Enjoy Nightlife by Living Well: Part 3

DJ Kaos "The Main Event"

Hopefully your nights are going well with my advice. Your not drunk and well hydrated, you know how your getting home, and your safely enjoying the sounds of your favorite DJ. These next few tips will not only save you money, but will also get you some health benefits from partying hard.

Saving money
Photo taken by Barthjg
Carry cash and don't open a tab on your debit or credit card. You are much more likely to spend more money and probably drink more than necessary using your cards. Its also more difficult to track the transactions in the club. The bartenders sometimes swipe your card more than once for the same bill and you'll end up paying for what you did not drink. And there are commonly minimums you must spend. If your not going to drink $50 worth of alcohol, you'll be forced to in several venues, and you can't control how much to tip because they usually add the gratuity. No one likes to tip a slow, or rude bartender 20% regardless of service. There is no need to get paid on Friday and be broke on Saturday all thanks to a superfluous bar tab.

Hygiene

Dudes and ladies, wash your hands. Its better to walk around with wet hands because you didn't want to tip the bathroom attendant than to skip sanitation all together. Dirty hands and a slightly impaired immune system from drinking is a mixture set for disaster. Do yourself and your dance partner a favor and keep it clean.



Dance
Don't be a wallflower. Have fun and dance. Dance if your good at it or not. Its a great way to burn the calories from your multiple trips to the bar and a perfect way to interact with the person who has caught your eye. Dancing has been known to release endorphins, the "feel good" hormones that enhance mood. Get out there and skip'2'my lou, Jerk, whine, salsa, chacha slide, do whatever feels good to you.

The DJ is finishing up, the line at the coat check is looking ridiculous and its time to head home. Again, travel in groups, don't drive drunk, take a vitamin, and drink plenty of water or sports drink (NOT ENERGY DRINKS) to replete spent electrolytes. Be smart and do not go home with strange people you just met. Don't be the next victim of Jordan Van der Sloot.




For the after club munchies, eat something light. I even venture to say wait until you get home to eat. It is likely that you have already racked up the calories (alcohol has lots of calories), and late at night the options are limited to fast food, pizza, and strategically placed food carts selling dirty water hot dogs, and shish kebabs.


Photo taken by Arnold Inuyaki

Finally, should you find yourself with a pounding headache, do not reach into your medicine cabinet for aspirin, ibuprofen, or tylenol. These medications are all metabolized by the liver and can lead to severe liver damage. Toxins and alcohol will remain in your blood stream actually exacerbating symptoms rather than providing relief. In addition, aspirin is known to irritate the lining of the stomach alone and with the mixture of alcohol, it will make the problem much more severe. Wait a day to safely take pain relievers.

Photo taken by Simone

Following these rules will promise you man good nights without any of the cons of the nightlife scene. Plus you will have great memories rather than finding out you were the annoying drunk on some website the next day. Be safe and remember this Japanese proverb. "We are fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."


Note:
1. Don't smoke
2. Don't use drugs
3. Be careful who you accept drinks from.
4. Watch the bartender make every drink.
5. Mixing energy drinks and alcohol is unhealthy.
6. Dress appropriately (especially in the winter)


Thank you again for reading. All comments are welcome.
Can you think of any other ways to make nightlife better?