When many of us enter college, we are faced with a completely new environment; big lecture halls, intelligent professors, 12 page papers, and on-campus pubs. Yes, that’s right, pubs. A few years ago, back when I was in college, I heard that our new student center was getting a pub built in and didn’t know what to think about it. It was hard enough for me to concentrate in class without having anything tempting to impair my functionality!

Once it was up and running, many of my friends and classmates made it a part of their schedule to meet in the pub before or after class. There were times that I did join them, but I never did partake in the drinking. I have nothing against grabbing a drink after a long day at work or a glass of champagne while out to dinner with my guy, but a beer before a midterm? No, thanks.

The main reason I didn’t drink? I like retaining my youthful appearance. Due to many visits to the pub and several weekend parties, a lot of my friends were starting to look years older than me when they were in fact younger. When we were out together, I would often be mistaken as the youngest, while my 21-year-old friends were being asked if they were 29 or 30. Why, you ask? Because the alcohol they had so casually been consuming was taking a toll on their bodies.

Alcohol dehydrates the body, causing dry and rough skin on the face and other areas. The more your skin dries out, the more susceptible you are to fine lines and wrinkles. At my age, I am happy to say that I have very few fine lines. However, a lot of others my age are already considering facial plastic surgery such as Botox! In fact, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2007 over 8,000 patients under 18 underwent Botox injections, and just under 4,000 patients between the ages of 19 and 34 had this procedure.

Want another reason to cut back on drinking? How about a quick way to lose a couple pounds? Beer and sugary mixed drinks have a lot of calories in them, and don’t let those light beers fool you. When a beer claims to have half the calories as a regular one, people (mostly women) feel that it’s OK to drink more because it contains “less” calories. Unfortunately, if you drink more light beer it’s as if you drank regular beer anyway.

If you’re seeking a beverage that is a little healthier, the next time you hang out with your friends, suggest a local coffee shop or juice bar. While the occasional alcoholic drink is still fine, such as in celebration of a promotion or a new job, try sticking to something with fewer calories. Wine has fewer calories than a margarita and is good for the heart, too. Cheers!

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