IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Breaking news: Drinking at parties makes you more socially awkward

Tip #1 when walking into a crowded party: Head straight up to the bar, help yourself to a drink, relax, enjoy. Repeat.Right? Yes, obviously.Well, now it turns out that logic might be flawed. A study at the University of Illinois at Chicago found that college students who'd had a few drinks, enough to get "intoxicated," couldn't read social cues in a series of photos that showed angry, happy, scare
Drinking Alcohol at Parties Makes You More Socially Awkward, New Study Suggests
Drinking Makes You Socially Awkward?Digital Vision/Getty Images / Today

Tip #1 when walking into a crowded party: Head straight up to the bar, help yourself to a drink, relax, enjoy. Repeat.

Right? Yes, obviously.

Well, now it turns out that logic might be flawed. A study at the University of Illinois at Chicago found that college students who'd had a few drinks, enough to get "intoxicated," couldn't read social cues in a series of photos that showed angry, happy, scared, or neutral faces. They got people's expressions all mixed up.

The consequences? Anything from an embarrassing rejection from someone you thought was making eyes at you, to a full-on fistfight with that innocent, smiling stranger in the corner. 

Then again, the Chicago study—published in Psychopharmacology and reported in LiveScience—only involved 12 students. So maybe we'll wait for more extensive research before we put that drink down. 

But don't say we didn't warn you.

A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.