When giving a drink, there are a few things to remember but here’s the main one: the drink recipient does not owe you a thing. On second thought, that person owes you a thank you for your kind gesture, but really that is it.

When you are out on the town with your people and you see a person, a person that has grabbed your attention in one way or another, and you think wow I would like to buy them a drink and chat them up, you should definitely go for it.

Buying a drink for someone is nice, who doesn’t like free stuff? We are all in college here and we know that means the funds are tight. By buying a person a drink, you have a great conversation starter.

Now here’s the thing for you drink buyers out there, you have to be ready for an akward moment because not everyone is open to the follow up conversation you may have been hoping for.

To this I say: move on, wish them a good night and go back to yours. You tried, but they were not interested. That is OK.  Whenever you go out on a limb, there is chance that it will snap and you will get nothing. Getting nothing is OK, you are not owed anything because you chose to buy this random stranger a drink.

Nothing is owed to a drink buyer, everyone at a designated drinking location is there to drink and be social in their own way. Perhaps this gesture just was not well received. 

When you do not get the reaction you expected like, a phone number, a kiss, or whatever you had hoped for, be a gentleman or a lady about it. Accept that you are not the one and move forward with dignity and grace. Causing a scene does nobody any good and makes you look a bit crazy and turns anyone who was interested in you away.

So here’s the drink giving etiquette that I would like to suggest to those who are looking for an answer. Buy a drink with no expectations of a certain behavior, give the said drink to its intended with a smile and an introduction, if you or your drink are not met with the same enthusiasm, bow out gracefully.

Wish them a good night and keep it moving because a drink is not a free ticket to this person. You do not have a say or a debt that you are owed when you choose to give a drink away.

Have a good time with the people who choose to have one with you and do not focus on the ones who said no thank you.