Having beer or wine with a meal, having a few drinks with friends, going out to clubs and bars to meet new people is just about standard when it comes to an active dating life. While social drinking is quite common, there are still quite a few people who don’t drink at all, for a number of reasons. Many do not drink for health reasons, while others do not because of religious conviction. Some are recovering alcoholics who feel that even one drink will put them back on the path to addiction, while others simply don’t like the taste of alcohol or how it makes them feel. For whatever reason, the person you are now dating has decided not to drink, and you will have to probably make a few adjustments, simply because it’s not what you’re used to. Here are some tips when you’re dating a non-drinker:
How to socialize
You may have to consider changing some of the things you typically do to socialize. If your typical Friday night is hanging out at a bar with friends, there’s no reason to cut that activity out completely, but you may want to look into other activities as well. Play it by ear; you may find that your significant other has no problem hanging around a bar and is happy to play designated driver. Or maybe she enjoys clubs just to go dancing, ignoring the alcohol altogether.
Drinking at home
The same holds true for meals shared at home. There’s no reason you can’t still enjoy your beer or wine; just make sure that you have other kinds of beverages available as well. You may wish to find out some of your significant other’s favorite drinks.
Finding non-drinking hobbies
If many of your leisure activities involve alcohol consumption, you may want to think about taking up some that don’t include that, or find out what your non-drinking partner does for fun. Chances are, she enjoys a lot of the same things you do, but just doesn’t drink. Besides, it never hurts to expand your horizons a bit. Maybe you’ll learn some new skills or hobbies, or start meeting completely new people. It can be a learning experience for you.
Understanding why the person doesn’t drink
The important thing to remember is to be understanding and open-minded. Just because someone doesn’t drink doesn’t mean they aren’t fun, or that they are judgmental of you drinking. Some of this may also change as you get older. In your early twenties, drinking often has more allure because it is something new and exciting. As you get older, you may find it’s not as important to do as often, since the novelty has worn off, and might have for your friends as well.
Something to remember…
What’s most important is that you and the person you date find enough things in common that you can enjoy each other’s company. Consumption of alcohol is just one issue of many, and hopefully a fairly superficial one. So long as neither one of you is adamant about your position, it shouldn’t become a problem in the relationship.
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