Drinking to have a good time?

With all the recent celebrations I've been thinking about something for a while and wanted to share it with you because I don't know if I'm the only person who feels this way? I have never been the one to go out 'partying' or getting drunk every weekend with my friends. I do have the occasional drinks but I don't feel the need to drink to have fun. To me I honestly think it's a little sad these days that people feel like the only way they can have fun is to drink. But it's also hard because I know that alcohol is an escape to a lot of people and it lets them forget things for a while. I mean when I do have a couple of drinks I do like the way it makes me feel, it makes me feel more confident it makes me more sociable and not so awkward or shy. The thing is a lot of people find it odd if people don't drink like it doesn't seem 'normal' to them. These days especially in Britain we are known for the amount we drink and I personally don't like being known for that. I'm not totally against drinking but I don't like the fact that people feel the need like the only way they can have a good time is to drink. 

It seems to me that when someone doesn't do something that most people do it seems to sort of make us feel like we are the odd ones out. But why should that make us different? It's like if a certain group of friends like the same music but one of the people in that group likes a different genre to the rest they become an outcast? I don't know if you feel this way sometimes about these sort of things but I've never been one to do something just because every body else does it. There's been times when I've been hanging around with people who smoke but never have I once been tempted to start doing it myself. I know a lot of people have started smoking because everybody else is and they want to 'fit in' but me I don't go that way. I guess I like to be my own person and even if that makes me seem a little odd sometimes and that I'm not into the same things as a lot of people are I like the fact it makes me different. I don't want to do something just because everyone else is doing it, I don't need to drink and a lot of the times I don't want to drink. Sometimes If I'm honest being around obnoxious drunk people is my worst nightmare, don't get me wrong there are the few odd people who are actually hilarious when drunk but me I'm absolutely fine just drinking soft drinks and having a good time.

What do you think about this? Do you drink a lot? Or aren't you really fussed about drinking? 

Happy New Year! 

xxx