The Student Room Group

How Do I Drink a Shot? I Can't Do One Without Throwing Up!

Hi,

Usually I have a relatively normal alcohol tolerance level. I prefer drinking mixers or wine or cider, but eventually at some point in a night out everyone will start doing shots and I dread it because I just can't do one! It's nothing really horrible either, usually just vodka...

Anyway, I feel really left out because if I refuse to do one, everyone thinks I'm boring so I'll end up doing one and then I'll either spit it out straight away (as a reflex, believe me, I really try to keep it down) and if I've not been drinking before I might even bring up the contents of my stomach with it! And that's a just really embarrassing...

So does anyone have any tips on how to do a shot. I know it should be tip your head back and pour it down fast without trying to taste it, but it just doesn't work for me :frown:

I'm not drinking for the sake of it, well often i drink to get drunk, but I enjoy the process of socialising and slowly getting drunker more than the end result. But I'm starting to feel left out and like a bit of a loser!

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"but I'm starting to feel left out and like a bit of a loser" - The only thing making you sound like a loser is calling yourself a loser. If you throw up from drinking shots, stop taking shots simple. Stop giving a **** what people think, instead drink what your normally drink. Why be sick just because a few mates think you're boring...?

Besides when they say you're boring, it's not in a literal term, it's just to egg you on. Like saying "You suckkk.. " in a jokey way, can actually have a big effect on someone lol
If you don't want to, don't. It's not like you're spending nights out teetotal and refusing to dance. If you're being social and getting involved then your friends are unlikely to care that you turned down a shot fiver minutes later [=
What are you doing shots of? There's a difference between necking a shot of 40% vodka/whiskey etc and a 15% shot of something like Apple sourz. Do weaker shots?
Reply 4
Shots of vodka are gipping! Just either go for something else like sambuca or aftershock (they barely class as a shot anyway). I don't think you are going to be judged by your mates for not drinking shots?!
You could always try pinching your nose or something..?

It sounds like whatever you do you're not going to enjoy the shots, so why bother? Nobody here thinks that you're a 'loser' because you don't like drinking something that makes you physically want to vomit. Just tell your friends where they can stick it, or better yet, just ignore what they're saying about it. Laugh it off and just explain.

As others have said, you can still have a good time without doing shots if you don't like them.

:smile:
[video="youtube;ZpgCYP5LbuM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpgCYP5LbuM[/video]

Hopefully not like this!
Reply 7
trying doing shots of 60/70% rum, I stopped being affected by drinking after throwing up the first time, now I'm damn near immune to it all :frown: do a jager bomb, much cooler,tastier and it's mixed with red bull, so should be fine with you and your mates, plus they're the same price as a shot of vodka if you go somewhere good...
Reply 8
Original post by stac4321
Hi,

Usually I have a relatively normal alcohol tolerance level. I prefer drinking mixers or wine or cider, but eventually at some point in a night out everyone will start doing shots and I dread it because I just can't do one! It's nothing really horrible either, usually just vodka...

Anyway, I feel really left out because if I refuse to do one, everyone thinks I'm boring so I'll end up doing one and then I'll either spit it out straight away (as a reflex, believe me, I really try to keep it down) and if I've not been drinking before I might even bring up the contents of my stomach with it! And that's a just really embarrassing...

So does anyone have any tips on how to do a shot. I know it should be tip your head back and pour it down fast without trying to taste it, but it just doesn't work for me :frown:

I'm not drinking for the sake of it, well often i drink to get drunk, but I enjoy the process of socialising and slowly getting drunker more than the end result. But I'm starting to feel left out and like a bit of a loser!


attempt it with water and try get the method right,
it should go straight to the back of your mouth ( if you feel the soft bit at the back of your mouth it should hit about there and then you just have to swallow it quickly) and be swalowed straight away (thats how i do em anyways) and i only taste them for like, a split second

if it make you ill though, just dont do them....
you cant enjoy the night smelling of vomit?
Reply 9
I hate vodka shots. They are hard to keep down, so I can empathise. I like other shots though - maybe you will get on better with something weaker or less plain like Sourz.
Sake owns lol :tongue:
Reply 11
Most shots are hardly pleasant to the the majority of people anyway, so it's understandable some people really can't stomach them. Just forget about them and move on - it's not that much of a big deal, seriously.
Just stop doing shots. Noone's forcing you to drink them. If you really want to do one though, you're going to have to find a type that you agree with. For example, i've a worse time doing shots of red aftershock than i do with other things, so i stopped taking red aftershock. Just keep going until you eliminate all the worst ones and stick to the ones you agree with better. Try sourz, they're pretty timid.

When i started drinking i had a real bad time with shots as well, but i found that if i took it and then kept it in my mouth for 5 seconds it usually made it a bit better. Don't swallow any of it, don't swirl it around, just leave it in your mouth for 5 seconds and then swallow in one go. It kind of mixes with your saliva and isn't as rough on your throat and you've got a basic idea of the flavour as well without coughing it all up. Or so i've found. I still do it sometimes when i take something for the first time, just to try it out.

Honestly though you're probably better just staying away from them if the reaction's that bad, shots aren't for everyone.
Drinking vodka straight always seems a bit depressing to me :biggrin:

Experiment with some other shots like sourz and desserano :coma:
Reply 14
Original post by stac4321
Hi,


If you're throwing up when doing a shot, don't do shots yet. You need more experience drinking if you're throwing up (I'm not talking about getting a "technique", just you need your body to be able to handle it better.) Assuming you're drinking once in a while, try it in a couple of months and you should be fine.

Alternatively, start your drinking with a shot. (I.e. at the start of a party, before you've drank anything else.) As long as you don't spit it out because of the taste your stomach should be able to cope with it. Make sure you've eat a couple of hours before, drinking on an empty stomach isn't advised, unless you're going out your way to get smashed.
If you throw up after doing shots, I suggest you stop doing them.
1. If you don't like doing shots, then you shouldn't do them. I like strong spirits like rum, whisky and sambuca but I don't like vodka - so I just don't drink it, and when my friends buy it I refuse to drink. Although this makes me unpopular for a few minutes, eventually they learn.

2. Doing shots: what I do is a take a quick sip of it when it comes. This gives my mouth a taste of the drink and it's not so much of a shock to the system!. And I think that stops the 'reflex'. Although this is pub science, and I may be completely wrong!!!.

Also a good thing is to get used to the drink. So at home or wherever, you should start drinking it just like a normal drink. Again, I didn't like rum when I first had it, nor beer- but I have learnt to like it.

3. If you are just not a strong spirits person then you should consider doing Apple Sourz or something else weak when others have their rum/vodka.

One final baaaaad tip that you shouldn't do. Is when you are preparing to take the shot. Take the glass and sort of tilt it out of the way of your m8s.... this will get rid of some of the shot. Over time, you can become an expert at this and eventually you only drink half a shot!. This obviously is a waste of money, but it avoids your m8s taking the mick from you.
True story- we once had a very strong spirit when I started going out. And I though I just cant drink it. I managed to tilt the glass enough that I only drank a drop of the drink.... and nobody ever knew!! (but obviously I did the usual reaction of "urghhh this is disgusting" "wow strong stuff" etc
Reply 17
I used to be able to stomach any shot whenever but since a bad night where I had too much I can not stomach even 1 shot it just makes me gipp I can drink it but I would look out of sorts for up to 20minutes then I would be fine again does anybody know why I can not stomach them now and is there any way to help me get over the sickness of shots???
Shots of vodka are pretty rank anyway, try Sambuca? Or suggest jager bombs.
Reply 19
Same thing here I had 1 bad night now I can’t take shots and usually they’re no problem but I found using a chaser helps a bit after like just drink something after really quick and it helps a lot!!!