You asked:

I don't want to drink with my friends, but I still want to hang out. How can I play it cool and have fun with them without drinking?

Most people worth hanging out with don't care whether you drink with them. That said, there are plenty of ways to have a good time without throwing back beer bongs and Jell-O shots. People who offer you a drink are probably just trying to be polite, so don't let it put you off. If you're at a party and feel uncomfortable about not having a drink, drink water or soda from a plastic cup -- this will give you something to do with your hands and also let people see that you already have something to drink so they don’t need to offer you anything. You can still play drinking games with water or soda, and you're likely to do a lot better at them than those who’ve been drinking alcohol. It's perfectly fine -- and even popular -- to volunteer to be the designated driver (and a lot of bars will give you free soda if you tell them you're the DD). Just about all activities that often accompany alcohol consumption are just as fun without a drink in your hand.

Name: Liz Cruger
School: College of William and Mary
Year: Senior
Major: Psychology and English lit
Her deal: This is Liz’s second year as an R.A. for freshmen. She is also involved in several campus activities, including pep band and the belly dance club.

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