USD Magazine Summer 2022

CLASS NOTES USD MAGAZINE

K I L E Y S H A I P H O T O G R A P H Y

by Kelsey Grey [ m o d e r a t i o n ] Alumna celebrates benefits of going alcohol-free KEEPING A CLEAR HEAD A lcohol has long been a lubricant in bringing people together to from hitting the bottle. Karolina Rzadkowolska ‘16 (MBA) began exploring an alcohol-free lifestyle in 2018. She was tired of the social pres- sure to drink at social occasions and every weekend. She hated the repercussions that came along with drinking: poor sleep, mood shifts and a decline in her overall physical well-being. “There was a part of me that socialize, but an increasing number of people are seeing the benefits of abstaining

wanted to challenge this norm,” says Rzadkowolska. “Most of the time, when women get a break from alcohol, it’s because they’re pregnant. It’s ridiculous to me that being alcohol-free isn’t an acceptable choice in our society for casual drinkers, even though it’s one of the healthiest things a person can do. People are still really judged for choos- ing not to drink.” She decided to flip the societal norm on its head and explore an alcohol-free approach to her own

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