How To Avoid Drunk Texting Your Ex
We’ve all been there and we’re all guilty of it. The squinty eyed, misspelled, late night text to the ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. Whether it’s to tell them you miss them, or just a booty call, it’s still not the best time to express how you’re feeling. There’s not much you’ll get out of it, besides temporary satisfaction and an “oh shit” the next morning when you read through your text messages. So before you start drinking, acknowledge that you shouldn’t text them, and know that there are ways to stop yourself from doing so.
Here's how you can avoid the dreaded drunk text to your ex:
- Swap phones with a friend.
If all your roommates are known to drunk text people and regret it the next day, work together to stop the drunk text epidemic. Everyone swap phones for the night. This way you’ll have each other’s numbers and won’t have end up texting someone you don’t want to. It’s genius, I know. My roommates and I may or may not be guilty of this tactic.
- Change your ex's name in your contact list.
Instead of having his contact name in your phone as his actual name, change it to something like “DON”T TEXT,” or “DO NOT CONTACT.” Of course you’ll still be able to drunk text him or her if you genuinely want to, but you’ll also have the opportunity to knock some sense into yourself before you follow through with the decision.
- Delete their number for the night.
The most practical thing to do when trying to avoid texting your ex is to simply delete their number from your contacts. I know what you’re thinking, you don’t want to delete their number in case you need them or in case they text you. So instead of deleting their number for good (if you’re not ready for that) write it on a sheet of paper and stick it in your desk drawer. You won’t text them when you go out, but you’ll have their number in the morning when you’re sober.
If you don’t use any of the options above and you find yourself drunk on Marshall Street sending texts in gibberish, you will regret it in the morning. If you don’t have the guts to say it to them sober, then you shouldn't say it drunk. Everyone gets clingy and mushy when they drink, and everyone wants to hook up. So instead of texting your ex (who is an ex for a reason I should point out), you should seriously consider one of the options above.
Aside from embarrassing yourself and looking clingy and desperate, you won’t get anything out of it. Or even worse, they'll actually take you up on your proposition and you'll find yourself next to them in the morning… which would (obviously) lead to a massive “oh shit.” Don't end up like my friend, who woke up morning after a rough night to find that she changed her Facebook status to in a relationship. Talk about awkward encounters the next morning.
As you bring the bottle of alcohol to your lips, whether it be tonight or weeks from now, get your ex off of your mind and make space for someone new. As the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea, so stop trying to re-catch the same one.