Drinking is one of humanity’s mightiest vices, and yet, one can argue that it may be an asset. While heavy consumption can be a problem, good old moderation allows you to enjoy a beverage with friends or unwind from a long day.

While Dry January is an interesting concept, personally, I am not a fan of starting the new year sober. January is a time of new beginnings, not a bitter end.

I find drinking to be a huge part of my university experience. Going out for a beer and some wings with my friends is a social outing — an optimal release of stress. In my experience, drinking is a large piece of the social puzzle.

And while going out and getting blackout drunk in January isn’t something that I’d call a wise decision, this is one of the best months to let loose. Why not ease into the new semester by getting some of your university drinking out of the way?

We’re all starting new classes, and in my case, the first two weeks are usually the easiest, so if I am going to dampen my learning with booze, now is the time.

This isn’t to say that quitting drinking is a bad choice — it’s definitely a good call for anyone’s health — but the idea of quitting drinking solely for the month of January seems pointless. Quitting at the end of December only to resume in February seems like an inane act. To quit drinking overall can definitely bring about health benefits. However, to quit for only one month is just a series of lost opportunities.

January is the fresh start to a brand new year, and drinking with friends is a perfect opportunity to create new stories and release pent-up stress, because let’s face it, the holidays are stressful.

As students, we have all sorts of events in January that are focused around drinking, making the idea of a dry January even more irrational in my eyes. Mock Wedding is one of the largest events offered to students each year. This is our month to truly blow off steam, so why would I quit drinking in January?

I’d rather take April off to focus on my winter-term finals. As a significant month for determining my final grade, this is when drinking truly belongs on the back burner or out of  your life completely.

April even sounds better! You can play with alliteration for different titles — like Alcohol Abstinence April or Alcoholess April, not to mention the acronyms being AA. Ultimately, January is just a poor month to lay off the sauce compared to all other opportunities.

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Cameron Dufort

Photo: Riley Deacon / Photo Editor