January, the first month of the New Year, comes to an end today, and what a month it has been! Throughout the whole of January Westminster Business School has been actively supporting the Dry January, Alcohol Concern’s flagship campaign most of us are familiar with. Dry January is all about giving up alcohol for the month and some use it as part of their New Year’s resolutions to drink less, while others as a way to detox from the excesses of the Christmas period. Whatever your reasons for taking part in the challenge were, today, we would like to congratulate our very own Postgraduate Programmes Coordinator, Abigail Swain who successfully completed her Dry January challenge of 2017! Well done from all of us here at Westminster Business School. To find out more, read her interview below.
Tell us something about yourself
My name is Abigail, originally from Nottingham, I’m the Postgraduate Programmes Coordinator here at Westminster Business School supporting two employability programmes run by Business Experience Team. I’m brand new to the job, and the university. Before University of Westminster I used to work at a fashion college and in liaison with various high-street fashion retailers, I also once used to manage a fashion store.
Why did you decide to take part in Dry January?
I took part in Dry January almost by accident, after the Christmas period I thought I would take a break from alcohol for a week or so, as time went by I realised I could survive a bit longer and then even a little longer. After the first ten days, I set myself the challenge of completing Dry January!
What have been your greatest benefits of taking part in the challenge?
I feel more refreshed when I wake up in the morning and definitely get a better night’s sleep! I’ve never completed Dry January before and I’m not one for giving things up for lent so it’s been a great test of the willpower.
Biggest challenges of taking part?
The fact that everyone else around me was not taking part! The only person I know taking part is my mum but she lives in Nottingham so we have been checking up on each other over WhatsApp.
What message would you like to pass on to people who are considering taking part in the Dry January challenge?
You will definitely feel healthier for taking part and I know I will appreciate drinking more now when February arrives!
What top tips or advice would you give to those about to start their Dry January Challenge?
Find someone else to do Dry January with, it’s much easier to resist having a drink if someone else is too! Also find another way to treat yourself, I’m a bit of a chocoholic so have probably consumed more than usual this month!
Well done to Abigail Swain, Business Experience Team Postgraduate Programmes Coordinator, for completing the Dry January challenge and sharing her story in this interview.
Kasia Kicinska
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