It can take the eyes of an outsider to see the deeper truth of a moment. That’s what I learned as I, an outsider of Bachelor Nation, watched my first episode of The Bachelor. It was episode 3, when Nick Vaill was helpless to the advances of Corinne. She was bold, armed with Reddi Wip (which, unsurprisingly, also had an advertising spot right after the whip cream scene), and had taken her top off in the pool in the previous episode. She needed to top her previous reality TV performance, and I needed a drink to finish the scene.

Corinne wasn’t shown drinking a lot before. But who among the drinking public isn’t all too familiar with brash liquid courage decisions followed by a nap next to your hard earned rose? Who hasn’t come home early from a date feeling like Gretchen Weiners just tore into your soul? Yet just moments before I watched Corinne lay in bed during the rose ceremony, as I sat there watching Nick eat Reddi Wip off of Corinne, I realized that yes, The Bachelor is about a harem of women subjected to fighting over one man like some post apocalyptic bro fantasy. But it’s also a microcosm of dating magnified by reality cameras and film director prodding. Most of all, though, it’s a testament to the power of alcohol as a social lubricant.

I mean, seriously. Have you seen the number of drinks these women have? For every on screen sip you can only assume there are two off screen gulps.

Without further ado, here are the best gifs from The Bachelor episode four that prove nothing turns a stranger into a friend, enemy, or future fiancé faster than a stiff drink.

We’re all going to need this.

Not coffee.

When people act like they don’t know.

When you can’t hold in the laugh any longer.

This is not awkward. Promise.

Sometimes alcohol can make people take things just a little too far.

But we can all just laugh it off, right?

Right.

Because we’re all in this together.