General

Didn't drink but i did eat alcohol cholate and my mom cook with rice wine and beer.

my dad would give me sips of wine/beer all through my childhood

first time drunk at 17, twas fun

15 was the first time i actually drank, i wanted to get drunk to see what it was all about so i mixed up rum, wine, and a mike hard lemonade in a waterbottle. Most disgusting thing ever, but it made me feel great.

But for a proper drink, 16, at a party just hanging out with my brother he made me a few nice mixed drinks

Never actually.. I'm 26 and an anti-alcoholic. I find it's just a drink and nothing special, I can do without.. there's other beverages out there to enjoy. I guess my mother brought me up with such an anti-smoking, anti-drinking and anti-drugs atmosphere (not that I minded) that I came to hate all of those by nature. Other people can enjoy these things if they'd like.. that doesn't bother me. Just as long as I'm not forced to drink or take them, I'm happy.

I don't drink often, but the first time I drank was when I was 18.
First proper drink? As in not crap, cheap alcohol? Prolly 19-20.

I'm 18, which is the legal age in Finland. Still haven't touched any alcoholic drink.

My parents did offer me on my 18th birthday but I refused. I'm not religious (I'm an atheist), I don't have health problems, I'm not part of a temperance movement etc etc. I'm not sure if it was cause of my parents fighting in my childhood after a few drinks (they've not really been really "drunk", but as a kid you see the smallest change in personality. People drinking get provoked really easily). I don't need alcohol to have fun and I don't want to ruin my possible future relationship because of a drug.

As for other people, go ahead and drink if you want! But don't tell us how people are weird when they don't drink or brag around about how you were drunk last night. [url=http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/200/420/BRTky.jpg?1321408042]This is my face when I see stuff like that.[/url] And then in the next convo state how cigarette/weed smokers must be idiots for doing something unhealthy.

I see nothing fun in drinking, cigarettes, weed or other drugs. But on the other hand, I couldn't give a damn about what other people do and the nannies who try to control manners of others are obviously going to fail horribly in it.

I haven't. I took a sip of wine from my brother's drink once, but it tasted horrid. I haven't had the mispleasure of tasting another alcoholic beverage since.

I don't really drink. I don't know if I will.

I drank like, a small sip of something that was 4% alcohol I think at a friend's party when I was twelve. o.o

For some reason, people would think that I was 14 when I was 12 back then, now people think I'm 12 now that I'm 14. >.<

When the person who gave me the drink realized I was only 12, they were all like, " What...? Omg... I'm so sorry. D: " lol... -.-

Definetely not something that people would expect from me. :c

1 year old, on my birthday.

Haven't ever been drunk, and I don't plan on ever drinking, so yeah.
Drinking is so stupid.

@OhMiOhMai: I'm just saying you can drink without intending to get drunk.

If taking 2 sips of vodka and spitting it out doesn't count as a proper drink, then I've never had one, and I never will. yuk </3

Probably around 11 or 12, but it was always at home with family and in little quantities (a glass or two max), purely for the taste. The only time I actually got drunk was when I set up an experiment to see how much I would need to drink to get really smashed (again, done at home, and in the name of science, of course :}), and this was when I was over 21 years old.
Any other time I drink it is also always only a couple of glasses and only to enhance the taste of food I am eating at the time, or simply to enjoy the taste of the drink itself. I think that's pretty normal

i mean i've had sips of wine and beer at family parties with my parents since i was about 15
my first time i drank anything hard was nearly a year later -- i think i had six or seven shots of scotch back to back

and yes i drink to get drunk and no i definitely don't need it to have fun
and i've only ever drank alone

I forgot I posted in this thread already Long weekend...

First time I really got drunk was about 16 years old?

16, like two bottles at this girl's party. It's more of a social convention thing I guess than me actually really enjoying it... (I do like the effects of it though lol).

[quote=Zora]Had my first real drink when I was 19, well I'm still 19 so I should just say several months ago. It tasted horrible. I honestly don't see the big fascination in alcohol other than getting drunk and impressing friends. I understand that it can be served in special occasions, but just drinking on a regular basis is pointless. I prefer non-alcoholic sparkling juice.[/quote]
[quote=fraddBS]Why do people even think getting drunk is cool...?

Alcohol tastes bad.[/quote]
I'm 19 too and my friend offered me something called absolute vodka. It tasted terrible. I don't plan to drink again. If it's for a social thing, I would rather drink some pepsi or eat chocolate chip cookies with everyone. Everyone loves pepsi and cookies

I've only drank like once or twice and not much. A cup of wine maybe? I didn't really like it.So after that cup I just didn't drink anymore.
I'm 18 atm and I think it happened when I was 18 or late 17 years old when I first had a drink? o.o

I think it's stupid how people so young are already trying to get drunk. -.-

I started to drink occasionally when I was out with friends at the age of 15, but then I didn't really go out that much to get a hangover or something.

I am 22 and I do enjoy downing a couple cold ones with my pals from time to time. It is too bad that we have the worst tasting pale lagers where I'm from. Gotta have 'em beastly cold, or not at all haha. As for the original question, I honestly can't remember the exact age I started.

Reading through some pretty pointless arguments about drinking in this thread though. Can't we all get along? Oh wait, this is the internet...never mind =]

@metaghost4: I'm sorry

14 with wine.
15 for beer and spirits. So forth. Haven't had alcohol in a while.

Been drinking since I was 13 or something. But that's normal in the Netherlands. Usually low alcohol % stuff like breezers and smirnoff ice. It wasn't until I turned 16-17 that I started drinking the actual 40-85% stuff we have at home. To be honest, I rather not touch the 85% crap. I got really drunk once on my 18th birthday, but that's an exception. Next to that I don't drink that much.

Cinco de Mayo(naise). I was 21 and my roommates and I were experimenting on how much alcohol it would take me to feel drunk.

@metaghost4: Dark chocolate, sunlight and girls cure loneliness

I drank a can of Chinese beer when I was 16. Peer pressure from drunk adults.

@qtprincessxoxo: Well i've been in boarding school T.T

good thing its over nao ;D

@qtprincessxoxo: Looool.

Yeah I really haven't been on Maple laterly, so it not your fault.

@metaghost4: Oh well that's awful D: That's what internet friends are for I suppose~

[quote=qtprincessxoxo]Got drunk once in China when I visited for the summer before I started high school, didn't really drink again until I was 17 or so[/quote]

BAD DANNY!

(its Eli)

OT: [15] 2 weeks ago in Australia. Was at a wedding and I had like 7 glasses of Champagne omggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

18, never had a drink. I don't really care for one either. Grew up in a family where no adults cared for drinks, so it's whatever for me too.

17, white russian with tequila. a milkshake with attitude lol.

@metaghost4: D: what?

My first proper drink was when i was 14 (almost 15). Drank a bit on my sisters wedding ^_^ Not enough to get me completely smashed but it got me tipsy.

I had my first drink just a few days before going off to college when I was 18. I figured I might as well have my first time be amongst a group of good friends rather than at some giant party in college where I'd be surrounded by hundreds of people I don't know.

I don't drink to make myself more "social" or "confident". I'm pretty sure I talk about the same amount when I'm sober compared to when I'm drunk. I guess I just drink to feel more carefree and momentarily forget about anything stressful that might otherwise worry me. Also, I drink when I'm happy and the alcohol enhances that feeling of happiness.

[quote=metaghost4]@OhMiOhMai: But don't you hate that you isolate yourself from your friends? As if you put up some friendship barrier around between you and them. And don't you get lonely when they're out partying and having fun?[/quote]

It's not like I only have 3 friends. None of them party together. And I never want to go out to places when drinking is the main source of entertainment. I don't feel isolated at all. There are a lot of things about me that make me the unique one of the group but those things make me the special one that everything is centered around.

[quote=Lancaster]Are all of your friends depressive alcoholics or something? jeez[/quote]

Mmmm no, most of them don't drink at all. The ones that do just realize they don't drink around the ones that don't because when we're together, we talk and enjoy each other's company. Their other friends fight unless they're drinking and they talk about really boring stuff apparently. I'd rather just not hang out with people who aren't fun but I don't care about having 200 friends that I don't really like.

[quote=TheWire]I'm pretty sure being drunk doesn't make your body immune to feeling the burn of a lit stove.

People drink because it relieves stress and tension and it makes people who are otherwise more shy and nervous in social settings better at socializing. And in response to another one of your posts "why not drink tea, smoothies or eat cupcakes instead?".. uh, I'm pretty sure smoothies and cupcakes aren't good for you lmao.
[/quote] It was a simile. Drinking alcohol affects keeps you from an instinct that is there for self preservation. Feeling pain is also for self preservation. If you can't feel pain, it doesn't mean bad things don't happen to your body, you just don't feel them. If you drink, you don't notice small social queues, and you misinterpret big ones. It stop you from looking like an idiot and making poor decisions.

Also, smoothies are totally healthful what kind of awful smoothies do you drink? And cupcakes are ok in moderation but there's a reason why you can gives cupcakes to a 5 year old, but not beer.
[quote=Lancaster]I wonder why you keep attributing it to things like peer pressure or an inability to have fun? I'm 22 and I drink for the aforementioned reasons, in addition to enjoying the tastes and feelings that accompany it. There aren't any health risks associated with drinking in moderation that worry me.[/quote]
Because most people start drinking because they are put into situations where everyone else is doing it, at the most impressionable of ages so they feel forced to try it or else feel like an outsider. And because everyone I know who drinks only drinks when they don't think something is going to be fun, so they drink to "make it bearable."

[quote=metaghost4] I envy you, I'm 19 and never drank but with the college I go to i'm probably the 1% who hasn't.[/quote] Proud of you for not giving in to peer pressure. I don't let my friends drink in my house and they don't drink around me, they drink around their friends who aren't very smart because it's the only way they have fun together x.x

16.
The first time I drank was probably the best time, too.

[quote=Lancaster]Who said I or anyone else needed a drink to have a good time? I certainly don't, but I gladly welcome it.[/quote]

But I'm asking why when it's bad for you and your mind x.x I guess peer pressure just doesn't get to me like it does others. I don't do things just to be like other people, I do things because I want to and I do not want to have my mind altered by some drug </3

[quote=Lancaster]Because a drink or two goes a long way in a small social setting. It gets people more friendly and talkative, and also serves as a convenient pretext for getting together to hang out in the first place.[/quote]

It gets people acting friendly because it makes them care less about etiquette, expectations and behaviors that they follow in any other situation. It takes away insecurities and nervousness and makes you more open to different conversations and activities. Maybe if you just became a more confident, friendly, and Socratic during parties you wouldn't need drugs like alcohol to have a good time.

[quote=Dorkasaurusss]We are all God's special children.[/quote]
There is no god.

*cue religious rant*

Had my first beer when I was 13 lol
my dad was drunk and he just gave me my own beer

Back in my country i drank frequently when i was like 5-7 and my uncles would give me a sip or 2 so i would fall asleep when i was like 3? i still drink sometimes but not to much

btw @Dorkasaurusss ru a girl? o-o, and ur just attempting to start an argument with him i ask u to stop because most things u are stating are quite annoying

15 or 16
It would be in the fridge just sitting there. I licked the edge of the bottle long before those ages and hated the taste
This time it was Smirinoff and it was green and had green apple flavoring in it so I tried it and liked it but didn't drink too much. It was already opened so I left enough so that no one would notice. Didn't get drunk.
When I was 17 and went to a friends party, I had more of a proper drink, or couple of drinks.

Never, all I had was a sip of rice wine and ate sheep doused in beer (and it was ok).

[quote=lindemann]I think it's strong of you to have stayed away from alcohol for so long. But you're making it sound as if the only purpose of alcohol is to get drunk.
I'm 19 (fairly young) and i dont go out and get drunk every friday like most teens. You [b]can[/b] drink alcohol for the company. For some people it's a social thing, you have a beer with your friends or so. Not eight beers.

And to answer the threadstarters question. I tasted it when i was very young at first, but it was just simlpy a sip from my fathers beer or such. The first time i drank alcohol in the manner you are speaking about must have been when i turned eighteen.[/quote]

They why not have tea? smoothies? cupcakes? Why choose something that isn't good for your body, dangerous if you can't control it, and makes the top half of your brain take the backseat?

At the age of 18.