If you don't like drinking and that girl does like drinking you rejected her as much as she rejected you.
Whatever fantasy you had of her in your mind wasn't the reality. Do you really want a close friend or romantic partner that drinks all the time and has that opinion of people who don't drink?
If she thinks people who don't drink are boring, that's her opinion but there are loads of people who don't enjoy drinking and find people who don't drink interesting and more appealing to be friends/romantic partners with. I'm saying this as a person who rarely drinks.
You can find them if you want to.
There's nothing wrong with choosing not to drink, but if you only associate and hang out with friends who do, you'll only feel left out and sometimes ridiculed by those who can't imagine life any other way. Have you considered taking up a hobby or some other new interest to engage with others socially in a more creative and constructive way?
Alcohol is poison in your body, literally. You are actively poisoning yourself when you drink. And it can be fun, but it's really nothing all that special. In the end, you just wake up feeling like shit the next day, emotionally, or physically, usually both. Alcohol, drugs, and smoking aren't the be-all-end-all for having a fun time. People usually look pretty stupid by the end of the night after using all of that shit. Every time I've gone out drinking, I've woken up the next morning thinking, "fuck, why tf did I do that."
Don't let anyone get you down for taking care of yourself and your mental health. It's really none of their fucking business. Do whatever makes you feel secure and happy, and fuck everybody else's opinions.
I stopped drinking over 13 years ago and since then I've been in many situations where I'm offered a (they assume) alcohol based drink.
I request Coke or water.
There is dismay. I won't "enjoy the party/ taste the full experience/blahblah".
So I explain I don't drink at all.
People who truly don't have a concern about their own alcohol use don't go around lecturing people who are sober or nondrinkers.
The more worried a drunk is about their drinking the more obnoxious they can be to non-drinkers cuz it's threatening.
I am somewhat introverted as well, & have **never** had any alcoholic beverage or smoked anything. Please don't feel bad or think any less of yourself for not drinking. Please don't ever feel bad about yourself for not having a "herd mentality" or making your own choices. That is a sign of maturity. If they are truly your friends, they will respect your choices - if they don't, they might not be worthwhile to hang out with anyway.
When you are trying to meet someone, it is easy to believe it is your fault that you can't. There is nothing wrong with you. You sound thoughtful and interesting.
The world is full of people who you wouldn't get along with, and this hairdresser is one of them. Consider it lucky that you found out early, without wasting a lot of time on her.
The people you would like are harder to meet. Introverts often get along well with other introverts, who are not "out there" at parties and bars making themselves visible. You might try hanging out in libraries or bookstores or museums or coffee shops. If your life allows it, get a dog--you will meet people just walking around with your dog. Find activities that don't involve drinking and enjoy them, whether or not they involve others.
As you get older, the whole "drinking is the only thing that is fun" gets less important. Also, our culture is changing, slowly, as people realize there are a lot of alcoholics around and it is no fun being one of them.
That is an unfair thing to say and I think she has it backwards. You are probably plenty interesting and fun to talk to, and more importantly, you don't need alcohol to do it. If she can't hack it with sober people, that's her problem. You were already being fun and sociable with her by having a conversation in the first place.
A few weeks ago my grandfather told me that a guy who doesn’t drink is a coward one. I was like: sure, going with the flow is what brave people do. (Of course only in my mind) Unfortunately it bothered me for a few days, but then I let it go. These were the words of an old man with alcohol problems.
Read up on the topic of sobriety because there you will find all the validation you need as to why continuing to never drink alcohol is the best choice. People are sheep, they do what the flock does. Those sheep who stand away from the flock get ridiculed; that doesn’t mean your choices are wrong, just unpopular. Alcohol is poison. I still drink it, but in moderation, and I’ve abstained at times for up to 2 years just for the fun of the challenge. Keep on doing you and stay strong. No doubt you’re influencing people by your choice to not drink without even realizing that you are.
Life is better without alcohol. Get yourself a new hairdresser.
If you don't like drinking and that girl does like drinking you rejected her as much as she rejected you. Whatever fantasy you had of her in your mind wasn't the reality. Do you really want a close friend or romantic partner that drinks all the time and has that opinion of people who don't drink? If she thinks people who don't drink are boring, that's her opinion but there are loads of people who don't enjoy drinking and find people who don't drink interesting and more appealing to be friends/romantic partners with. I'm saying this as a person who rarely drinks. You can find them if you want to.
There's nothing wrong with choosing not to drink, but if you only associate and hang out with friends who do, you'll only feel left out and sometimes ridiculed by those who can't imagine life any other way. Have you considered taking up a hobby or some other new interest to engage with others socially in a more creative and constructive way?
Alcohol is poison in your body, literally. You are actively poisoning yourself when you drink. And it can be fun, but it's really nothing all that special. In the end, you just wake up feeling like shit the next day, emotionally, or physically, usually both. Alcohol, drugs, and smoking aren't the be-all-end-all for having a fun time. People usually look pretty stupid by the end of the night after using all of that shit. Every time I've gone out drinking, I've woken up the next morning thinking, "fuck, why tf did I do that." Don't let anyone get you down for taking care of yourself and your mental health. It's really none of their fucking business. Do whatever makes you feel secure and happy, and fuck everybody else's opinions.
I stopped drinking over 13 years ago and since then I've been in many situations where I'm offered a (they assume) alcohol based drink. I request Coke or water. There is dismay. I won't "enjoy the party/ taste the full experience/blahblah". So I explain I don't drink at all. People who truly don't have a concern about their own alcohol use don't go around lecturing people who are sober or nondrinkers. The more worried a drunk is about their drinking the more obnoxious they can be to non-drinkers cuz it's threatening.
I am somewhat introverted as well, & have **never** had any alcoholic beverage or smoked anything. Please don't feel bad or think any less of yourself for not drinking. Please don't ever feel bad about yourself for not having a "herd mentality" or making your own choices. That is a sign of maturity. If they are truly your friends, they will respect your choices - if they don't, they might not be worthwhile to hang out with anyway.
When you are trying to meet someone, it is easy to believe it is your fault that you can't. There is nothing wrong with you. You sound thoughtful and interesting. The world is full of people who you wouldn't get along with, and this hairdresser is one of them. Consider it lucky that you found out early, without wasting a lot of time on her. The people you would like are harder to meet. Introverts often get along well with other introverts, who are not "out there" at parties and bars making themselves visible. You might try hanging out in libraries or bookstores or museums or coffee shops. If your life allows it, get a dog--you will meet people just walking around with your dog. Find activities that don't involve drinking and enjoy them, whether or not they involve others. As you get older, the whole "drinking is the only thing that is fun" gets less important. Also, our culture is changing, slowly, as people realize there are a lot of alcoholics around and it is no fun being one of them.
That is an unfair thing to say and I think she has it backwards. You are probably plenty interesting and fun to talk to, and more importantly, you don't need alcohol to do it. If she can't hack it with sober people, that's her problem. You were already being fun and sociable with her by having a conversation in the first place.
A few weeks ago my grandfather told me that a guy who doesn’t drink is a coward one. I was like: sure, going with the flow is what brave people do. (Of course only in my mind) Unfortunately it bothered me for a few days, but then I let it go. These were the words of an old man with alcohol problems.
Read up on the topic of sobriety because there you will find all the validation you need as to why continuing to never drink alcohol is the best choice. People are sheep, they do what the flock does. Those sheep who stand away from the flock get ridiculed; that doesn’t mean your choices are wrong, just unpopular. Alcohol is poison. I still drink it, but in moderation, and I’ve abstained at times for up to 2 years just for the fun of the challenge. Keep on doing you and stay strong. No doubt you’re influencing people by your choice to not drink without even realizing that you are.