Back in March of 2020, I had just stopped drinking. I had no idea what recovery was and I hardly knew anyone that was sober. During my time of drinking, I was very social and loved to attend events and meet people. Quitting drinking was daunting to me at first because I felt so alone in doing it. I remember getting on my computer and searching “alcohol-free Raleigh” and “sober Raleigh.” Thankfully there were plenty of websites and info available for help getting sober in Raleigh (12 step meetings, rehabs, therapists who specialize in substance abuse). However, I didn’t see a social group that was alcohol-free. I wanted to see pictures of people my age (I was 25 at the time) who had stopped drinking. I wanted to see them living their life, having fun in sobriety because at the time I was seriously worried it wouldn’t be possible for me. I was so used to associating fun with alcohol, and I worried at the time that the fun was over. 

Thankfully now that I’ve had over a year and a half of not drinking, I’ve experienced exactly the opposite of what I worried about. I’ve had more fun than I ever have in my life while not drinking. I’m 100% present for my friends and the activities I do. I have a newfound pride and confidence in myself for how I’ve changed my life for the better. I have countless new friends who are also sober, which makes me not feel so alone in a culture where alcohol is everywhere.

I want the events I plan to be for anyone to enjoy. It’s not a requirement to be sober to attend, it’s purely for anyone who wants an alcohol-free event. I have plenty of friends who still drink, but they like Zero Proof because they don’t always want events that revolve around drinking. My hope is also that by doing this, it will normalize not drinking. There are so many stigmas about sobriety, alcoholism, and recovery. Many of those stigmas are what kept me from looking into stopping drinking sooner than I did.
‍
So for whatever reason that brought you to Zero Proof, welcome and I’m so glad you’re here. Maybe if you’re newly sober like I was and you did a sober Google search for Raleigh, you stumbled upon this and you feel a little less alone in your journey.

I'm originally from Winston-Salem but have been in Raleigh for about eight years ever since I moved here to attend N.C. State. My full-time job is working as a content specialist for a marketing firm in downtown Raleigh. When I'm not planning events, I love to hang out with my golden retriever named River and my cat, Sookie. My favorite things to do include hanging out at coffee shops, eating at local Raleigh restaurants, and spending time with friends and family.