Spill it is a new series where we get people to anonymously tell us about their drinking habits.
We’re talking to men and women from all over the UK (unless anyone volunteers from abroad in which case we’re going international) about how much they really drink. Not how much they tell their doctor they drink, or a rough guesstimate – but the unvarnished boozy truth.
This week we’ve got 30-year-old media exec from London, who we’ve named Lynsey.
Friday
It’s been a long week with some difficult meetings. At 5pm we have a drinks trolley which comes round our office. Usually I say no, but today I have a big gin and tonic while tying up some lose ends from the week. Then I go to the pub with some of the girls from work. I’m based in West London so there’s lots of nice places to go.
It’s weirdly nice weather so we order Rose and sit outside until it gets cold. I have two glasses of Rose and feel quite tipsy. I head home about 9PM. I’ve been up since six and I’m really tired.
Saturday
I live with two other girls who are friends of friends. They both have boyfriends and slept at their houses last night so I have our house, near White City, to myself this morning. I make the most of it by watching TV downstairs in my pyjamas.
Their boyfriends come to our house a lot because it’s quite big and spacious. I don’t mind, but it’s sometimes a bit annoying when I want to lie around with no bra on, or when they are in the shower in the morning and I need to go to work.
In the afternoon I do some work and then head to Islington to meet some of my mates for a birthday dinner. It’s my best mate’s boyfriend’s 31st.
I order a gin and tonic when I get there and catch up with some people I haven’t seen for ages. Then we go up to the dining room bit for dinner. Someone orders wine for the table which I’m not really in the mood for. I have two glasses, everyone else has a lot more.
When the bill comes someone says we should split it. I’m a vegetarian and I didn’t drink much so mine would have been cheaper but I don’t want to be that person so I pay just under £60.
Sunday
My housemates have their boyfriends over today and they want to make Sunday lunch. They kind of take over downstairs.
I spend the afternoon in my room working and watching Netflix. When the food is ready they ask me to join. I have a glass of red wine, and then do most of the washing up while they watch a film on the TV in the living room.
Monday
I get up at 5.30 to go to the gym before work and am at my desk by 8 feeling good, it’s a productive start to the week.
I finish work at 7, get home and have a bath. Housemates are making dinner downstairs so I order some sushi and eat it in my room. No alcohol.
Tuesday
I have a work event tonight so get up early to wash my hair and do make up. I’m at work by 8.30. I work through until 6.30, then we go ahead to set up the venue. We’re hosting 25 people and I need to be on good form so I have a glass of champagne before the guests arrive.
Dinner goes quite well. Everyone seems happy. I have two glasses of wine because I don’t want to order a gin and tonic (if I do then everyone else will too and it’ll make the event more expensive).
Wednesday
I don’t feel great on Wednesday morning so lie in until 7.45 and get to work at 9.15.
I leave work on the dot of six and get home to find both my housemates boyfriends on the sofa playing a video game. I don’t remember agreeing to having a Playstation (or whatever it is) in the house. I make myself dinner in the kitchen and eat it in my room. No alcohol.
Thursday
I can’t shower when I get up because one of the boyfriends is in the shower.
I put dry shampoo in my hair and get the tube to work. I write three different messages to our house Whatsapp group and delete all of them. I don’t want to start a fight.
After work I get home and the house is empty. I get a really early night and enjoy how quiet it is. No alcohol.
Friday
It feels like it has been a really long week. I have a gin and tonic from the drinks trolley at 5PM – just a single this week. The girls ask me if I want to join them for the pub after work but I have plans with my friends.
We meet at a pub in Notting Hill. Both of the girls I’m meeting are married and recently had babies. I don’t see much of them so I’m so excited to be back together.
We drink two bottles of Rose between three. I would have gone for another one but they’ve got to go home. I realise in the Uber back to my house that they didn’t ask any questions about me and talked a lot about their babies.
As told to Rebecca Reid. If you’d like to take part in Spill it please email rebecca.reid@metro.co.uk.
Units drunk: 33
Units recommended: 14
Next week we’ll be speaking to another drinker about their units. If you’d like to take part in Spill it, you can email rebecca.reid@metro.co.uk
MORE: Spill it: How much a 27-year-old journalist drinks in a week
