You Cannot Take A Shot in Italy

Drinking in Italy compared to the U.S.

Photo credit: Deviant Art at http://tankphotography.deviantart.com/art/Wine-83351814

Italy uses a comma instead of a decimal point in their prices. Italy uses military time. Italy uses full walls to section off their bathroom stalls for privacy. Italy drinks espressos while we drink coffee water from Dunkin. Italy does not consume alcohol for fun, rather drinks culturally for taste in a subtle way and in a minimal amount. Italians do not drink to get drunk.


In the U.S., especially for young people, drinking is a major part of our collegiate culture, misplaced or not. Many teens at least try drinking in high school, and some drink regularly during those years. In college, drinking excessively is a sign of popularity, masculinity for men, a way for women and men to meet in an intoxicated and relaxed manner, and those who do not drink during these years are not necessarily peer pressured to drink, but in some cases, can be excluded from collegiate social activities, especially once students turn twenty-one. I didn’t try a sip of alcohol until college, but since turning twenty-one, my alcohol consumption has most definitely increased, as my circle of friends socialize with drinking, and have been in a constant celebration of graduation. I rarely just have one drink for the taste, and usually drink two to four drinks a night with the intention of feeling drunk. Though drinking excessively is looked down upon by parents, adults, public places, etc. drinking moderately is encouraged in the college atmosphere, at least in my experience.

In Italy, not only did bars have a different look and purpose, but they are less frequent. Bars in Italy typically serve alcohol along with coffee, sandwiches, and gelato. Bars are a center for socializing, not drinking heavily. The drinking age in Italy is sixteen, though wine is such a significant part of the Italian culture that most teens start drinking wine with dinner before they reach the legal drinking age. Wine is the equivalent of our consumption of water in Italy. Wine is the most common drink that accompanies both lunch and dinner. Italians drink for the taste, to compliment their meal, not with the intention to become drunk. Though I did not visit an Italian college, and it is probable that Italian college students drink excessively, but overall, a tourist does not see Italians stumbling through their cobblestone streets; if anything, a tourist could see another tourist stumbling through cobblestone streets, and therefore, being looked down upon by the Italian residents.

American culture overall is fast-paced, jam-packed with activities and appointments— we never do anything halfway or slowly. Since our downtime is limited and relaxation does not come easily, when the weekend hits, if an American is planning on drinking, I would assume that he or she would most likely drink to get drunk (there are of course exceptions to this generalization). Since we have limited time to relax, we access relaxation through alcohol as quickly as possible. We invented the fast-food industry and many families live on microwavable food. Most food traditions come from an American’s heritage, such as Greek, German, or Russian. We rush, we rarely sit and enjoy something, and most are constantly distracted by some sort of technology, whether it is an iPod, TV show, movie, or the Internet. Now I am not saying that all Europeans do not enjoy and/or are addicted to technology or drinking; I’m sure some are; nor am I saying that all Americans live out of microwaves, drink like fish, and have TVs glued to their faces. But for the sake of argument, Italians are rooted in their culture, for it surrounds them. Italian meals are three or four courses long, and therefore, much longer affairs than the typical American meal. This concept lends itself to the idea of relaxation in Italy: relaxing is much more ordinary, and usually involves great food and local wine. Italians do not drink to get drunk because they do not need to. They know how to relax without intoxication, and I would argue, though I like my fair share of alcohol, that their way of relaxation and drinking is the better option. Italian teens are not banned from alcohol like American teenagers, and come on, we all know that once you tell a teen that they can’t do something, they do it, just out of spite and curiosity and a wanting to discover the world on their own. For us, alcohol becomes something forbidden, something fun and dangerous, so we use it in a fun and dangerous way. Italians drink wine everyday; it’s regular; it’s part of their lives; it isn’t surprising. And that mentality differs greatly from ours, not only concerning drinking, but of our image of how to relax and socialize as a culture overall.