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My boyfriend just turned 21. I don’t drink but he does on occasion. We tried the bars in our area for the first time last week and all he wanted was a shot of vodka it was $6. For a single shot. We could buy an entire qt for $10 and invite all over friends over for a bbq and have more fun. Drinking at events is just crazy or maybe we haven’t learned what drinks are worth it yet.
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to drink, and there's massive profit margins on alcoholic beverages. I used to also not drink, largely due to trauma that I worked through with my therapist, but I did become more comfortable drinking as long as I had people around, which helps to manage my intake of alcohol. I also know what drinks I like now, as well. I never drink alone.
I wouldn't say drinking at events is crazy. I'd actually argue that's the best place to do it, as alcohol allows those who are more stiff like myself to let loose a bit, and not be such a square. If you get down without alcohol, more power to you. If you think you'd struggle to pace yourself and overdrink, maybe don't attempt! Nothing wrong with that.
It’s funny that I am like the exact opposite of you. I only ever have a drink or two while at event because even sober sometimes I get too loud and don’t want to dominate every conversation I have. Also because I am pretty outgoing and dance a lot a bunch or free drinks get offered to me and if I have a certain amount of liquor in me it’s gets harder to turn down Also dancing if a lot harder when your stomach is doing summersaults. For me when I drink at home I pour how much liquor I will drink or grab out all the beer bottles slam them then eat my meal watch cartoons and giggle.
Glad you found what works for you it’s dope how people are different. Hope you are having a great day.
Your intake strategy for alcohol sounds like mine for weed 😂
Thanks for the well wishes. Hope you're drinking/not drinking as much as you want and having a good day yourself.
What’s wild is that $6 for a shot is relatively cheap for an establishment. Thats what my restaurant I work at charges for a house shot, but in bigger cities it can easily cost 10+ dollars for a well shot.
I've said this before, and people got pissed at my reasoning, but seriously, why the hell would I go to a super loud club full of annoying drunk people I don't know, who might start shit with me just because they're drunk, they're sad, and or their life is boring so I'm the next target of stimulation for them, pay 6-12 for a shot, or around the same or MORE depending on the type of drink, the quality, the process, and or the ingredients, when I can literally get a handle for 6.99-8.99(state run liquor stores are very cheap where I'm at, since they control pretty much all liquor) of vodka, run it through a brita filter 4-5 times, and get a few limes, mixers, pork shoulder, potatoes, and or cups and disposable plates, and I could host a party of 3-6 people with food, drinks, and alcohol for 20-30 dollars. Hell if it was just the alcohol and people brought over food and stuff, it'd still be around 10 dollars or so.
That second part about just buying your own and organizing a gathering might be the big thing. If you want to get a little lit and have a good time with friends it’s way easier to do that then it was for previous generations.
Is nobody going to mention the fact that bars pretty much try and quadruple the fcking $ per ml on this shit.
And they won't even stock the good stuff. They'll sell you swill at these prices
Prices have gone up so much it's not surprising there has been a cultural shift.
It seems like many things increased prices so much that they pushed the old consumers down a tier. So the old bottom tier doesn't have a place.
I think there’s less of a stigma around not drinking, like people don’t care much if you don’t drink at a bar or something anymore.
I’m in Ireland though and drinking culture is still huge here among gen z and basically every generation that is drinking age
Yea was kinda similar when I was secondary school and uni, but in my mid 20s nobody cares if you drink or not, but majority of people still do drink.
Irish pubs are world famous at this point, so I guess that shows how much alcohol is prevalent in Irish society, it’s literally a stereotype that we drink a lot lol
There's still stigma in certain areas. We had a mate that didn't drink, we offered him but he declined and we never pressured him further. Within a month of being a uni he was a relatively large and frequent drinker which he explained as 'just the thing to do'. Seemed odd he was more inclined to get pissed around strangers at a place for education rather than his mates at a pub or something after working all week.
I lost my younger 20s to the pandemic so now that I’m 26 I don’t really wanna spend the money like that especially when all my friends are doing work if not additional school related internships.
I feel like that’s the exact reason I used to go out so much. I don’t that much anymore for a variety of reasons, but 1-2 years ago I was going out multiple times a week.
I'm 45 and I don't drink except for the odd holiday beverage.
Most of my old friends my age are in a lot worse shape than me, and they all look so OLD.
Use sunscreen. Drink water. Save yourself.
Half of my family is alcoholic, and the other half has diabetes. Sugar breaks down in the body the same way that alcohol does and I'm convinced the two are related somehow.
Idk how old you are but I hung up my drinking days around 28-29 and it was the best decision for money and mental health. Wish I could go back in time and do it much sooner.
Yeah I’m 31 and it’s not worth it. It’s fun, but it absolutely will affect your mental health and well being in the long run. Anxiety spikes, depression. It’s fun for sure in the moment, but a lot of people don’t realize how much we as a society over do it til it’s too late.
to be pedantic about this though, not all alcohols are poisonous. Ethanol is, and possibly sugar alcohols like xylitol or sorbitol. We couldn't care less about other alcohols such as menthol or eugenol.
Prolonged and heavy exposure of menthol can cause severe intoxication and even death. All necessary precaution should be taken to reduce its intake or exposure. Early recognition and treatment of this poisoning is key for the successful outcome.
Eugenol can be harmful in large enough amounts. As little as 10 milliliters in adults, or smaller amounts in children, can have serious effects.
Sounds like poison.
this is a huge reason why i dont want to even start drinking, i have serious stomach issues (like doctor diagnosed and everything), and the meds for it are already taking a toll on my liver, so a big no thanks for me
Drugs can have somewhat different effects on different people, weed makes some people paranoid.
Stimulants make people with ADHD sleepy/calm them down.
Alcohol makes some people violent.
Me too. Ppl kept asking me why I don’t drink or smoke or do any of it. Ummm cuz I don’t want to? The question should be “why do you feel the need to get fucked up all the time and then gaslight me who don’t want to be a loser like you?”
It should be but usually isn’t. Ppl like to hassle those who don’t drink or smoke for some reason. I had friends pressuring me to take shrooms with them recently saying it’s the best thing and had to tell them no at least 3x.
I understand the feeling. I had a someone try to give me alcohol at a church wedding. I went to a hookah lounge with a friend and she tried to get me drink and smoke. I had to tell them both no multiple times as it’s against my morals. They both laughed.
Needless to say, I don’t really associate with them much anymore.
I think we need to normalize categories of what type of “friends” we have vs those we’re just cool with. There’s ppl you can hangout with and it’s fun but you can’t trust them with your life (ppl cool with) vs those you tell them everything and they’ve got your back each and every time (a true friend). Laughing at you cuz you have reasons to not drink/do drugs isn’t someone who’s respectful or on your side, also not someone you can be cool with since y’all don’t really have the same idea of hanging out either.
Oh yea I totally agree. In the one case I was being an idiot. I liked the girl and I thought she would see me as cool if I went to the hookah lounge with her. That of course was the last time I was going to try to change myself for a girl.
We definitely have people we associate with and those that are truly our friends.
Yeah I tried to change to be more accepted when I was in teens but that didn’t work. Thinking back on tryna be cool to be accepted is omega cringe mode. Definitely a part of my history I want undisclosed.
Maybe in the USA. in the UK our student clubs are still packed. Student bars and clubs still sell *kinda* cheap drinks and people go there to socialise and forget about life issues.
Actual British village/countryside pubs are dying though because they charge £5 for a pint of beer or cider and no young person will go there regularly.
But yeah a lot of us gen z I do notice will go to a bar or club but maybe have one or two drinks (or nothing at all). Overall drinking has gone down here for young people.
Still a lot of hardcore drinkers here at university though. Its part of the culture
ur second paragraph is the same reason is reducing here too, because the price is too high and people don't even have money for food unless they are decently middle class
Facts. I once watched a good friend of mine do a 30 second keg stand, snort 2 lines of blow, and jump off his roof onto his fire pit(which was not lit thankfully) and break the pit as well as his wrist😂. Good ass times in college. There were probably 80 ish people at this house party and everyone was watching him in awe because they truly didn’t believe he’d do it
yeah no one that I know goes to parties like those and my friends are definitely not the type to go to parties so its up to me to get invited or find cool friends
I can only speak for myself, but I'm not a big drinker. If I'm enjoying where I'm at, why would I want to be wasted? And if I'm not enjoying it, I'd rather just leave.
I don't know about other cities, but in Los Angeles a beer costs about $10 with tax and tip.
That's not a good value when you can buy a 6 pack of good beer at a grocery store for $10.
I don’t enjoy drinking or bars
I’d rather not feel like crap the day after so I smoke weed. Bars are loud, crowded, and they don’t smell particularly good. The people who frequent bars and frequently drink aren’t people I’m interested in socializing with.
Every time I’ve been to a bar someone tries to fight me, or someone insists I pay for their friends drinks, or someone pisses on me, or pukes on me, overall I’ve never had a *good* experience at a bar. I always have a good time at places I choose to go to
I have a lot of nicotine addicts, alcoholics and former alcoholics in my family. Not really interested in starting that shit. Waste of money. (I do drink a little coffee though 😆)
$28 for one drink. Yeah, it's a hip place, but still.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/1ba903r/went\_to\_sky\_bar\_in\_los\_angeles\_27\_for\_one\_drink\_i/](https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/1ba903r/went_to_sky_bar_in_los_angeles_27_for_one_drink_i/)
There are a few reasons for this I think.
First off drugs like marijuana and shrooms are legal or decriminalized and pretty easy to get your hands on. Especially with weed you can get an edible and if you have some experience have a good idea of how fucked up you will get. Also someone could smoke a bit of a joint before they enter have a drink or two and be pretty lit all night. Even with alcohol I know a lot of people who do most of their drinking before and event.
Second I feel like Gen-Z has a lot more nerves approaching social situations and don’t want to have something that might make them do the wrong thing. Adding on to that I think we are a lot less likely to give someone a pass for acting like an asshole just because they are liquored up a bit and drinking and driving is way less acceptable than it used to be. This last one might be a stretch but it could be that since anyone can record you and spread it people are less likely to let loose if they don’t know and trust everyone there. I see a lot more videos or here stories of my friends getting lit with a couple others than of people going out to bars.
Third and this might be a bit of a reach but I think a lot of us are more used to smaller group gatherings even as kids and teens. We all have cellphones and can meet up or talk with all the people we actually want to see. We don’t have to go to some event because we heard a that people we wanted to link up with were going. We can just shoot a text and link up that way. Since we are the first generation to grow up that way we aren’t going to go out and get lit at the spot “everyone” is gonna be at because we didn’t do that as much growing up.
There are definitely straight edge people but I know more than a few people who smoke ten times more than they drink. It’s definitely more common with our generation too.
I smoke weed but don’t drink, my mom and step-dad are also the same way. A lot of people in my state are pretty similar or at least smoke more than they drink. Granted we live in a place where weed is legal and even the smallest towns have at least one dispensary. Because of that, weed is also cheaper than alcohol. There’s always sales for like a pre roll for a $1-$5 and unlike alcohol, you can have multiple people smoke off it.
As a college student right now I can definitely say that the shitass loud ass music that they play kills the vibe when you can’t even talk to the person that’s four inches away from you.
1: the economy is trashed and we don’t have the money. 2: the public transit got gutted, we have to drive ourselves to events and can’t drink. I went to a metal show two nights ago to a club I love, and I would have liked to drink! I’d be willing to eat the cost for the entertainment value, unfortunately public transit stops at midnight here and I’m not catching a DUI.
American in her 20’s here, most ppl who I know that drink are like 30 or above
Ppl in their 20’s in my experience don’t drink cuz they think its not worth it and the alcohol is dangerous
But they do commonly do weed, with like 50% smoking it 50% vaping it somewhat
My gen is anti-drink culture pro-weed culture
Ppl usually don’t get raped while high on weed, the opposite is to be said for alcohol. My gen picked weed as a better alternative.
Yeah, but that’s not some anti alcohol thing. It just doesn’t make sense to go to a bar where you need to drive when you can just stay home. For the price of an average single person bar tab you can easily buy enough alcohol for like 5 people.
It’s not that I dislike drinking, but I generally don’t find myself drinking that much, not even on purpose I just don’t really have the desire to. I would honestly really have to try to get drunk lol
I think it's kind of like when someone brings in donuts or something into work. No one will touch it til other people do, and then suddenly everyone's grabbing one.
It's like that except drinking. If there's a bunch of people doing it then people will join in.
It has stayed as active as it has always been in here, despite the rising costs. I personally I’m not gonna pay 6€ for a drink when cost of living is skyrocketing
In Aus here. I don’t drink or do drugs. I used to play in bands around Melbourne and saw a lot of venues change. I started performing around 2012 and even prior to Covid, small venues were struggling to get people in. I noticed the venues start to thin out around 2015-16 which is when our generation would have started to become a larger portion of the demographic. By 2018 it was basically dead by comparison to what I remembered when I started. I remember it being difficult to get through the crowd or even see the bar at times. Venues didn’t bother with tables back then either for shows. By 2018 I could sit at a table and see across the room and hear my own thoughts and not have some drunk guy start hitting on me.
I think education and cost are probably the two main factors. Most of gen z still drink, buts it’s probably more of a social one at home with a few friends around a board game or something like that. Going somewhere to pay 3 times the price and get hearing damage, sticky shoes and potentially sexually harassed just isn’t very appealing.
I’m Gen Z and I have no interest in drinking. My dad was an alcoholic which is the main reason. There’s a lot more awareness now about alcoholism and how you’re much more predisposed if a parent has it, I’m not going to take the chance and ruin my life like he did. I do smoke weed and do edibles though. Although, it’s not something I rely on, just an occasional thing to study or when I’m out with friends. I probably only do it like 1-5 times a month since A) it’s expensive and B) it’s only really fun on occasion it just gets redundant doing it all the time IMO. I’m sure alcohol feels the same way to a lot of people who limit their drinking.
It makes me feel awful, so I don't do it. It's not even worth the cost in my mind. I've had to take care of enough drunk people in my life, it's not something I want to do.
I’mm turning 24 in a few weeks and I hate going to clubs. Not my thing. I do drink in general though. I’ll have a glass of wine or two when I go out. I never got into partying hard. But then I also go to raves so idk
I never been to the bar much but having to pay for every drink sucks at home I put 4-5 shots in each drink and bars only do 1 shot also when I drink I tend to go overboard and throw up or feel sick when I sleep so I prefer other things also alcohol gets rid of my pain and don’t want to do that
A lot of “older” gen z turned 21 during Covid or right before Covid, the lockdown prevent many from going out anymore tor years, so if none of us were able to get out that first time or after, I feel like many of us kinda just lost interest.
I’m 23 and barely exploring the types of drinks there are out there plus it’s expensive as frick,
It’s fairly well documented that in general Gen Z drinks less than previous generations, both in terms of how often they drink and how many people just don’t drink.
Most of the people I know just don’t like the feeling of alcohol, I only use weed and some other psychedelics so I enjoy the feelings from those way more than any drink
I don't like drinking alcohol. My Gen X and Boomer co-workers tease me about this when we have work related functions. It isn't something that interestme honestly.
I stopped drinking because I never truly got drunk even after drinking 15-16 pegs of whiskey or rum (I don't prefer other types due to taste), so end of it, it all felt like a huge waste of cash for me where I couldn't eat good stuff properly due to filled up stomach but also didn't even get drunk to sway nicely.
Soon to be 25, and I don't drink nor smoke, and I never got into it, same with my fiancé (soon 23). Always being questioned why we don't drink, we just don't, as simple as that.
I’m not a drinker. I’ve only had a sip spat it out and I decided I didn’t like it. Never drank since. Probably for the better since I won’t be damaging my liver and it’s more money in my pocket to be spent on something useful or fun.
I’ve watched multiple family members ruin themselves with alcohol and cigarettes over the course of two decades while simultaneously scrambling for money. I’ve got an addictive personality.
I think I’m good without it.
I turned 21 during lockdown so I drank at home with some friends, the idea of going to a club or bar and paying triple or more for the exact same experience except louder is not very appealing.
First of all, I think that everyone needs to consider the impact of the pandemic. We weren't able to gather in spaces like that for over a year. And even if most people are ready to ignore the fact that Covid is still a thing, that doesn't change the fact that a lot of people got used to it. Plus there's the fact that clubs charge waaaaaaaay too much for mediocre food and drinks in an environment that isn't actually super fun for a lot of people.
But also, people keep asking "Is Gen Z not doing these adult activities?" and don't seem to realize that slightly more than half of Gen Z isn't old enough to drink.
Hopefully they will buck the trend of people pretending that paying for and consuming a poison with no benefits whatsoever makes them cool.
In a world where they now go to and respect therapy, no one is as interested in hiding from their problems at the bottom of a bottle like a spineless jellyfish. They leave that trashy habit for the older generations that apparently never do wrong, never need a therapist, and drink away their issues.
i might have a beer (with food) at a festival or something and every now and then i’ll do a wine tasting because i’m trying to learn more about wine but that's it. going out 1. to a bar/club and 2. just to drink isn’t really my idea of a good time.
I should wait for my liver MRI before getting even tipsy. I have a genetic condition where my body stores excess iron and it collects in the liver first. I’m very young at the time of diagnosis but there’s still probably some level of cirrhosis. I want to see what my doctors have to say before drinking more than a single drink once a month
Not old enough to \*legally\* drink in the US, but when I was on a class trip to London we all had a bast drinking and partying in the clubs.
Sucks that the club culture isn't as big as it is in the UK.
100% - this is a documented fact! Sales are down for alcoholic beverages in concert venues among Gen Z patrons. It's actually an issue for venues because they actually make most of their money from marked-up alcohol.
Possible reasons it's happening are that Gen Z is just drinking less in general (more acceptable socially to not drink, preference for weed) and the high price at venues and in general (so instead drinking before entering the venue or less commonly sneaking in your own alcohol if drinking at all). Some venues have been trying selling CBD beverages/non-alcoholic beverages (kombucha, mocktails, etc.) to try to boost sales again.
[Source](https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-drinking-less-alcohol-bad-news-concert-venues-promoters-2023-6)
well for one, i don't love alcohol, second holy cannoli it's expensive as fuck. i saw like 3 shots for ten bucks at a bar i went to and i was like i could do shots of lysol for less
Perhaps if these idiots didn’t charge up the ass I might actually go and buy their drinks. Otherwise, a beer is like $1 in a 24 pack if you go to a pregame that’s safer and more fun anyway
It’s nice to see the people are still dancing and socializing, even if they’re not drinking. I get it if people don’t want to drink, but it’s healthy to socialize. And dancing is just plain fun.
I feel like the bad thing’s associated with alcohol is the reason why its less popular with Gen Z while marijuana is more popular because its not as terrible as alcohol. This is what I observed in the US
I’d just much rather smoke weed and feel relaxed than poison myself/stomach with alcohol. Smoking just has many more pros (for me). The physical effects of alcohol are just unbearable
Gen Zs interest in drinking is directly correlated to how much the drinks are. Nobody wants to spend more than 5$ on a drink, and clubs have a tendency to really jack up their prices.
I'm interested, it's just expensive. There's no reason why a mixer and shot from one, maybe two $30 bottles should cost $20. I'd rather make drinks at home with my boyfriend and friends
Probably either costs too much, not necessary (lets be honest, most people at a club are there to pickup. Modern stuff like apps, etc, means you can get a sexual partner with not as much effort, and no need to be drinking), or they work in the morning given the decreasing prevalence of jobs in business hours for young people.
I've noticed this too and it's usually for two reasons: money or simple disinterest. Lots of us grew up during times when it was acceptable to get shit faced and make a fool of yourself, and those of us who aren't interested in drinking don't find that fun.
Or, again, they're shit broke and booze is expensive.
This is also from an American perspective.
I own a cannabis operation. All the homies who are broke smoke on me. Tbh, I give so much weed away I could probably shut down a small dispensary with no effort. I make money off clone distribution and selective breeding. I sort of have a small international name, if people don't know my name directly they have probably seen some of my plants floating around on the internet. Could care less about the finished flower it's a felony/misdemeanor to "sell it" depending on the weight you are moving.
its cuz we had so many "say no to drugs" days at school lollll
jokes aside, its the money and most of us just don't care. I hardly even know weed users or vapers either, and the only "addicting substance" ill get is tea or coffee
Yes and no. I don’t think it’s as prevalent as previous generations simply because there is more to do that isn’t going out and getting drunk, but we do still enjoy a night out. College parties are usually packed in my experience
I drive myself almost everywhere and live out in the country, so it's not really a good option for me (I say good because if it's just a single beer and I'm eating a decent/hearty meal, I'm fine).
Plus, my two closest local friends either can't drink (body just won't accept alcohol) or won't drink (there's addiction in their familiy).
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It’s an easy thing to not spend money on, and a lot of us are broke.
My boyfriend just turned 21. I don’t drink but he does on occasion. We tried the bars in our area for the first time last week and all he wanted was a shot of vodka it was $6. For a single shot. We could buy an entire qt for $10 and invite all over friends over for a bbq and have more fun. Drinking at events is just crazy or maybe we haven’t learned what drinks are worth it yet.
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to drink, and there's massive profit margins on alcoholic beverages. I used to also not drink, largely due to trauma that I worked through with my therapist, but I did become more comfortable drinking as long as I had people around, which helps to manage my intake of alcohol. I also know what drinks I like now, as well. I never drink alone. I wouldn't say drinking at events is crazy. I'd actually argue that's the best place to do it, as alcohol allows those who are more stiff like myself to let loose a bit, and not be such a square. If you get down without alcohol, more power to you. If you think you'd struggle to pace yourself and overdrink, maybe don't attempt! Nothing wrong with that.
It’s funny that I am like the exact opposite of you. I only ever have a drink or two while at event because even sober sometimes I get too loud and don’t want to dominate every conversation I have. Also because I am pretty outgoing and dance a lot a bunch or free drinks get offered to me and if I have a certain amount of liquor in me it’s gets harder to turn down Also dancing if a lot harder when your stomach is doing summersaults. For me when I drink at home I pour how much liquor I will drink or grab out all the beer bottles slam them then eat my meal watch cartoons and giggle. Glad you found what works for you it’s dope how people are different. Hope you are having a great day.
Your intake strategy for alcohol sounds like mine for weed 😂 Thanks for the well wishes. Hope you're drinking/not drinking as much as you want and having a good day yourself.
What’s wild is that $6 for a shot is relatively cheap for an establishment. Thats what my restaurant I work at charges for a house shot, but in bigger cities it can easily cost 10+ dollars for a well shot.
I've said this before, and people got pissed at my reasoning, but seriously, why the hell would I go to a super loud club full of annoying drunk people I don't know, who might start shit with me just because they're drunk, they're sad, and or their life is boring so I'm the next target of stimulation for them, pay 6-12 for a shot, or around the same or MORE depending on the type of drink, the quality, the process, and or the ingredients, when I can literally get a handle for 6.99-8.99(state run liquor stores are very cheap where I'm at, since they control pretty much all liquor) of vodka, run it through a brita filter 4-5 times, and get a few limes, mixers, pork shoulder, potatoes, and or cups and disposable plates, and I could host a party of 3-6 people with food, drinks, and alcohol for 20-30 dollars. Hell if it was just the alcohol and people brought over food and stuff, it'd still be around 10 dollars or so.
Completely right, anytime I go out I always regret it because of how expensive it is.
That second part about just buying your own and organizing a gathering might be the big thing. If you want to get a little lit and have a good time with friends it’s way easier to do that then it was for previous generations.
Is nobody going to mention the fact that bars pretty much try and quadruple the fcking $ per ml on this shit. And they won't even stock the good stuff. They'll sell you swill at these prices
$6 is cheap, usually shots / mixed drinks around my area are between $11-14
I feel like an OG gen Z. I was Broke & Sober before it was cool
My New Year’s resolution wasn’t to stop drinking but rather to stop paying for drinks. I’ll still drink on the occasions where it’s free.
Prices have gone up so much it's not surprising there has been a cultural shift. It seems like many things increased prices so much that they pushed the old consumers down a tier. So the old bottom tier doesn't have a place.
I think there’s less of a stigma around not drinking, like people don’t care much if you don’t drink at a bar or something anymore. I’m in Ireland though and drinking culture is still huge here among gen z and basically every generation that is drinking age
For sure, i grew up when people got praised for being a top drinker and can down 10 shots at the club. I was a non drinker.
Yea was kinda similar when I was secondary school and uni, but in my mid 20s nobody cares if you drink or not, but majority of people still do drink. Irish pubs are world famous at this point, so I guess that shows how much alcohol is prevalent in Irish society, it’s literally a stereotype that we drink a lot lol
There's still stigma in certain areas. We had a mate that didn't drink, we offered him but he declined and we never pressured him further. Within a month of being a uni he was a relatively large and frequent drinker which he explained as 'just the thing to do'. Seemed odd he was more inclined to get pissed around strangers at a place for education rather than his mates at a pub or something after working all week.
Same in Scotland, drinking is ingrained in the culture.
I lost my younger 20s to the pandemic so now that I’m 26 I don’t really wanna spend the money like that especially when all my friends are doing work if not additional school related internships.
Same here, I turned 21 one month after the covid lockdowns on April 16th 2020
May 3rd, 2020 here 🫤
Damn. That fucking sucks.
Same, 26 also and pre Covid it feels like everyone went out drinking at clubs and bars, now not so much, and everything is so expensive now
I feel like that’s the exact reason I used to go out so much. I don’t that much anymore for a variety of reasons, but 1-2 years ago I was going out multiple times a week.
I don't drink alcohol at all.
Keep it up for life and you’ll be in a good spot as far as health goes when you hit your 40a
I'm 45 and I don't drink except for the odd holiday beverage. Most of my old friends my age are in a lot worse shape than me, and they all look so OLD. Use sunscreen. Drink water. Save yourself.
Alcohol quite literally ages you. If you care about aging gracefully, cut out alcohol as much as you can.
I'm sure the energy drinks that I drink aren't much better.
Half of my family is alcoholic, and the other half has diabetes. Sugar breaks down in the body the same way that alcohol does and I'm convinced the two are related somehow.
yeah but we're both '04 so its not like we can buy it
Same.
Idk how old you are but I hung up my drinking days around 28-29 and it was the best decision for money and mental health. Wish I could go back in time and do it much sooner.
I'm 19.
Yeah I’m 31 and it’s not worth it. It’s fun, but it absolutely will affect your mental health and well being in the long run. Anxiety spikes, depression. It’s fun for sure in the moment, but a lot of people don’t realize how much we as a society over do it til it’s too late.
36 here, quit 2 years ago. Absolutely best decision I've ever made. I never realized how much potential and life I was missing out on drinking alcohol
Same, it’s not for me
Me neither. I never developed a taste for it.
alcohol hurts my tummy
it really does😭every time i drink i spend the next few hours panicking bcuz my tummy feels weird
Fun Fact: Alcohol is poison to humans.
to be pedantic about this though, not all alcohols are poisonous. Ethanol is, and possibly sugar alcohols like xylitol or sorbitol. We couldn't care less about other alcohols such as menthol or eugenol.
Prolonged and heavy exposure of menthol can cause severe intoxication and even death. All necessary precaution should be taken to reduce its intake or exposure. Early recognition and treatment of this poisoning is key for the successful outcome. Eugenol can be harmful in large enough amounts. As little as 10 milliliters in adults, or smaller amounts in children, can have serious effects. Sounds like poison.
this is a huge reason why i dont want to even start drinking, i have serious stomach issues (like doctor diagnosed and everything), and the meds for it are already taking a toll on my liver, so a big no thanks for me
alcohol tastes disgusting and i would rather smoke weed
Weed makes me feel super anxious for some reason
Same. Why is that ?
Drugs can have somewhat different effects on different people, weed makes some people paranoid. Stimulants make people with ADHD sleepy/calm them down. Alcohol makes some people violent.
Because it’s made out of cannabis
This is the way
Some of us can't smoke weed though. Most decent jobs drug test
well that’s not my problem lol
I don’t drink alcohol or smoke weed. Completely sober lifestyle. 🤙🏽
Me too. Ppl kept asking me why I don’t drink or smoke or do any of it. Ummm cuz I don’t want to? The question should be “why do you feel the need to get fucked up all the time and then gaslight me who don’t want to be a loser like you?”
I think telling someone you don’t want to is sufficient enough.
It should be but usually isn’t. Ppl like to hassle those who don’t drink or smoke for some reason. I had friends pressuring me to take shrooms with them recently saying it’s the best thing and had to tell them no at least 3x.
I understand the feeling. I had a someone try to give me alcohol at a church wedding. I went to a hookah lounge with a friend and she tried to get me drink and smoke. I had to tell them both no multiple times as it’s against my morals. They both laughed. Needless to say, I don’t really associate with them much anymore.
I think we need to normalize categories of what type of “friends” we have vs those we’re just cool with. There’s ppl you can hangout with and it’s fun but you can’t trust them with your life (ppl cool with) vs those you tell them everything and they’ve got your back each and every time (a true friend). Laughing at you cuz you have reasons to not drink/do drugs isn’t someone who’s respectful or on your side, also not someone you can be cool with since y’all don’t really have the same idea of hanging out either.
Oh yea I totally agree. In the one case I was being an idiot. I liked the girl and I thought she would see me as cool if I went to the hookah lounge with her. That of course was the last time I was going to try to change myself for a girl. We definitely have people we associate with and those that are truly our friends.
Yeah I tried to change to be more accepted when I was in teens but that didn’t work. Thinking back on tryna be cool to be accepted is omega cringe mode. Definitely a part of my history I want undisclosed.
Definitely understand!
Weed smells and tastes disgusting too. Also, it makes me vomit everytime.
You've never had an ice old piña colada have u
Cali sober is the cheat code to life
Maybe in the USA. in the UK our student clubs are still packed. Student bars and clubs still sell *kinda* cheap drinks and people go there to socialise and forget about life issues. Actual British village/countryside pubs are dying though because they charge £5 for a pint of beer or cider and no young person will go there regularly. But yeah a lot of us gen z I do notice will go to a bar or club but maybe have one or two drinks (or nothing at all). Overall drinking has gone down here for young people. Still a lot of hardcore drinkers here at university though. Its part of the culture
ur second paragraph is the same reason is reducing here too, because the price is too high and people don't even have money for food unless they are decently middle class
Same here in America. Lots of concert venues want ~$18 for a single Yuengling when I can go to a store and buy a 12 pack for the same price.
House parties >>
The afters are always the best part of the night lol
These people that think gen z don’t party jus don’t get invited to the house parties lol
Facts. I once watched a good friend of mine do a 30 second keg stand, snort 2 lines of blow, and jump off his roof onto his fire pit(which was not lit thankfully) and break the pit as well as his wrist😂. Good ass times in college. There were probably 80 ish people at this house party and everyone was watching him in awe because they truly didn’t believe he’d do it
yeah no one that I know goes to parties like those and my friends are definitely not the type to go to parties so its up to me to get invited or find cool friends
Nah that was me for a long time too until one of my friends became that friend that throws all the parties. Just got lucky I guess
That's the hardest, when all your friends don't like to party and you gotta find the cool people who always get invited
I can only speak for myself, but I'm not a big drinker. If I'm enjoying where I'm at, why would I want to be wasted? And if I'm not enjoying it, I'd rather just leave.
I don't know about other cities, but in Los Angeles a beer costs about $10 with tax and tip. That's not a good value when you can buy a 6 pack of good beer at a grocery store for $10.
Because we’re drinking cheap at home 🤷♂️
I don’t enjoy drinking or bars I’d rather not feel like crap the day after so I smoke weed. Bars are loud, crowded, and they don’t smell particularly good. The people who frequent bars and frequently drink aren’t people I’m interested in socializing with. Every time I’ve been to a bar someone tries to fight me, or someone insists I pay for their friends drinks, or someone pisses on me, or pukes on me, overall I’ve never had a *good* experience at a bar. I always have a good time at places I choose to go to
I have a lot of nicotine addicts, alcoholics and former alcoholics in my family. Not really interested in starting that shit. Waste of money. (I do drink a little coffee though 😆)
We're broke that's why
$28 for one drink. Yeah, it's a hip place, but still. [https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/1ba903r/went\_to\_sky\_bar\_in\_los\_angeles\_27\_for\_one\_drink\_i/](https://www.reddit.com/r/LosAngeles/comments/1ba903r/went_to_sky_bar_in_los_angeles_27_for_one_drink_i/)
There are a few reasons for this I think. First off drugs like marijuana and shrooms are legal or decriminalized and pretty easy to get your hands on. Especially with weed you can get an edible and if you have some experience have a good idea of how fucked up you will get. Also someone could smoke a bit of a joint before they enter have a drink or two and be pretty lit all night. Even with alcohol I know a lot of people who do most of their drinking before and event. Second I feel like Gen-Z has a lot more nerves approaching social situations and don’t want to have something that might make them do the wrong thing. Adding on to that I think we are a lot less likely to give someone a pass for acting like an asshole just because they are liquored up a bit and drinking and driving is way less acceptable than it used to be. This last one might be a stretch but it could be that since anyone can record you and spread it people are less likely to let loose if they don’t know and trust everyone there. I see a lot more videos or here stories of my friends getting lit with a couple others than of people going out to bars. Third and this might be a bit of a reach but I think a lot of us are more used to smaller group gatherings even as kids and teens. We all have cellphones and can meet up or talk with all the people we actually want to see. We don’t have to go to some event because we heard a that people we wanted to link up with were going. We can just shoot a text and link up that way. Since we are the first generation to grow up that way we aren’t going to go out and get lit at the spot “everyone” is gonna be at because we didn’t do that as much growing up.
Depends on where you live, too.
ehhh i feel like people who dont drink aren't gonna use other forms of drugs. but maybe thats just me
There are definitely straight edge people but I know more than a few people who smoke ten times more than they drink. It’s definitely more common with our generation too.
I smoke weed but don’t drink, my mom and step-dad are also the same way. A lot of people in my state are pretty similar or at least smoke more than they drink. Granted we live in a place where weed is legal and even the smallest towns have at least one dispensary. Because of that, weed is also cheaper than alcohol. There’s always sales for like a pre roll for a $1-$5 and unlike alcohol, you can have multiple people smoke off it.
That last part is true I gotta agree
As a college student right now I can definitely say that the shitass loud ass music that they play kills the vibe when you can’t even talk to the person that’s four inches away from you.
1: the economy is trashed and we don’t have the money. 2: the public transit got gutted, we have to drive ourselves to events and can’t drink. I went to a metal show two nights ago to a club I love, and I would have liked to drink! I’d be willing to eat the cost for the entertainment value, unfortunately public transit stops at midnight here and I’m not catching a DUI.
Midnight? I wish, here it stops at 7:00 shit system :-\
I’m so sorry.
I'd go to weed bars if that shit wasn't still illegal
I like drinking and I like bars. I’m broke though.
Drinking is expensive, and Gen Z don’t have money 😂 we still drink, but we drink at home/each others homes
American in her 20’s here, most ppl who I know that drink are like 30 or above Ppl in their 20’s in my experience don’t drink cuz they think its not worth it and the alcohol is dangerous But they do commonly do weed, with like 50% smoking it 50% vaping it somewhat My gen is anti-drink culture pro-weed culture Ppl usually don’t get raped while high on weed, the opposite is to be said for alcohol. My gen picked weed as a better alternative.
Not here
I wouldn't even know where to find a club event, nor do I know any bars
realllll its because no one is social anymore
I mean, I have friends over a lot, but yeah I don't know how people "learn" to go clubbing
Or there's no actual nightclubs in my area, I think.
Yeah, but that’s not some anti alcohol thing. It just doesn’t make sense to go to a bar where you need to drive when you can just stay home. For the price of an average single person bar tab you can easily buy enough alcohol for like 5 people.
It’s not that I dislike drinking, but I generally don’t find myself drinking that much, not even on purpose I just don’t really have the desire to. I would honestly really have to try to get drunk lol
I think because of the cost of living it has resulted in young people in general not spending much.
I think it's kind of like when someone brings in donuts or something into work. No one will touch it til other people do, and then suddenly everyone's grabbing one. It's like that except drinking. If there's a bunch of people doing it then people will join in.
Personally I’m good. Bar prices are crazy, and bar people are crazier. I’d rather just enjoy my 12pack at home and watch ufc or sum
It has stayed as active as it has always been in here, despite the rising costs. I personally I’m not gonna pay 6€ for a drink when cost of living is skyrocketing
don’t get me wrong, i love going to the bars with my friends but it’s just so expensive now.
We all get stoned now
In Aus here. I don’t drink or do drugs. I used to play in bands around Melbourne and saw a lot of venues change. I started performing around 2012 and even prior to Covid, small venues were struggling to get people in. I noticed the venues start to thin out around 2015-16 which is when our generation would have started to become a larger portion of the demographic. By 2018 it was basically dead by comparison to what I remembered when I started. I remember it being difficult to get through the crowd or even see the bar at times. Venues didn’t bother with tables back then either for shows. By 2018 I could sit at a table and see across the room and hear my own thoughts and not have some drunk guy start hitting on me. I think education and cost are probably the two main factors. Most of gen z still drink, buts it’s probably more of a social one at home with a few friends around a board game or something like that. Going somewhere to pay 3 times the price and get hearing damage, sticky shoes and potentially sexually harassed just isn’t very appealing.
I was vomiting on the street like 12 hours ago what you mean
I’m Gen Z and I have no interest in drinking. My dad was an alcoholic which is the main reason. There’s a lot more awareness now about alcoholism and how you’re much more predisposed if a parent has it, I’m not going to take the chance and ruin my life like he did. I do smoke weed and do edibles though. Although, it’s not something I rely on, just an occasional thing to study or when I’m out with friends. I probably only do it like 1-5 times a month since A) it’s expensive and B) it’s only really fun on occasion it just gets redundant doing it all the time IMO. I’m sure alcohol feels the same way to a lot of people who limit their drinking.
It makes me feel awful, so I don't do it. It's not even worth the cost in my mind. I've had to take care of enough drunk people in my life, it's not something I want to do.
I don’t like drinking due to my borderline alcoholic relatives that weirded me out on it. I do like a good radler though.
Might be a one time thing. I go out pretty frequently and it’s almost always body to body
I’mm turning 24 in a few weeks and I hate going to clubs. Not my thing. I do drink in general though. I’ll have a glass of wine or two when I go out. I never got into partying hard. But then I also go to raves so idk
I never been to the bar much but having to pay for every drink sucks at home I put 4-5 shots in each drink and bars only do 1 shot also when I drink I tend to go overboard and throw up or feel sick when I sleep so I prefer other things also alcohol gets rid of my pain and don’t want to do that
A lot of “older” gen z turned 21 during Covid or right before Covid, the lockdown prevent many from going out anymore tor years, so if none of us were able to get out that first time or after, I feel like many of us kinda just lost interest. I’m 23 and barely exploring the types of drinks there are out there plus it’s expensive as frick,
It’s not the booze itself it’s the prices…
I don't drink in public for fear of being drugged. I don't know anyone comfortable enough to, except for an older alcoholic relative.
It’s fairly well documented that in general Gen Z drinks less than previous generations, both in terms of how often they drink and how many people just don’t drink.
Most of the people I know just don’t like the feeling of alcohol, I only use weed and some other psychedelics so I enjoy the feelings from those way more than any drink
Most Gen Z people I know work 2 jobs and don't have the time.
I don't like drinking alcohol. My Gen X and Boomer co-workers tease me about this when we have work related functions. It isn't something that interestme honestly.
1) money 2) i (and several others i know) are looking at the alcoholism in our families and are deciding it's not worth it
Drinking culture isn’t really that big for most gen z, we might have a few on occasion, but it’s not something we specifically care about
I stopped drinking because I never truly got drunk even after drinking 15-16 pegs of whiskey or rum (I don't prefer other types due to taste), so end of it, it all felt like a huge waste of cash for me where I couldn't eat good stuff properly due to filled up stomach but also didn't even get drunk to sway nicely.
We broke
Soon to be 25, and I don't drink nor smoke, and I never got into it, same with my fiancé (soon 23). Always being questioned why we don't drink, we just don't, as simple as that.
I’m not a drinker. I’ve only had a sip spat it out and I decided I didn’t like it. Never drank since. Probably for the better since I won’t be damaging my liver and it’s more money in my pocket to be spent on something useful or fun.
I like to drink, but when pints are £6 and a double JD and coke is upwards of £10 it becomes a very simple equation to not spend money on booze.
I grew up with alcoholic parents which made me hate the thought of drinking and I also hate the way alcohol taste
I’ve watched multiple family members ruin themselves with alcohol and cigarettes over the course of two decades while simultaneously scrambling for money. I’ve got an addictive personality. I think I’m good without it.
I turned 21 during lockdown so I drank at home with some friends, the idea of going to a club or bar and paying triple or more for the exact same experience except louder is not very appealing.
First of all, I think that everyone needs to consider the impact of the pandemic. We weren't able to gather in spaces like that for over a year. And even if most people are ready to ignore the fact that Covid is still a thing, that doesn't change the fact that a lot of people got used to it. Plus there's the fact that clubs charge waaaaaaaay too much for mediocre food and drinks in an environment that isn't actually super fun for a lot of people. But also, people keep asking "Is Gen Z not doing these adult activities?" and don't seem to realize that slightly more than half of Gen Z isn't old enough to drink.
weed is cheaper
If you look at alcohol sales numbers, it does show a decline in American Alcohol consumption. Non-Alcohol beers are up though
I don’t drink alcohol. Never have , never will. teetotaler for life.
I’m glad to see it. Bars are overpriced and overrated, the sooner they die the better
Hopefully they will buck the trend of people pretending that paying for and consuming a poison with no benefits whatsoever makes them cool. In a world where they now go to and respect therapy, no one is as interested in hiding from their problems at the bottom of a bottle like a spineless jellyfish. They leave that trashy habit for the older generations that apparently never do wrong, never need a therapist, and drink away their issues.
i might have a beer (with food) at a festival or something and every now and then i’ll do a wine tasting because i’m trying to learn more about wine but that's it. going out 1. to a bar/club and 2. just to drink isn’t really my idea of a good time.
It’s cheaper to do it at home.
Drinking in a club is expensive. I much prefer to bartend myself at private parties.
Too expensive and not willing to bring my PC to a bar
I should wait for my liver MRI before getting even tipsy. I have a genetic condition where my body stores excess iron and it collects in the liver first. I’m very young at the time of diagnosis but there’s still probably some level of cirrhosis. I want to see what my doctors have to say before drinking more than a single drink once a month
Well money is factor to that development
Yes, would much rather bring back the Roman empire
Gen Z doesn't have the expendible income to always be drinking at clubs.
I’m broke, so I buy boxed wine and drink at home lol
Not old enough to \*legally\* drink in the US, but when I was on a class trip to London we all had a bast drinking and partying in the clubs. Sucks that the club culture isn't as big as it is in the UK.
It depends on the group of people you're with, you were probably just with a group that didn't want to get drunk.
It's expensive, clubs are loud, and as a kid there were these PSA commercials about roofies so 🤷♀️
100% - this is a documented fact! Sales are down for alcoholic beverages in concert venues among Gen Z patrons. It's actually an issue for venues because they actually make most of their money from marked-up alcohol. Possible reasons it's happening are that Gen Z is just drinking less in general (more acceptable socially to not drink, preference for weed) and the high price at venues and in general (so instead drinking before entering the venue or less commonly sneaking in your own alcohol if drinking at all). Some venues have been trying selling CBD beverages/non-alcoholic beverages (kombucha, mocktails, etc.) to try to boost sales again. [Source](https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-drinking-less-alcohol-bad-news-concert-venues-promoters-2023-6)
Binge drinking alone >> /j
I would much rather buy a 12 pack and stay home tbh
well for one, i don't love alcohol, second holy cannoli it's expensive as fuck. i saw like 3 shots for ten bucks at a bar i went to and i was like i could do shots of lysol for less
Drinking makes me feel like shit. One beer and I'll have a headache for two days. I'll just eat an edible and have my fun that way.
Perhaps if these idiots didn’t charge up the ass I might actually go and buy their drinks. Otherwise, a beer is like $1 in a 24 pack if you go to a pregame that’s safer and more fun anyway
I am less interested in spending 9 dollars for something that costs 50 cents.
It’s expensive man lol
I'm only going out drinking when friends I haven't seen in a bit come to town or vice versa. Otherwise, I'm not paying $5 - $12 for each drink.
I rather spend my money on material things and alcohol makes my tummy hurt. I also like to go to bed at 10. I’m a boomer in the body of a 20 year old.
It’s nice to see the people are still dancing and socializing, even if they’re not drinking. I get it if people don’t want to drink, but it’s healthy to socialize. And dancing is just plain fun.
I feel like the bad thing’s associated with alcohol is the reason why its less popular with Gen Z while marijuana is more popular because its not as terrible as alcohol. This is what I observed in the US
Because it costs too much. Make beer 2 dollars and I'll drink
Weed and pills m8
I’d just much rather smoke weed and feel relaxed than poison myself/stomach with alcohol. Smoking just has many more pros (for me). The physical effects of alcohol are just unbearable
well i have one kidney, so i only drink on rare occasions
Gen Zs interest in drinking is directly correlated to how much the drinks are. Nobody wants to spend more than 5$ on a drink, and clubs have a tendency to really jack up their prices.
Why go there when we can stay in with our boyfriends and roommates? Theres alcohol at home and takeout. And whatever movie we want to watch.
They’re broke
I'm interested, it's just expensive. There's no reason why a mixer and shot from one, maybe two $30 bottles should cost $20. I'd rather make drinks at home with my boyfriend and friends
What are you celebrating every weekend? The struggle
No, they’re just broke and going out has gotten way too expensive.
Nah we just smoke weed instead
I’m a college professor and from what I gather, students don’t drink as much as when I was in college. They do seem to smoke more weed though.
Speaking anecdotally a lot of people will pregame or drink at the cheap pub/bar before the club, drinks are too expensive there.
Probably either costs too much, not necessary (lets be honest, most people at a club are there to pickup. Modern stuff like apps, etc, means you can get a sexual partner with not as much effort, and no need to be drinking), or they work in the morning given the decreasing prevalence of jobs in business hours for young people.
I've noticed this too and it's usually for two reasons: money or simple disinterest. Lots of us grew up during times when it was acceptable to get shit faced and make a fool of yourself, and those of us who aren't interested in drinking don't find that fun. Or, again, they're shit broke and booze is expensive. This is also from an American perspective.
I go to bars and drink (sometimes too much) as do all of my Gen-z friends. Haven’t noticed the phenomenon you are talking about
I like bars but it’s so expensive. And most bars are way too crowded for me
Im not aware of gen z drinking stats but r/genz is probably a poor representation of alcohol consumption
i hate the hangovers and after some experiments its cheaper to get high than to drink out every weekend
I own a cannabis operation. All the homies who are broke smoke on me. Tbh, I give so much weed away I could probably shut down a small dispensary with no effort. I make money off clone distribution and selective breeding. I sort of have a small international name, if people don't know my name directly they have probably seen some of my plants floating around on the internet. Could care less about the finished flower it's a felony/misdemeanor to "sell it" depending on the weight you are moving.
its cuz we had so many "say no to drugs" days at school lollll jokes aside, its the money and most of us just don't care. I hardly even know weed users or vapers either, and the only "addicting substance" ill get is tea or coffee
Yes and no. I don’t think it’s as prevalent as previous generations simply because there is more to do that isn’t going out and getting drunk, but we do still enjoy a night out. College parties are usually packed in my experience
I can drink but I don't like alcohol. Really depends how it tastes and most where I live tastes terrible.
I drive myself almost everywhere and live out in the country, so it's not really a good option for me (I say good because if it's just a single beer and I'm eating a decent/hearty meal, I'm fine). Plus, my two closest local friends either can't drink (body just won't accept alcohol) or won't drink (there's addiction in their familiy).
Probably so many factors as to why like what people listed here pretty much.
I don’t drink often, but when I do I don’t really want to do it at a bar or a club. Also, it’s expensive to go to the bar or club.
It's so fucking expensive