Sober Curiosity
Living on a college campus adds a lot of additional challenges and decisions to your daily routine. Choosing a salad or a slice of pizza at the dining hall, a nap, or a study sesh, alcohol in moderation or excess, and the list only continues. Drinking can sometimes be hard to pass up, and, in some situations, a desirable component of the traditional college experience; however, chronic overconsumption of alcohol can result in less than desirable health effects.
The blaring of the alarm the morning after a night out with friends may not have you waking up on the right side of the bed. Hangover headaches, grogginess, nausea, anxiety and even depressive episodes can directly result from alcohol consumption. After a while, these byproducts can accumulate and cause negative, long-term physical and mental health impacts. Rather than remain a victim of the culture cultivated on college campuses, take agency over your health and consider engaging in a period of alcohol abstinence. This behavioral trend is better known today on social media as sober curiosity and has struck popularity with celebrities.
Sober curiosity is a wellness movement birthed from month-long challenges such as “Dry January”. The movement encourages individuals to remove alcohol from their lives for a short-term, self-selected period of time and observe how they feel. The curiosity and motives for experimenting with a sober lifestyle are different for everyone and as a result, there is no one correct way to be sober curious. Instead, we at The Edge recommend identifying your primary motive for experimenting with sobriety, setting goals and forming a flexible plan. You are allowed to drink during your period of sober curiosity; it is progress over perfection, and the main goal is decreased alcohol consumption and increased frequency of healthy habits.
While this is all great and hypothetically easy, we are fully aware that living on a college campus makes this exponentially more difficult because of the prevalence of alcohol in dorms and at social events combined with peer pressure. While it may seem boring to experiment with sobriety, being sober curious doesn't mean you can’t have fun and socialize with your friends. You can enjoy an alcohol-free elixir such as Kin Euphorics or Cann!
Kin Euphorics is a personal Beauty and Wellness team favorite. Co-founded by Bella Hadid, the company was created with the mission to develop a product for the betterment of all kind. Kin beverages are comprised of adaptogens, nootropics and botanics like Rhodiola Rosea, 5-HTP, and Gaba, which are intended to boost your mood and calm your mind. It’s like alcohol without the inevitable crash. Another great option is Cann, a social tonic that provides the perfect, peaceful high formulated with 2mg of THC and 4mg of CBD. Cann is currently only sold and shipped to CA, NV, MA, IL & RI; however, there are plans to expand to more states soon (fingers crossed for NC!)
There is so much to be discovered and received when alcohol is removed from the equation. Have we sparked your curiosity? Let us know on Instagram by tagging @theedgemag in your sober weekend activities!