Social rejection from girls for drinking and trying to have sex with them? That’s a first because my experience has been quite the opposite as has the experience of a number of my friends at many different schools of different calibers around the country (and world).
No one says you need alcohol to get laid (though it does help, as studies have illustrated). The point is that the vast majority of college parties have copious amounts of alcohol (among other substances) and if you think you are going to go to those sober and have a great time, you are wrong (if you are like most people). You also ostracize yourself from the rest of your peers. If you can find fun things to do that has no alcohol, that’s great and that is what I do the majority of the time, but an occasional drink at a party (and that’s all you’ll need if you keep it to an occasional basis) out of season isn’t going to kill you.
I’ll tell you what–my freshman year I didn’t drink even a sip until track was over (in May) and I certainly don’t see where it helped me. The last two years I have had very mild to low consumption, but enough to not be awkward about it socially (having water when everyone else is drinking is socially awkward) and I haven’t noticed any negatives, but plenty of positives.
How about this, I can go on facebook and look at photos of some of the HSI members and a lot of other elite athletes and I can tell you if you think they’re abstaining, even IN-SEASON, you’re out of your mind.