Have you ever been the sober friend on girls' night out? My friends and I had a 'girls night out' planned the other night. I couldn't drink due to an antibiotic I was taking. However, I still decided to go with them. Seeing the night through sober eyes gave me the opportunity to observe drunk behaviors through a much different lens. Here are some things I learned...

1. Being a sober friend is much like babysitting

Your drunk friends, much like children, are stumbling around and attempting to do questionable things. You have to swoop in to stop them from touching the hot stove - or pushing that girl who looked at them the wrong way. You also just want to convince them to drink more water.

2. That guy I was eyeing last time we were here?

Not that good looking, after all. "Drunk goggles" are a real thing.

3. Why does everyone keep elbowing me?

It's so crowded and people don't even seem to be aware that they are running into each other. I guess this explains all the random mysterious bruises we always find after a night out.

4. Bathrooms

Being sober makes you suddenly very aware of how disgusting the bathrooms are. Thankfully, you don't have to go to the bathroom as often when you aren't drinking.

5. Chatting in the bathroom

When I'm drunk, I always think it's nice when a girl in the bathroom comes up and excitedly tells me she likes my outfit. Being sober is initially very alarming when this occurs. Then it seems almost like talking to a small child. Do you see a trend with this?

6. The term "liquid courage" is also very real

I observed so many people doing things that were very bold moves. Both girls and guys were showing off dance moves that look like they are performing an exorcist. In addition to that, drunk people don't seem to have any regard for personal space.

7. Drunken conversation is great

People don't hold back anything. Since everyone is more open, it leads to some of the best conversations. There are also some ridiculous conversations mixed in there, of course. This could be anything from deep conversations about life and love to making soon-to-be-forgotten plans to take a girls' trip across the country next summer.

Overall, it was an interesting experience being sober during 'girls night out. I was exhausted by the end of the night. Being out that late is draining. When you are drinking, you are blissfully unaware of how tired you are. The next day you are hungover from the alcohol anyway, so the lack of sleep is the least of your concerns.

It was also very eye-opening to observe people's behavior and how oblivious everybody was to everything. This made me wonder why I go out and do that to myself so often. Having some self-awareness in that made it seem like a very strange pastime. It was nice to wake up without the hangover the next day, too!