Yesterday was bad. And by bad I acknowledge that given my very comfortable life, supportive family and friends, good health and education it wasn’t that bad (excuse the disclaimer, I have just spent an evening watching moving television programmes about Cambodian refugees and stroke sufferers on ABC1, so I am feeling pretty grateful right now).

Anyway, despite all my fortune in life, I made some very bad choices on Saturday night which resulted in a amazingly sh*t Sunday. Without going into too much detail, no dinner and a night of merrily chugging gin and vodka meant I spent from 10am to 5:30pm on Sunday being physically ill at 15 minute intervals. I am not exaggerating. I hadn’t had a hangover that intense since I was a hardcore partying exchange student in Austria earlier this year and last year. Despite all my usual ‘tricks’; Powerade to hydrate and replace lost salts and electrolytes, Zantac to settle my stomach, Nurofen Plus for my pounding head and jelly beans, well just because, NOTHING was going to prematurely end my pain. All I could do was wait it out and think about what an idiot I was.

I have some very prominent reminders of the fortune of good health in my life, ‘So why?’ I pondered, yesterday, mid-chuck ‘Was I so readily risking my health for no reason?!?’. All through my teens and very early 20’s I had always imagined that one day I would reach a magical age (23, I decided) where I would suddenly start respecting my body and health, fall in love with exercise, give up my ridiculous eating habits and stop binge drinking. I have about a month to go until 23 and it’s increasingly more apparent that without me actually trying, nothing will change. So that’s why, in light of the weekends events and it being a month before my 23rd birthday, I have decided to take part in Dry July.

Participating in Dry July means giving up alcohol for the month of July for various reasons; to ‘get healthy, challenge yourself, encourage positive change and a healthy attitude to alcohol consumption’ but also to raise money for adults living with cancer. It is an excellent cause but also an excellent kick start for me in my quest for a healthier life.

You can view my Dry July profile and also make donations to the Royal Melbourne Hospital Departments of Clinical Haematology and Medical Oncology here.

In return for your support and sponsorship I will provide hilarious updates of my teetotal month and promise not to become a self righteous, preachy reformed drinker.

Thank you!