Arts And Entertainment

The Hangover Edition: From how to spend the night out to waking up the next morning

Derik Wuchte
August 27, 2014

Staying in or going out?

Time to drink. The party is at the house down the road. Actually, it’s not. The friends are going to a bar instead. Mister Generous in the group says first few rounds are on him. Wherever you guys end up, this night is going to be all about drinking.

No one knows the best drinking spot. Some prefer drinking at the house while others like drinking at a bar. Robert Howerton, a full-time student and part-time drinking enthusiast, knows the good and the bad that come from where you drink. With his assistance, pros and cons were constructed for drinking at home versus drinking at a bar.

Drinking at Home

[one_half padding=”0 20px 0 0″]Pros

1. Safety

You drink with people you know. They are looking out for you. Drunk driving and police get avoided as well. Anyone prone to getting in trouble knows drinking at a house is better than drinking in public.

2. Chosen conditions

Unlike a bar where anyone is welcome, a house is disciplined. “With bars, you don’t really choose who you hang out with,” Howerton said. “Who’s there is there. When you’re home, you choose who you hang out with. It’s more of a controlled environment.”

3. Cheaper

BYOB, or not, good house parties do not run low on alcohol. To go through a six pack might cost someone around $6 at a house. At a bar, someone could look at over $15 for that same output.[/one_half]

[one_half_last padding=”0 0px 0 20px”]Cons

1. Familiar Environment

Hanging out with friends at the same house party every week becomes monotonous. Diversity becomes bleak to you. It should be minded to explore your drinking horizons or else you might become a robot–a boring, alcoholic robot.

2. Damage and Disasters

Large house parties can result in destruction or theft, as Howerton explained. There is no way to prevent thieves or vandals when you invite people to your house. Things happen and it is impossible to expect every possibility, especially during a party.[/one_half_last]

Drinking at Bars

[one_half padding=”0 20px 0 0px”]Pros

1. All the pretty faces

People gathered in numbers want to get theirs at a bar. They want to have fun. With the majority of people drinking, trying to achieve that feeling, bars become a place for anyone wanting to have a good time.

2. Interaction and activities

No one cares how good you dance or sing when you’re drunk. Bars insist you enjoy yourself. That’s why they bring in bands and run trivia games for you. Dancing floors make things even better. That’s just the way bars roll.[/one_half]

[one_half_last padding=”0 0px 0 20px”]Cons

1. Reputation

You are public in a bar. Acting like a deviant with a beer in your hand is a bad look. The forgiveness in people might change, but memories do not. There is no protecting your rep when you over-drink at a bar.

2. Getting in trouble

Howerton summarized it best: no one is immune to being caught. Police have their methods. Drinking and driving is the worst recipe. “Even if you’re not obviously drunk, there is no way to avoid a breathalyzer at a road block. Whether you look drunk or not, they test everyone.” Being your own drunk driver on a bar night risks a lot of disaster happening.

3. Drugs and Other Elements

The coolest person you met that night at the bar might be a heavy coke user. Peer pressure might lead you into copying him one day. Some people don’t know how their night will end while out on the town. Recklessness leads to chaos and if you drink towards it, you are due for some calamity.[/one_half_last]

Stumble after the rumble

Have you ever been stranded at a party with no way to get home? Or maybe gone to the bars and got a little too drunk to drive? If so, there’s hope!

Here at Georgia Southern, there are a multitude of transportation services available for students who need to get home, but can’t find a ride.

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Shuttle Gus

Shuttle Gus, which is run by the Student Government Association, provides free transportation for students on the weekend.

Organizations around campus volunteer to help run the bus, it runs every weekend from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Students who need of a ride from the bars just call in explained Ben Dyer, a graduate assistant for SGA.

Students do not have to be on campus to get picked up.

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Safe Rides Save Lives

Safe Rides Save Lives is a card that lists different transportation services for students around Statesboro.

“It is funded through a grant from the governor’s office of Highway Safety” Brittany Talbott, a graduate assistant for the Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs, said.

“It gives resources for Shuttle Gus, taxis, and Blue Goose, which is also a means of transportation,” Talbott said.

Below is the information on the Safe Rides Saves Lives Cards.

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If you ever get stranded and need a ride home,

simply contact the services listed. It’s definitely

possible to have a great time, while being safe!

Shuttle Gus: 912-478-7433
Eagle Taxi: 912-681-3333
DW Yellow Cab: 912-681-1143
Boro DD: 912-678-2421
Blue Goose: 1-888-858-8859
Flash Jones Taxi: 912-764-3333
Circle Double Taxi: 912-481-6801

The morning after

Have you ever woken up with a pounding headache, dry throat, aching muscles and bloodshot eyes? If so, put some sunglasses on and make yourself a comfy spot next to the toilet because you are probably hungover.

A hangover is a collection of symptoms which usually occur the morning after a few too many drinks and starts to occur when the individual’s blood alcohol drops considerably.

Symptoms of a hangover are typically physical like the ones listed above, but it is also common to experience symptoms such as elevated levels of anxiety for example when you wake up somewhere that is not your bed.

Although hangovers are caused by the consumption of too much alcohol, the severity of the hangover can be increased due to lack of sleep. The less sleep; the worse the hangover.

Also, research has found that darker-colored drinks such as beer and red wine may cause more severe hangover symptoms because they often contain greater amounts of toxic compounds called congeners. (Info from WebMD)

It is difficult to determine how much alcohol is “too much” or enough to cause a hangover because that amount differs depending on the individual. So, know your limits. You don’t want your fun night out to haunt you the next morning.

Other factors that can affect the severity of the hangover is how tired the individual was before the drinking, whether they were already dehydrated before the drinking began, and whether or not they drank plenty of water during the drinking session.

You might be hungover if…