Drinking and Traveling

Let's talk about one of the best things about going abroad. Studying abroad and being in a European city generally means that you can drink outdoors and drink legally if you are not 21 and cannot in the states. Good stuff. However, it is important to take care in your drinking travels. One oopsie and you can find yourself homeless, lost, or stuck at a train station for an unpleasant amount of time.

Here are some helpful hints to stay safe, happy, and drunk in your European travels!

• Know the time of your train. In Copenhagen, Sunday through Thursday the S Tog does not run after around 12:30 at night, so be careful not to miss the last one or you will have to figure out the night bus. On Friday and Saturday nights the S Tog does run throughout the night, but only once on the hour. Know the time each hour your train will leave and plan accordingly so that you do not have to sit there for an annoying amount of time and waste and hour of sleep!
• Know how to get home. When traveling to other cities, make sure you know what transportation line to take BEFORE you start getting wasted. Maybe draw yourself a handy little map. Street names are always helpful.
  
• Keep your keys safe. Need I say more? Put them around your neck, duct tape them to your face, put them in your wallet, whatever. Just don't lose your keys if you are traveling in a new city. Especially.... if you are staying in a somewhat sketchy apartment building situation and the landlord does not have an extra key so you will have to spend way too much money hiring someone to break the lock to the apartment in the morning and then will have to wait another four hours for cleaning ladies to clean up another apartment that you can move into. Does it seem like I am speaking from experience?
  
• Buddy system. Don't go out or try to get home in a new city alone. Being lost with buds may lead to some yelling and frustration, but being lost on your own would be worse.
  
• Stay awake on public transportation. We've all been there. Sitting on the train home and all of a sudden you wake up three stops past your own or at the end of the line. Whoops. I recommend playing the stupid games on your shitty Piccell phone or finding someone to chat with. Maybe not that toothless homeless guy though.
• Have a mental image of yourself sleeping in a gutter, just in case. Is one more drink or dance with that euro hottie or going home with them really worth missing the last train or having no idea how to get home in the morning? Compare the gutter image to yourself drunkenly curled up in your own bed, and you tell me.
  
• As for keeping up the buzz before you have to head home, or for beer for the road, 7/11's are great as are Non Stop shops for cheaper beers.