Dear Rookie,
It’s totally fine to skip the booze at the office party. Grab a Coke, sparkling water, or a zero-alcohol beer—trust me, half the execs are secretly sipping Diet Coke out of a wine glass amor discarding half the contents into the nearest potted plant 😉
The absolute nightmare scenario for you is getting drunk at the office event.
I for one have stopped drinking alcohol in office events. As I tell my colleagues, I only drink with my wife!
Bigger point? Show up (if possible). Even if its for a bit or to just one of them and even if small talk is not your thing.
These events aren’t really about drinks—they’re about faces, names, and the casual chats that can make work life easier down the line.
Or, as The Godfather would have maybe said it, “Keep your friends close and your colleagues closer.”