Going to the pub with your friends part I

IkPas is all about awareness when it comes to drinking alcohol. The temporary alcohol break that you take is therefore mainly intended to reflect on drinking habits that may have crept into it unconsciously. To find out, you live your normal life during your IkPas period, but then the 0.0 version, so to speak. This means that you can just end up in the pub with your friends. What's that like: going out sober all night? What are the pitfalls and what are the benefits?

Yes, it is allowed and possible again: a night out with friends. During IkPas, that is. That means an entire evening of pub crawling, with nothing more than a glass of soda in your hand. Let's be honest, are you already looking forward to it, or are you afraid of the longest night out ever? It's perfectly normal to look at a night out without drinking alcohol with some mixed feelings. After all, you are about to spend the evening sober in an establishment that mainly facilitates the drinking of alcohol. On the other hand, you are with your friends. So it's going to be a laugh anyway, even if you're the butt for a while. These tips below will help you prepare yourself for a pleasant alcohol-free evening out.

You can do it!

Good preparation is half the job. Without making the subject of 'not drinking' too heavy, it is smart to do some preliminary work mentally before entering the pub. By getting yourself in the right mindset beforehand. List your reasons for not drinking again for yourself. And compliment yourself for successfully participating in IkPas for so many days. You have already proven that you are mentally strong. Rest assured that nothing and no one is keeping you from your mission tonight. With that positive mindset, there is more room to relax and enjoy a night out with your friends. Because besides drinking, there is of course much more to experience!

A good alternative

Do you want to remove any doubt about your drink choice? Make sure you already know what your first non-alcoholic drink will be before you enter the pub. This way you immediately have an answer ready to the question what you want to drink. Then dive into the drinks menu and go crazy on the non-alcoholic part. Maybe you'll discover a new soft drink or that unknown mocktail will turn out to be a all time favorite† Cheers!

Do you want to make it as easy as possible for yourself? Then choose a drink that does not evoke any association with alcohol. An alcohol-free beer still resembles a beer, and can therefore stimulate the craving for alcohol.

Standing your sober man

'Don't be so unsociable', 'I'll give you this beer', or 'Can't you drink one tonight? Will you be healthy again for the rest of the week', these are just a small selection of comments that you can get as a non-drinker. Of course your friends think your intention to not drink alcohol for a period of time is admirable, but if this means that you also fit in during that one night out, the 'cosy trump card' is often used after all. Then you have to stand firm to withstand peer pressure. What helps is thinking in advance what you can say to kindly and skillfully nip this discussion right away. A witty rebuttal, a joke, or whatever works: bring a new topic to the table for discussion. And byrrrrrrrrrr.

More tips next time!