10 Ideas for Staying Social and Sober
Alcohol free fun is possible!
Dry January has really kicked off in the last few years. For some, it’s a way to rest after the festive season, and for others, a method to cut back on alcohol in general. But for many who participate, it comes with a somewhat shocking realization: all their usual social activities involve drinking, if not revolve around it. Whether or not that’s you, take it from your forever-sober friend (that’s me!); there is plenty of fun to be had without alcohol. In this blog, I’m going to share a few of my favorite things that I’ve done with my friends when we didn’t want alcohol involved.
Host a Game Night
A classic - and for good reason! Game nights are a great way to have a casual and fun get-together with your friends without going out or feeling the need for a drink. These should be relatively low-stress and low-prep, since all you and your friends have to do is decide what you’re going to play and where. I also love that game nights (or days) have the opportunity to be recurring since there are tons of games to choose from. These also translate well virtually since tons of online multi-player games are available for groups that don’t live close together.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to branch out to some more obscure or wacky games; they just might be the most fun you’ve had in a while!
Recommendation: My friends and I love Sequence and Wavelength.
2. Take a Group Hike
Getting outside is always a great idea, weather permitting. I know a hike may be the last thing on your mind in this cooler January weather, but if you pick a milder day, the movement will help keep you warm. Being active as a group serves as a great bonding experience, plus this activity is great for conversing and catching up as well since you don’t have to worry about missing parts of a movie or your next turn in the game. Also, hikes don’t have to be super intense! If you ask me, a hike is what you make of it - just get outside and get active.
Tip: Try to pick a trail or path that is accessible to the entire group's stamina/ experience level. A little challenge is good, but you don’t want anyone to feel left out because they need extra breaks or feel like they can’t finish the hike.
Recommendation: Check to see if you have any state or national parks in your areas with hiking trails. It’s always great to support conservation efforts.
3. Do a Book Swap
This one is for book lovers and all those on BookTok. This one can be fun if you and your friends are avid or aspiring readers. A book swap can go a number of ways. You can have everyone bring a copy of their favorite book to trade with someone else. You can all take turns talking about your books and then draw numbers to see what order everyone gets to select books to take home with them. You could also bring the books wrapped or covered so everyone has to pick books at random. Of course, this could always be a lending scenario. Then, when you get back together to return the books (or to swap again!), you can share what you thought of them. It’s kind of like a different take on a book club.
Tip: Try throwing one or two wild cards into the mix by including books that none of you have read but have been meaning to or want to.
Recommendation: The book I’d be most eager to have my friends read is Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski , or for a fiction pick, I’d throw in The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult.
4. Attend a Cooking Class
This one checks a lot of boxes: food, skill-building, and entertainment. What’s not to get excited about? There are plenty of places that offer cooking classes; admittedly, many of them also serve alcohol. If you’re doing a private class, you can let your host know in advance that your group won’t be partaking, or if it is a public class, simply decline the offer or ask if they have a non-alcoholic option. However, if you have a chef-y friend (or plenty of ambition and a YouTube video), you can have them lead a cooking experience for the rest of the group. Overall, cooking together is great fun, plus everyone feels proud to have contributed to making a great meal you all get to share afterward.
Tip: Be conscious of any food allergies that anyone in your friend group may have so everyone can participate safely!
Recommendation: Be brave! Try finding a class that teaches a recipe that is completely new to you. It will make for a great memory every time you have that dish from there on out.
5. Do Something Artsy
Okay, this is vague, but there are so many fun art-related activities you can do together! You can try a fun class like pottery shaping or painting or take the DIY approach and make friendship bracelets or keychains. Last year, for my birthday, all of my friends came together and made ornaments for my Christmas tree, which was a lot of fun. Plus, I get to think of them and the fun we had when I put them up every year. There are also lots of fun challenges revolving around art, like the one where you swap paintings every 30 to 60 minutes. All in all, this gives you a healthy creative outlet and leaves you with a nice memento to keep.
Tip: If you go the DIY route, try to pick something that can feasibly be finished in the evening. It always sucks when everyone doesn’t have a complete product at the end of the night.
Recommendation: I’m personally quite a fan of pottery painting locations! It’s fun because everyone can pick unique pieces, and you don’t have to get a ton of resources. However, someone will have to come back another day to pick up your pieces.
6. Presentation Night
The “It Girl” of pandemic activities is still a very fun option. If you didn’t have a virtual presentation night over Zoom during the lockdown period, I’m happy to explain them to you. Essentially, everyone in your group picks a fun/goofy/silly topic to give a short presentation about. For example, my last topic was “If my life was a TV show, what character/role would each of my friends be?” and a friend of mine ranked the top ten songs from Phineas and Ferb (a fan favorite, I might add). Then, you all get together, virtually or in person, and give your presentations. It’s best if you present very passionately even though the topics are not that serious.
Tip: Try to relatively agree on how long you want presentations to be. It can start to drag if one person takes way longer than everyone else.
Recommendation: Get creative with out-of-the-box topics or be extra creative with your slide design and animations. Do all the things you couldn’t do in school presentations! Canva has tons of free templates that are so cute!
7. Have Themed Recipe Swap
I’ll be honest: I don’t know if this is a thing or just something my friends and I came up with, but we LOVE IT. It started with what we called Soup Day when three of us made our favorite soups and then got together to taste them and share. Some of us made them beforehand, others waited until we were together, and we pitched in to help cook. We liked it so much that we eventually followed it up with a casserole and cobbler day and are working on planning our next (my vote is for pizza!). Regardless of what you choose as your theme, it is a great way to try new foods, and who doesn’t love a tasting flight?
Tip: Take it a step further and have everyone bring Tupperware for leftovers so you have food to enjoy for the following days.
Recommendation: Try categories where you can get both savory and sweet options!
8. Host a Trivia night
Lots of bars or restaurants have trivia nights that can be super fun! If you want to avoid the temptation of being at a bar/ somewhere that serves alcohol, why not just host your own? This also makes the theme, categories, and everything else super customizable. My friends and I still love to pull out a custom game of Kahoot! every now and then, or if you don’t feel confident making your own questions, go for a trivia board game. You can go Family Feud style with buzzers if you want to make it fast-paced and competitive, or go the more traditional route and keep score between teams.
Tip: If you’re forming teams, try not to put all your brainiac know-it-all friends (Hi, it’s me! 🤓) on one team. That way, you don’t have one team that dominates everyone else.
Recommendation: Smart Ass is a very fun trivia game with lots of categories, so everyone should know something.
9. Go to a Dry Bar or Throw a Mocktail Party
If you’ve really got the itch for a fun little drink, try a dry bar or have a mocktail party. Dry bars have started popping up more often, and some restaurants and bars will do dry bars for Dry January. But, as you should know by now, I love an at-home option too. A mocktail party lets you try tons of fun drinks and glasses along with a grazing board of snack pairings of your choice, all while avoiding unnecessary upcharges.
Tip: You can add an extra layer of goodness to this by aiming to have drinks that have health-supporting elements like probiotics or prebiotics, antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins, etc.
Recommendation: Try an alcohol-free spirit for some added complexity in your drink!
10. Visit a Local Attraction
When all else fails, see what’s going on in your area. I think we often forget that museums and art galleries are available to us even if it isn’t for a date or out of town. Even if you’ve been before, these places get temporary exhibits that rotate often. So, there are typically new things to see every few months. There are also temporary events like festivals or pop-up attractions to look out for. Other great options for this category are activities like escape rooms, arcades, or immersive experiences. I am also a big proponent of visiting your local farmer’s market and library events. Lots of times, there is more to offer than just produce and books. They can be a wholesome option for connecting with your friends and community.
Tip: Follow local venues or attractions on social media or subscribe to their newsletters so you’ll know what’s coming up.
Recommendation: If you enjoy exhibits at a specific gallery or museum, consider joining their membership program if they have one. It is a great way to support their cause and get continued access to their events.
Wow, this is getting long, but these really are only a few options of ways to connect with your friends (or new people, tbh) without feeling like you need to rely on alcohol. I’m not saying you can’t have a fun and responsible time with alcohol; I’m just saying if it is something you want to move away from, it can be done without sacrificing your social life too.
One last tip from your forever-sober friend: never be afraid to ask a restaurant or bar if they can make you a mocktail, even if it isn’t on the menu. The worst they can say is no, but the majority of the time, you’ll end up with a fun drink like everyone else!
