Ah, Fresher’s Week. The biggest social challenge of your baby adult life so far. You’re excited and you’re going want to do every. single. night.
As much as Fresher’s Week is the 6-day party of a lifetime, it can also be a war of attrition from which no-one emerges the same person.
Don’t let Fresher’s Week break you. Many have tried to go hard on all 6 nights, few have lived to tell the tale. Here are some Debut-approved tips for your pre and post-night out routine which will save you from burning out and keep the all-consuming hangover at bay.
Eat up
There might be some truth to that whole ‘lining your stomach’ thing you keep hearing. Having a couple good meals before drinking is always a good idea.
Kick the day off with a hearty breakfast and it eat a substantial dinner before you start drinking. It’ll stop you getting paralytic too fast and give you the energy you need to go all night.
Pick a drink and stick to it
It’s true, legends never die. But if you’re not careful, mixing your drinks could lead you to a very sticky, half-digested end.
You don’t have to drink the same thing on every night out but for each night, pick a tipple and stick with it. Clear spirits, beers and ciders are usually the best way to go – save the wine and Jaeger for when you level up. You’ll thank us when you’re not hugging your toilet in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Stop drinking when you get to the club
Hear us out here. Go hard at the pre-drinks and get yourself to a level of drunkenness just short of critical mass. Pull out an Oscar-worthy sobriety act at the door of the club (as long as you don’t fall over it’ll be fine) and then party until you really sober up. At that point, it’ll be half 3 and you’ll be ready to go anyway.
When you wake up fresh as a daisy, with most of your money intact, you’ll agree it’s a good idea.
Sober up before bed
Should you choose not to take our advice, it’s important that you sober up before bed. Going to sleep still drunk is pretty much direct flight to Hangover City.
When you get back, down a pint of water and sit up for a bit. Contrary to popular belief, post-night out food does little for you in terms of avoiding your hangover (it’s more what you eat before that matters) but if that ВЈ3 chicken burger, wings and chips helps you stay up an extra hour, go nuts.
Get outside
Here’s another myth-buster: the ‘sweat out the alcohol’ theory is high-grade nonsense. Your body only takes about an hour to metabolize each drink you have. So whatever you do, don’t try and do any strenuous exercise if you’re nauseous or hungover.
What you should do though is go for a jog, walk or any other form of light exercise. This release endorphins that lift your mood, get rid of that lethargic feeling and deliver you from the warm embrace of Death. Pop a Berocca, get on with it and you’ll be right as rain by pre-drinks.
Be ready to get back on track
After a Fresher’s night, it’s natural to feel a bit exhausted, poor, homesick and generally quite low, particularly when it’s all over and the prospect of hard work rears it’s ugly head. To combat this, try making a small list of useful things to do during the day.
Apply for a discount card, get a book out of the library, clean your room… anything that makes you feel productive. Stay calm, stay mindful and remember:
