yourself a glass of water every now and then during the party. If it is a house party, just take a 1,5l bottle of still or sparkling water with you, put it somewhere safe and take sips throughout the evening – ideally, you should finish it by the end of the night! If you are in a club, just order a glass of aqua every 1,5-2 hours.

Drinking water now and then is the best way to avoid hangover

Since hangover is caused mostly by dehydration, you will have a great chance of avoiding it if you consume as much water as alcohol on your night out. Don’t postpone drinking water – once you are dehydrated and dying from a hangover, it will take much longer to recover: your organism isn’t able to absorb huge amounts of water at once.

4. Don’t mix – combos are deadly!

One of the most important rules – don’t mix different types and, most importantly, different percentages of alcohol. If you decide to go with wine, stick to wine. If you inaugurate the party with whisky or vodka (although that may not be the smartest decision) – you should be loyal to it! The worst decision would be to drink hard liquor at the beginning and then switch to softer alcohol – for example, you should never have a beer or wine after vodka or whisky. Beginning with lighter beverages and then going for higher-percentage drinks is a slightly better idea but be very careful – combos are most destructive.

Be classy – don’t mix!

One of the deadliest blends? Champagne and vodka – not only it will smash you down during the party; the recovery process the day after will be long and painful: been there, done that. We strongly advise you: be classy – don’t mix!

5. Fresh air – not for a smoke!

Take a deep breath of fresh air

You’ve had a few shots more than you should and you’re feeling dizzy or nauseous? Take a deep breath… outside! If you are in a house with a garden – perfect. If you are in a club – ask a friend to take you to open air for a few minutes (you should never leave alone in such situation!).
House party in a flat? Probably balcony is not the best idea because usually everyone is smoking there – and the cigarette smoke will only worsen your state (if you yourself go for a smoke, you will further intoxicate yourself – bad, bad idea!). Ask a host for an empty room, open a window and breathe some fresh air – oxygen will accelerate your metabolism so your body will deal with the excess of alcohol faster and you will feel better in half an hour!

Hopefully these tips will help you survive many endless nights during your #erasmusharder experience.
However, if you end up with a terrible headache the next day anyway – check out our article on how to manage a hangover – some useful tips can be found here!