Buzz
Socializing with colleagues can be risky, especially when it comes to drinking. Aside from the obvious risk of becoming inebriated, alcohol can influence your behavior in ways that might leave you regretting your actions. While this might be a minor issue among close friends, the stakes are much higher when co-workers and supervisors are involved.
My father, who spent a significant portion of his career attending conferences, symposiums, and business dinners, never had much trouble with this. Although he’s not much of a drinker, he had a smart strategy to avoid drinking too quickly: He’d order drinks he didn’t like. “I’m not fond of bourbon, so I’d always go for a bourbon,” he shared with me. “It would take me ages to finish that drink.”
To a young person, this might seem like a waste of a free drink, but what’s the point of a complimentary beverage if it costs you your job, a promotion, or respect? By choosing a drink you’re not particularly fond of, you’re likely to nurse it slowly instead of guzzling it down or sipping it too quickly—leading to fewer embarrassing moments and no hangovers the next day.
When you choose an actual alcoholic drink, you'll sidestep all the annoying questions about why you're not drinking, which often come with ordering something like a Diet Coke. While society as a whole is making strides in respecting people's alcohol choices, corporate culture is still catching up.
Opting for a drink you don't particularly enjoy and savoring it slowly helps you project an image of someone who makes well-considered, professional decisions, rather than someone who overindulges in free alcohol and gets a bit too chatty. After the event, you can always head to a bar where your HR rep isn't around and enjoy a drink you actually like.
