Summer and autumn (the entire week and a half of everyone’s favorite season) make for plenty of socializing and drinking. Now that the temperatures are dropping it’s time to embrace a new challenge. That is why a friend and I have decided not to drink throughout November (with the exception of the German Charity Christmas Bazaar, because that's for charity …).

This made us ponder: what actually is there to do if you don’t drink? Surely we don’t want to be sitting in bars with friends who are drinking, as that will increase chance of failing. That’s why we spent a while thinking about what to do during a dry November. These are the things we came up with.

Coloring Books for Adults

Anyone who has not been living under a rock (or is following me on Instagram) will know about this trend sweeping through Europe, America, and China. You can easily get them on JD.com and have them delivered to your office, where you can pay upon arrival. They are relaxing, and a perfect outlet for all that creativity bundled up inside each of us. Here’s a reminder for how to order things on JD.com.

Get Your Ice Skates Out

Get practicing at Beijing's ice skating rinks, as once the ice freezes over (and not a second sooner), everyone will be skating at Houhai. While everyone else is getting inebriated in and around the lake, we’ll be standing up straight on our ice skates. Just make sure the lake is properly frozen to avoid falling through the ice.

Cook for Someone (or Yourself)

Actually cook something nice that involves more than a few ingredients. It has been a really long time since I have cooked anything that goes beyond pasta or a sandwich. The changing season is the perfect time to spend more time at home, save some pennies, and prepare a nice meal for your friends or significant others. Alternatively, cook for yourself and put the rest away for lunch the next day. If you prefer to bake, here's our favorite cookie recipe.

Attend an Event You Wouldn't Otherwise

Go to more events that you’ve always said you’d go to but didn’t. We have an entire events section full of events that don’t involve alcohol: whether it is a book club, a talk, or picking up a new hobby and/or sport, putting yourself out there is never a bad idea. Who knows, you might even meet new friends.

Read a Book

Did your New Year’s resolutions also include a certain amount of books to be read? Mine definitely did, and out of the 30 books I promised myself I would read, I am only on number nine. Now, we are lucky in Beijing as we can probably swindle a bit more time (“Oh, I meant the Lunar calendar!") but I do need to get a move on.

Study Chinese

All that time lost drinking could be used studying Chinese. It has been over a year since I vowed to take the HSK 6, and nothing has happened since. The books are there, all it takes is making the time. If you want to take your Chinese to the next level, check out these Chinese schools in the city.

Go to Cinema

Go to the cinema to watch a film, there's plenty on at the moment, for example The Hunger Games - Mockingjay and Sherlock are both coming out soon. To get tickets and search screening times in your area, we recommend 247cinema.

Stay strong and best of luck if you're also undertaking a dry November!

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com

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Photo: nws.gov.au