I didn't drink any alcohol for the first 40 years of my life for religious reasons and I really don't think it's that big of a deal to say "no thank you". If yo

I didn't drink any alcohol for the first 40 years of my life for religious reasons and I really don't think it's that big of a deal to say "no thank you". If you're in America or Europe, alcohol is going to be a part of the culture whether you partake or not and I feel that people who don't drink need to accept that. However, there are definitely things that those in the majority can do to make the minority feel included. When I was a new grad student my advisor made it very clear that I wouldn't be pressured to drink at social events and I was grateful for his thoughtfulness. And he was true to his word. I still had to say "no thank you", but I felt safe doing so, and I still felt included.