We asked upperclassmen what their secret was and why, and here’s what we got:
Pre-Med Girl: As soon as you get home from your wild night on the town, drink 16 mL H2O. Add 2 Emergen-C packets to another 16 mL H2O, drink that. Set alarm for 4 am. Wake up at 4, drink at least another 16 mL H2O. Wake up, feel great.
Street: 16 mL is like nothing.
Pre-Med Girl: Oh what are water bottles in? [Ed Note: interview conducted in lab].
Ambitious: Hangover run. Start right when you wake up and when you're still drunk/haven’t really realized you're running till halfway through. Then it hits but you’re already on the run so you keep going. By the time you finish, the hangover is gone and you feel accomplished because, let’s be real, wallowing in a hangover makes it worse.
BBBoy: Vitamin water to replenish and a tuna salad sandwich. Just makes me feel healthy, probably placebo. If it’s really bad, drink a beer or two.
The Purist: Chicken and rice from the legit guy now at 41st and Walnut, but formerly holding down the 38th and Walnut corner.
Honest Tom: Shit, shower, eat a tiny bit, TV, do something productive.
Native Philadelphian: Benjamin Franklin said it best "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Chug Gatorade the night before and make sure you have enough tree.
Mom In Training: Before I go out a set up a little drunk kit on my nightstand for when I get back—peanut butter and honey sandwich, giant water bottle, Advil. Then I have chicken noodle soup for breakfast which is the CURE for hangovers.
SWUG: Pedialyte and weed... does that count?
SWUB: An Illadelph bong rip and a homemade omelet.
The Whole Nine Yards: First, smoking a lot of pot usually helps, it makes me feel less nauseous. I also eat a lot of bananas and drink coconut water as well, then take a cold shower and pop a couple Advils. Then I listen to uplifting music, preferably Pharell and/or T-Swift. I collect as much evidence/stories as possible from friends. Sometimes I hear good things. But usually bad.
The experts have a say:
A study from
Thomas Jefferson University in Philly showed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Aspirin and Advil, NOT Tylenol) alleviate the headache pain of hangovers, and caffeine blocks receptors that cause fatigue and malaise.
In a surprising turn of events, apparently dead stinkbugs are a widely known hangover cure among certain ethnic groups in South Africa. If you’re really desperate, give it a shot and let us know how that works out for you.
Chinese researchers found that honey can reduce blood alcohol concentration. While I can’t promise downing honey in the morning will cure your headache, a spoonful or two before bed could do the trick.
Scientists say it so it’s real: darker liquors give you worse hangovers than clear ones. But since it has to do with the substances present produced during fermentation or added during production, your flavored vodka might not be doing you too many favors.
Lastly, as
12th century poet John of Milan wrote in the Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum, “If you develop a hangover from drinking at night/Drink again in the morning; it will be your best medicine.”
