It’s that time again. No, not the approach of Halloween, or fall, or the changing of the leaves. In just one week, it’ll be time for Northern Arizona University’s annual Homecoming festivities, which will include, Tequila Sunrise.
If you’re not familiar with this time-honored Flagstaff tradition, the unofficial event’s festivities take place in the early morning hours leading up to NAU’s Homecoming parade and football game. It involves drinking establishments that promise to open and start serving alcohol — especially the so-called “tequila sunrise” cocktail — as early as 6 a.m.
For the those participating in the event, it’s an excuse to go out, have some fun, and drink and dance the (early) morning hours away. For downtown business owners and locals living nearby, it may be an inconvenience and a nuisance.
We’re not going to tell you whether or not to partake or how to. However, in the spirit of the upcoming festivities, we’d like to offer some advice, to drink smart, and do so responsibly.
Top Tips For How To Drink Smart On Tequila Sunrise (Or Any Other Occasion).
Most importantly, of course, is to prioritize your personal safety, as well as that of others.
Make a plan for how to get home.
- Designate a driver among your friend group to get you home. It could help to download Uber or Lyft to your phone, or keep money and the contact info for a cab in a safe place where you will be able to find it later. Whatever you need to do to make sure you get home safe.
Eat beforehand.
- Most people may know this already, but you should really eat something before and/or during the consumption of alcohol. When you have an empty stomach, the alcohol absorbs more quickly into your bloodstream.
Stay hydrated.
- Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it actually dehydrates the body, as opposed to hydrating it. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your drinking session will keep you from getting dehydrated. It will also help minimize the impact of alcohol on your system, and likely reduce the after-effects associated with a hangover as well.
Know your limit.
- Different people handle alcohol differently.
- One of the quickest ways to end up drinking past your healthy limit is to try to keep up with everyone else. Men and people with a larger body mass can generally drink much more than those that are smaller than them without getting as intoxicated. It’s an unfair but very real and non-negotiable truth. Certain health conditions and/or medications can also affect the way alcohol impacts your body.Responsibility.org has an awesome tool (as well as an app) called The Virtual Bar that allows you to estimate your potential blood alcohol content based on factors like your age, height, weight, gender, type of drink, and whether you’ve had anything to eat.
- Not all drinks are created equally. Some will impact you more than others.
- It matters not just how much you drink but what you drink too. Different drinks have different AVBs, or alcohol by volume — which measures the percentage of how much alcohol (ethanol) is present in a given volume of a beverage. Wine usually ends up somewhere around the 11.6 percent mark, a stark comparison to beer’s only 4.5 percent average, though, of course, nothing is as strong as liquor, which usually hovers around 37 percent.
- It’s also important to keep in mind that darker-colored alcohols tend to contain more impurities and are thus more likely to leave you with a hangover the next day. Additionally, be wary of mixed drinks or drinks, including caffeine. These can mask the taste and even the effects of alcohol, causing many to accidentally overindulge.
Pace yourself (and track your drinking).
- Most experts agree that the human body can only properly process about one standard drink every hour, so consider slowing your drinking to avoid getting more inebriated. It can also be a good idea to decide beforehand how many drinks you’re going to have and to keep track of those drinks throughout the evening on your phone or by telling a friend to hold you accountable.
Learn the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do if it happens to someone around you.
- For more information on what alcohol poisoning is and how to care for someone who is showing symptoms, the Mayo Clinic has a great webpage on the subject.
“Learn the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do if it happens to someone around you”
Don’t drink and drive — ever. The legal and physical danger this poses to yourself and others is too great to ever be worth the risk.
- Don’t use a bike. Or a skateboard. Or a hoverboard. Or a scooter. Or a segway. Or anything besides your own two feet. Just like driving a car, using any of these modes of transportation while intoxicated can lead to legal consequences, too.
Resist using a fake ID.
- We get it. Twenty-one years can feel like a long time to wait to drink alcohol and to be able to go out and socialize in places that serve it. Especially, if there are other people in your social group that are already doing so. Consequences of being caught with a fake form of identification are extensive. You might lose your chance to take the LSAT or become a registered nurse.
Don’t facilitate the consumption of alcohol by (other) minors.
- Even if you’re already 21+, you can still get in trouble with the law for providing alcohol to those who aren’t of age.
Keep your behavior in check — and be aware of the law.
- Usually, when we hear about people getting arrested for being under the influence, they were operating a motor vehicle or drinking underage. But, these aren’t the only reasons an officer can find to arrest you.
- As Los Angeles-based criminal attorney Diana Aizman explained in a 2016 interview with Vice News, “if you’re posing a danger to yourself or to anyone around you and you’re unable to care for yourself in a reasonable fashion, a police officer has the discretion to arrest you for being drunk in public.”
- What is the best thing to do if an officer does stop you or try to arrest you for public intoxication? Stay quiet, advises Aizman. “ Everything you say is going to be used against you. That’s not just something you hear on TV. That’s true,” she adds.
At the end of the day, just keep in mind that virtually any amount of alcohol can cause impaired judgment. It really all depends on an individual’s personal tolerance, which can vary widely. Keep in mind that heavy drinking can lead to all sorts of poor decisions, health problems, accidents, and dangerous situations.
Drinking alcohol can be a fun social activity to do with your friends and a nice way to let loose for a night or two. However, with this Tequila Sunrise, we hope that you’ll drink responsibly.
What Happens If You Run Into Trouble?
All of this being said, we’re all human. When we drink, we can end up making mistakes, even doing things we would never do while sober. If you or someone you know finds yourself in trouble for something you did while intoxicated, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact Antol and Sherman online for a free consultation or by phone at (928) 214 – 6339.
Our team of dedicated trial attorneys at Antol & Sherman, PC, has more than 60 years of combined legal experience and a strong track record of providing successful legal counsel.
We have been practicing criminal, family and divorce, drug and DUI, and accident law in Flagstaff, Arizona. This also includes surrounding northern Arizona cities, like Camp Verde, Sedona, Williams, Holbrook, Winslow, Cottonwood, Mayer, Seligman, Kingman, Page, and St. Johns.