For many students, hangover anxiety, informally known as the “Sunday scaries,” can be a daunting thing. Waking up confused and wondering what truly happened the night before and scrolling through various social media platforms to make sure nothing embarrassing was sent has become a routine for party-goers come Sunday morning. Those feelings added to that pile of homework and chores often left for Sunday can sometimes make for an overwhelming experience.
Students shared their experiences with “hangxiety,” their most useful tips to feel better after a long night out and the best mix for staying productive while also relaxing, refueling and getting ready for the week ahead. While some take walks and reconnect with nature, others make their way to the dining hall in hopes of gaining some energy.
Amelia Frometa, a sophomore studying biology pre-med, said she often feels stressed after a night out. She said her best remedy for getting rid of the Sunday scaries is to stay as hydrated as possible. Her recommendation is to drink Pedialyte or Gatorade and take a shower.
“Saturday and Sunday mornings are usually very slow with my anxiety,” she said. “I just sleep all day and I tend to eat just in the morning and literally just lay in bed just because I’m so exhausted from the night before.”
Riley Donovan, a sophomore studying restaurant hotel tourism, said waking up with hangxiety makes her want to never drink again. She said she usually calls her mom to talk to her about it and tries to get out of her room.
“My best piece of advice is probably going outside,” she said. “As soon as I go outside, I feel so much better.”
Jason Connor, a senior studying finance and business economics, said his best routine advice for being hungover and dealing with hangxiety is eating a good breakfast. He said his go-to meal includes eggs and toast, lots of water, a cup of coffee and usually something with sugar in it like Gatorade. He said he sometimes enjoys feeling under the weather on Sundays because it gives him an excuse to stay home.
“Sometimes I kind of like it, especially on Sundays,“ he said. “The social battery’s really low so I use it as an excuse to sit inside all day.”
Mia Cooper, a sophomore studying English pre-law, said she feels lucky because she usually does not wake up with any sort of hangover and hangxiety. She said her biggest piece of advice is not a cure but rather a preventative remedy which she takes before going to bed.
“Once (I) go out the night before, I come back home and I take this thing called ‘Rehydrate’ and it rehydrates, pretty self-explanatory,” she said. “Then I take this thing called nighttime recovery, and then in the morning, I’ve never been hungover.”
Jack Lacenby, a fifth-year student studying integrated mathematics, said after a few years of drinking he has learned how to cope with hangxiety a lot better. He said going outside and getting food usually does the trick.
“After I’ve had a lot of drinks, what I’ll usually do is I’ll wake up and I’ll get changed and then I’ll take a long walk to Nelson to get some food and usually the air and the sun will help sober me up,” he said.
Lacenby said it was important to drink responsibly especially when starting out.
“If you’re starting to drink, just make sure you drink a lot of water and that you always drink a safe amount,” he said. “Don’t ever drink too much.”
