Are you doing Dry January? I’d hazard that, incompatible as it is with student life, there’s a good chance you’re not. I mean, term is only eight weeks long… Therefore, I challenge you to make a different alcohol resolution – indulge in Ginuary. No need to ditch the booze full stop and go crazy at the dissolving of your January need for health guilt, indulge in the art of sipping. Stray from the land of the VKs and own-brand vodka mixed with whatever you could find and be totally extra this Hilary.
So how does one make the most of Ginuary and learn a little mixology on the way? Hot gin is the beverage a la mode. I know – you’re hardly about to order yourself a mug in Wetherspoons, and normally I’d be dubious of anything straying from the refreshing goodness of my standard G&T, but hear me out – you can have the best of both worlds. Perhaps one of the greatest bene ts is that you literally can’t drink it too quickly unless you want a burnt tongue, you are forced to sip, to taste the drink in front of you.
If you’re a bitter humanities student, like me, your favourite will be the hot negroni. Combining Dry Gin, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth, with a hot red berry flavoured tea, you get all the comforts of a cosy night in with your friends, but the joy of, well, drinking. Fearing that it snows again (hands up if you feel personally victimised that it snowed out of term time!), maybe consider investing in a hip flask to stock up on a nice sloe gin – although, I should add, the hip flask is for the benefit of internal warmth when you’re out on cold nights, not necessarily day-drinking.
You may be reading this thinking, ‘seriously, Julia? I’m a student… with a maintenance loan! How am I meant to invest in luxury alcohol products to sip silently in my room?’ Well, I’m not saying it has to be a daily habit (in fact, please don’t make it a daily habit!), but consider skipping your twice-weekly Hassan’s (who am I kidding? It’s definitely more than that), or reminding yourself not to buy a round of drinks in the club (literally the worst idea ever). Get together with your crew for a night in, make a batch of warm gin, and enjoy the delight of sipping your way to a state of warm tipsiness. Drink up – Cheers!
@juliaisobela
