You're doing it wrong (?)

IrishExpat

An open question to Boardsies.

I'm getting older and musing over my teens and early 20's (now 26).

One thing I'm - slightly - regretting is never really doing the whole weekend pub & nightclub scene; opting instead to save-up and take advantage of cheap flights and weekend breaks, or stick with the gym or whatever else kept me interested.

Even in college I just wasn't bothered with poisoning myself and emptying the bank account only to be left in a heap the next day.

Anyway, honestly ... did I miss out?

Yes.

But if you had experienced all that stuff you missed out on, then you'd miss out on the stuff you had experienced. So it's not worth worrying about.

gramar

If you did what you enjoyed then what did you miss out on?
As you say yourself what you chose to do kept you interested.

CaraMay

Yes you did. I've had the most amazing nights out and have suffered with a sore head a few time afterwards but I have to say I have never had a good laugh like it at the gym.

The_Pretender

There's really no big reason that you can't go out at the weekends now, 26 is hardly old.

wazky

You couldn't just do both no?

hatrickpatrick

Meh. I love nightclubs but that's because I love music and also because all my friends usually go out at weekends so nightclubs = weekend social life, pretty much.

So in other words, if you're able to have a social life without going to clubs, then you didn't really miss out IMO. If I didn't go out at the weekends I'd start to get very lonely very fast, because that's just how my mates roll - obviously yours don't, or you would have ended up biting the bullet despite not actually liking the clubs, just for the sake of hanging with your crew

Maybe I'm a bad example though because I genuinely love the club scene. Krystle, Howl at the Moon, NV, Everleigh and The Village have pretty much been my second homes over the last few years

BNMC

No not at all.

If I could have all the money back that I spent on booze, I could probably buy a house. It is great to spend time with friends but it doesn't always have to involve alcohol. I don't go out as much these days (I'm the same age as you) but I still see my friends as much if not more than before with 5 aside, going to watch football and the cinema.

sok2005

You're only 26! Surely you still have time to party if you want to? Or are you in a position where you cannot any longer?

Muise...

it always puzzles me when people say it's better to regret the things you did than things you didn't do. If you didn't do something, there's no way of knowing if it was worthwhile or the most regrettable thing in the history of blushing and hanging the head. That said, if you regret not drinking yourself to memory loss, the conundrum will bother your head far less than a hangover.

MRnotlob606

i gave up alcohol , its basically a social smokes screen

Artful_Badger

If you didnt do it at all then yes you missed out. Dont have to poison yourself or deplete your savings going out in your early 20's.

Rod Serling

IrishExpat wrote: »

Even in college I just wasn't bothered with poisoning myself and emptying the bank account only to be left in a heap the next day.

You don't sound like you'd be much craic to be honest.

baztard

Drinking while socialising is popular for a reason. It's great fun, and people can have great craic with their friends etc. It doesn't make you a raging alcoholic if you like to get a bit drunk on a weekend.

All the holier than thou anti drinking Christy Moore preaching types can go shiite themselves.

gifted

Can't remember my 20's..wish I did.

krudler

The older I get the less I enjoy going out, once you hit your 30's and the 2 day hangovers arrive it all seems pointless. I was dying yesterday and didn't even drink all that much saturday night, waste of a day really even sitting on the couch watching tv seemed like effort.

Daveysil15

IrishExpat wrote: »

An open question to Boardsies.

I'm getting older and musing over my teens and early 20's (now 26).

One thing I'm - slightly - regretting is never really doing the whole weekend pub & nightclub scene; opting instead to save-up and take advantage of cheap flights and weekend breaks, or stick with the gym or whatever else kept me interested.

Even in college I just wasn't bothered with poisoning myself and emptying the bank account only to be left in a heap the next day.

Anyway, honestly ... did I miss out?

Jasus I could have written that myself. I feel the same, although I did do it a bit when I was younger so I don't regret it that much, as I kind of know what its like and I think its overrated.

Having said that I do feel like I have missed out a bit. I was big into the trance/electronic music when I was younger (still like it actually) but most clubs just didn't play it which was disappointing. Plus when I first started going to bars and clubs there was no smoking ban in those days and that really bothered me. After a while I just stopped.

I travel a good bit too and have other hobbies which are quite expensive but I like them, so I prefer to spend my money on those.

Wacker The Attacker

Nightclubs are boring.

Dogging was way more fun.

Femme_Fatale

Just start doing it now. There are people who are 10 years older than you who still do it the odd weekend.
It is good fun to go to a late bar. Nightclubs are shyte IMO.

Gee Bag

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Nightclubs are shyte IMO.

Even the ones that still play slow sets???

antodeco

I don't smoke and rarely drink. Dont go out a huge amount. Instead, I spend my money on the things I like, not what what others expect me to like. All my mates know I'm not a massive drinker. My money goes on my cars and holidays.

A friend of mine recently said that they didn't like the fact I go on holidays so often (Thailand, Amsterdam, Orlando) this year alone. He earns more money than me, but spends the guts of €250 every weekend on booze. I own my house outright. No mortgage. I brew all all my own booze, so the cost is offset from that.

Do I miss the fact I didn't go out a massive amount? When I was 16/17 I was out all the time. Now, I've my own house, a family, holidays and all my hobbies paid for.

thecatspjs

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Meh. I love nightclubs but that's because I love music and also because all my friends usually go out at weekends so nightclubs = weekend social life, pretty much.

So in other words, if you're able to have a social life without going to clubs, then you didn't really miss out IMO. If I didn't go out at the weekends I'd start to get very lonely very fast, because that's just how my mates roll - obviously yours don't, or you would have ended up biting the bullet despite not actually liking the clubs, just for the sake of hanging with your crew

Maybe I'm a bad example though because I genuinely love the club scene. Krystle, Howl at the Moon, NV, Everleigh and The Village have pretty much been my second homes over the last few years

lawl

seamus

It's not really all it's cracked up to be tbh. From 18 to 25 I probably went out 50 weekends of the year. As time moves on you find yourself going to the same ****e places with the same people and waking up the next morning realising that it would have been a better night and a better morning if you'd left at 1 o'clock (or before everyone got too drunk and the music got too loud). People whittle away, go travelling, move across the country etc, and the craic gets less because you're doing it every weekend.

Go on big nights out less, and you'll appreciate them more. Avoid nightclubs, go to house parties. Much more fun, and much better chance of hooking up. Even back at 21 I'd prefer sitting in someone's house drinking cans till 4am rather than heading into town to some crap nightclub. I was attached for practically all of my 20s anyway, so hooking up was never on my agenda.

As someone just gone 30 now, with a child, and trying to fit in other hobbies around that, I regret all of the weekends I spent dying on the couch after a lacklustre night, when I could have been doing something worthwhile with my time. I'm sure if I'd rarely gone out, I'd probably regret that I didn't go out more. You can't win

keeponhurling

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

Nightclubs are boring.

Dogging was way more fun.

Not mutually exclusive by the way

thegreatgonzo

IrishExpat wrote: »

An open question to Boardsies.

I'm getting older and musing over my teens and early 20's (now 26).

One thing I'm - slightly - regretting is never really doing the whole weekend pub & nightclub scene; opting instead to save-up and take advantage of cheap flights and weekend breaks, or stick with the gym or whatever else kept me interested.

Even in college I just wasn't bothered with poisoning myself and emptying the bank account only to be left in a heap the next day.

Anyway, honestly ... did I miss out?

I loved my nights out and I'm glad I had as many as possible because I'm just not able to any more now I'm in my 30's due to time, money and being too old to cope with a hangover. The best thing about going out when I was younger was the never knowing where the night would end up, like my friend and I ended drinking on a navy ship once and another time I found myself in the circus at 3 in the morning. It wasn't just about being drunk, it was just that everyone is more adventurous at night time so silly fun **** can happen.
I might have more money now etc if I hadn't but I'm not the settling down type anyway so I can get by with what I've got. Also I managed to travel a lot too so I didn't sacrifice one for the other.

Cee-Jay-Cee

You've missed out only if you regret doing all the other things you did instead of going out, getting pished and riding women/men etc etc

bgrizzley

OP you did the right thing. i p1ssed away my youth on the "craic". what a fcuking waste of time and energy. i could have been out fishing...

Daveysil15

antodeco wrote: »

A friend of mine recently said that they didn't like the fact I go on holidays so often (Thailand, Amsterdam, Orlando) this year alone. He earns more money than me, but spends the guts of €250 every weekend on booze. I own my house outright. No mortgage. I brew all all my own booze, so the cost is offset from that.

Jesus that is a lot. Or wait... maybe its normal? Fcuk I don't know anymore.

Temptamperu

your only 26 mate you can still do sessions.

FamousSeamus

Missed out, ya you missed out I've had many crazy weekends heading out and having a laugh but you only missed out on being young without responsibilities (that period between finishing leaving cert and finishing college or your apprenticeship if not college) its still not too late to head out at weekends at 26!! Also I feel I spent money going out thus didn't save a lot so missed out on going away at weekend to different places so in a way i think i missed out on what you had.

Also your only 26, i know a guy whose 40 and never went out at weekends so remember it could always be worse!!

FamousSeamus

Missed out, ya you missed out I've had many crazy weekends heading out and having a laugh but you only missed out on being young without responsibilities (that period between finishing leaving cert and finishing college or your apprenticeship if not college) its still not too late to head out at weekends at 26!! Also I feel I spent money going out thus didn't save a lot so missed out on going away at weekend to different places so in a way i think i missed out on what you had.

Also your only 26, i know a guy whose 40 and never went out at weekends so remember it could always be worse!!

beks101

krudler wrote: »

The older I get the less I enjoy going out, once you hit your 30's and the 2 day hangovers arrive it all seems pointless. I was dying yesterday and didn't even drink all that much saturday night, waste of a day really even sitting on the couch watching tv seemed like effort.

I've been getting two-day hangovers since I was 25. I suspect by 30 the three-day hangovers will be in full swing.

0P - yeah, you've probably missed out. Do you never just go for a cheeky pint with friends, like? Wouldn't be the biggest nightclub person myself, never really was, but I've had some epic nights just down the pub with good friends and met some great people who subsequently became friends, boyfriends etc.

Magnetics

I'd say you missed out a little bit but different strokes and all that

For me, the best/craziest weekends of my life involved going out on the lash with a bag of pills on a friday night and coming home late Sunday having partied hard all weekend. It will catch up on you eventually though but **** it they were great times:)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Come back worrying about such things when you are 66. It will seem very insignificant in the overall picture of your life by then, I can assure you.

old hippy

If you feel like going out on a bender, all well and good. 26 is quite young and there's still plenty of time left

Besides, you seem to have had a productive, rewarding time up until now. Don't cave in to pressure or follow the herd.

OP, I'm 28 and haven't been to a nightclub in about 8 years. Even the odd time I did go, I hated it. I don't think you missed out there. Do you mean you never went drinking in general, though? Some of my best times have been in pubs with my mates just having a chat and a laugh.

I'd say you have missed out with the travelling, but only because it's what I love more than almost anything else. If you aren't that arsed about it, though, then why feel regretful? I think if you truly wanted to go on those weekend breaks, you would have. When I get the travel bug, I scrimp and save every penny I have and do hours of overtime to be able to go somewhere.

You're 26, though, not 86. You still have loads of time to do all this.

MadsL

Daddy?
Yes, son
what does regret mean?
You know son, a funny thing about regret is, but it's better to regret something you have done, than something you haven't done. And if you see your mom this weekend, be sure and tell her...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i81w5eHs0qA

old hippy

MadsL wrote: »

Daddy?
Yes, son
what does regret mean?
You know son, a funny thing about regret is, but it's better to regret something you have done, than something you haven't done. And if you see your mom this weekend, be sure and tell her...

Satan! Satan! Satan!

Daveysil15

It is what you make of it I suppose. I've never been out on the piss and thought to myself, "wow this is amazing." Now I have had some good nights out where I had good craic, but for all the good nights, there were just as many bad nights: putting up with rowdiness, the fights, the vomiting, the stench of cigarette smoke (pre-smoking ban) the rude rejections, the rip off cab fares, the hangovers etc. A lot of the time it just wasn't worth it.

languagenerd

Everything is subjective. You chose to spend your money on travels and hobbies - if you enjoyed those, then there's no point regretting it. You don't know what those hypothetical nights out would have been like: they may have been awful! It all really depends on your personality and your group of friends.

If you'd gone out more, then yeah, you may have had some great adventures and crazy experiences. But it's equally possible that you'd have had ended up going to the same places every week with the same people, getting bored of it and feeling like you'd wasted all that time and money. You just don't know. So if you enjoyed the other things you did with the money, then don't regret it!

And you're only 26 - plenty of time for crazy adventures yet!

OP just realised you did indeed travel rather than spending money on booze. I'd say you've nothing to worry about.

TBH I wish I'd never started the heavy boozing - I just don't even appreciate it now and find myself drinking for the sake of it. I used to really enjoy getting a couple of really strong Belgian beers with some food and actually enjoying them rather than necking bottle after bottle of cheap p1ss. Trying to get back to that.

I think drinking is really quite overrated. I used to do a lot more stuff when I rarely drank - cinema, galleries, more cultural stuff, and I think I enjoyed my life more back then.

Vito Corleone

When I'm 26 I would hope to be finished with all that. I can't remember the last night out I enjoyed tbh.

MJ23

Not missing much of those idiot twocanners in college.

TeddyTedson

seamus wrote: »

It's not really all it's cracked up to be tbh. From 18 to 25 I probably went out 50 weekends of the year. As time moves on you find yourself going to the same ****e places with the same people and waking up the next morning realising that it would have been a better night and a better morning if you'd left at 1 o'clock (or before everyone got too drunk and the music got too loud). People whittle away, go travelling, move across the country etc, and the craic gets less because you're doing it every weekend.

Go on big nights out less, and you'll appreciate them more. Avoid nightclubs, go to house parties. Much more fun, and much better chance of hooking up. Even back at 21 I'd prefer sitting in someone's house drinking cans till 4am rather than heading into town to some crap nightclub. I was attached for practically all of my 20s anyway, so hooking up was never on my agenda.

As someone just gone 30 now, with a child, and trying to fit in other hobbies around that, I regret all of the weekends I spent dying on the couch after a lacklustre night, when I could have been doing something worthwhile with my time. I'm sure if I'd rarely gone out, I'd probably regret that I didn't go out more. You can't win

Why do you always have such good posts!
I always end up agreeing with you. You should be running the country!
Seamus! :P:)

old hippy

Vito Corleone wrote: »

When I'm 26 I would hope to be finished with all that. I can't remember the last night out I enjoyed tbh.

So young and jaded