Right, you've committed to Dry January. The first weekend after NYE is going to be easy: you'll still be hungover. The following weekend? Tougher.
You’re trying. But you’ve seen all the Oscar-worthy films on release, you’ve binged on Black Mirror, and nobody actually wants to go bowling. So what do you do?
Look, no one said giving up alcohol was going to be easy. But here are a few activities to try and keep you occupied and out of those filthy saloons for the rest of the month. Don’t give up yet, you've come this far...
Life Drawing
Life drawing is the perfect Dry Jan activity: classes generally take place in the evening (when a bottle of Malbec is at its most tempting), and they don’t serve booze because that would only encourage sniggering. Anyway, you’ll be dining out on this experience for the next two months. Trust me.
Find life drawing classes in...
Manchester
London
Edinburgh
Bristol
Birmingham
Leeds
Borrow a pet
Having a dog is seriously fun, but it’s also a serious commitment. Which is why loads of unreliable people like me don’t have one. But being responsible for a dog completely shakes up the trajectory of your day. Borrow a pooch from a pal, or take advantage of an excellent service like Borrow My Doggy and take it for a long walk somewhere they’ll enjoy, which is likely to be an adventure for you too (i.e. further than the corner shop). Enjoy sitting outside with a coffee and chatting to all the new acquaintances your four-legged friend will make you. It’s a way of shaking up a Saturday, anyway. Plus, loads of pubs don’t allow dogs. Which helps.
If you're more of a cat person, have a look at Cat In A Flat and (providing you actually know how to look after cats) sign up as a sitter. Responsibilities will involve you popping round to spend half an hour with someone's cat, feeding it, etc. An excellent excuse to turn down your colleague's third pub invitation of the week.
Take a class at the School Of Life
At my friendship group’s Secret Santa last Christmas I was given a voucher for any class at the School of Life. After lamenting the absence of a scented candle, I realised it was a pretty cool present. They have courses on everything from ‘How To Be Confident’ to ‘How To Realise Your Potential’ to ‘Learn To Trust Again’. Wait, maybe they were trying to tell me something…
Sadly, the School of Life is in London but, if you're based in the North, check out excellent culture blog Creative Tourist who would be sure to list any similar events across Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Cumbria.
Get an impressive signature dish
Use your booze purgatory to polish your culinary skills. And why not work on making an impressive signature dish? Whether it’s as simple as a roast lamb, or as complex as a chocolate soufflé, lock yourself in the kitchen and perfect it. Then when you start boozing again and go to dinner parties (because sober dinner parties are the pits) you will blush with pride when everyone starts saying things like, “Oh, Julie, you MUST bring your famous cheesecake! Please?”
There's SO many cookbooks out in January to get inspiration from. Give all the "lose weight" and "nourish" ones a miss and instead take your new signature dish from one of these.
Eat Up - Ruby Tandoh (we've already claimed the butternut squash and chickpea stew)
Ramen at Home: The Easy Japanese Cookbook for Classic Ramen and Bold New Flavors - Brian McDuckston
Solo Food: 72 recipes for you alone - Janneke Vreugdenhil
The Great Peanut Butter Cookbook – Anthony Boundy
Make a bowl
Now you might think ceramics should be filed under ‘Twee activities that no one would consider if they were actually drinking’ but, honestly, a friend of mine recently enquired on Facebook where they could do a pottery class in London and the response was enormous. Apparently every single one of his Facebook mates had been secretly harbouring a desire to make like Demi and Patrick and get to grips with a pottery wheel. And just imagine taking your signature cheesecake to a dinner party on a plate YOU MADE YOURSELF. Talking point much?
Museum Crush has a good list of places around the country to try it out.
Music video dance classes
I’m not going to tell you to join a gym or go running in the park (although if you can’t manage that in Dry Jan then truly you are a keep-fit failure, my friend) but music video dance classes are actually really fun. And it’s hardly exercise (although they try to sell it that way) so you won’t get too puffed out. I once did a class to learn all the moves from Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” and at just about every party since my friends have begged me not to do it. A resounding success.
Try Seen On Screen Fitness.
Learn some music
Whether it’s getting a friend to teach you a bit of guitar, or dusting off your flute, re-attune yourself with your inner musician. Once I went round to a friend's house and he taught me drums and I made him spaghetti bolognese. It was great. One friend is spending this Dry Jan learning how to play "Sorry" by Justin Bieber on piano, which she hasn't touched for over a decade (the piano not Justin Bieber). Anyway, you will have a new party trick for when you're ready to party again.
Check out YouTube for tutorials for every instrument you can think of including piano, guitar
and drums. Although where you find the drum kit is down to you.
Lie in bed and don’t get out until February
I mean, no one will judge you. Besides, your hair probably looks crap from the home dye job.
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