A guide to the best psychedelic drug experience Set, setting and dosage are the most important parts of a fulfilling trip. Sam Lillianthal
arts & culture editor
A drug experience is dependent on many things, but — as long as it all lines up — it can be a rewarding and exciting journey. The main components to achieve this are set, setting and substance. This guide will help users of psychedelics, from the inexperienced to those with more experienced, avoid a bad “trip.” 1. Come in with a good mindset This tip may be a nobrainer, but have a positive and uplifted mindset before taking a drug. If you have just come off bad news or a disturbance to the mind, then some dormant thoughts could come to light during the drug experience. While a trip could be a good time to be introspective and explore facets of your life in a new way, this is not as ideal when those thoughts are extremely distressing. 2. Set goals An important piece of advice before beginning the psychedelic experience is to set expectations for it. What do you hope to gain from the trip? What type of
mood do you want to be in? Do you want to be active or more sedentary? Planning how much to take and what activities you will be partaking in is critical. Maybe there is something you want to ponder spiritually or psychologically. Just remember to plan these goals beforehand. 3. Be in a good space As mentioned before, the setting is one of the main factors behind how your trip will go. First, you want to surround yourself with people you are comfortable with. Whether they are a fellow passenger on the trip or as a sitter, the person — or people — should be a figure in your life that you can be open with and not feel judged by. Psychedelics will open you up and show you the world as it really is, so having good people in the room with you is very important. Second, the actual location matters. If you are going somewhere that may overwhelm or overstimulate you, then it is better to stay somewhere more isolated. A place you feel comfortable in and know your way around is highly recommended. The feeling of being stuck or lost somewhere could lead to a scary experience. 4. Measure how much you take The dosage can directly affect how your trip
This guide helps bring the psychedelic user the best drug experience they can have.
experience goes. If you take a little bit, then you may be underwhelmed, but if you take too much, then it could be overwhelming. If you are a beginner, doing research on a proper firsttime amount is key to an enjoyable drug trip. If the packaging informs on how much to take, that can be
a helpful guide as well. People like to do a lot and get in over their heads, but patience is key. If you are feeling good but want to reach a more exhilarating level, you can always take a little more or strategically increase the dosage on the next trip. 5. Don’t do it if you
have just done it so you can reflect Psychedelics are, for the most part, not addictive. It’s still important to consider how long you wait in between trips. Taking them too often in succession will lead to a developed tolerance that means, eventually, you will not feel any of the effects
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anymore. Taking them at a high rate can also overload the brain too much and lead to feelings of dissociation. It is better to wait multiple weeks or even months to take them again. This time of waiting gives proper allowance to thoughts of reflection about the trip and the overall experience.
Fun and unique cocktails to make yourself at home Learn how to make an Old Fashioned or Tom Collins to impress guests. Samra Ashe
arts & culture intern
Shots and cheap beer may be the alcohol preference for most partygoing college students, but a wellmade cocktail offers an elevated, delicious drinking experience that shouldn’t be overlooked. If it’s a more costly price tag that’s keeping you away, don’t fret — many cocktails are easy and fun to make at home. Just acquire some basic
ingredients, master a few staples and you can easily become your own bartender! There are so many families of cocktails to explore and varieties of recipes to try — and where better to start than with these tried and true classics? Tom Collins The Tom Collins is a popular, gin-based cocktail. Bubbly, refreshing and boasting a sweet and sour flavor, there’s a reason this drink is a beloved classic. The first Tom Collins recipe was published in 1876, and it allegedly derives its name from a London waiter. The cocktail is often elegantly served in a tall highball
A well-made cocktail can elevate your drinking experience.
glass, fittingly referred to as a Collins glass. Ingredients: 2 ounces dry gin ¾ to 1 ounce simple syrup 1 ounce lemon juice 4 ounces (½ cup) soda water Ice For the garnish: maraschino cherry, lemon wheel Instructions: Add the gin, syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes. Shake well until chilled. Strain the liquid into an ice-filled glass, and top off the glass with soda water. Garnish with a lemon wheel
and cocktail cherry. Moscow Mule When it comes to vodka cocktails, you can’t go wrong with a Moscow mule! This easy-to-make, delicious drink was conceived in the 1940s and is still a favorite today. The drink consists of only three ingredients — vodka, ginger beer and lime juice. If you’ve ever ordered a Moscow mule, you may have noticed that it’s typically served in a copper mug or cup. This unique choice of vessel keeps everything icy cold, as the copper takes on the drink’s temperature. But if you’re not interested in tradition, any cup will do.
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Ingredients: 2 ounces (¼ cup) vodka ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) of fresh lime juice 4 ounces (½ cup) ginger beer For the garnish: lime wheel or wedge, fresh mint (if desired) Instructions: Pour the vodka, lime juice and ginger beer into a copper mug. Add ice and garnish with a lime slice. Serve immediately. Old Fashioned It doesn’t get more classic than an Old Fashioned. It was the first cocktail ever made, back in the early 1800s. While mixed drinks have gotten a lot more popular and complex since then, the Old Fashioned remains a timeless favorite. Ingredients: 1 sugar cube (1 teaspoon sugar) 4 dashes of Angostura bitters ½ teaspoon water 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) bourbon or rye whiskey Orange peel Cocktail cherry, for garnish (optional) Large clear ice cube, for serving Instructions: Place the sugar cube in a lowball glass and add the bitters. Add the water and mash and swirl the sugar cube with a muddler or wooden spoon until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the whiskey and swirl to combine. Add a large ice cube. Use a knife to remove a 1 inch wide strip of the orange peel. Squeeze the
orange peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the glass. If desired, garnish with a cocktail cherry for additional sweetness. Mojito Minty and refreshing, the mojito is one of the most delicious cocktails out there. Just ask Ernest Hemmingway, who allegedly was a big fan of the drink, although it existed long before he popularized it. Mojitos were invented in Havana, Cuba, and while its specific origins remain unclear, it may have begun as a medicinal drink. Along with classics like the margarita or whiskey sour, the mojito falls into the sour cocktail family — or mixed drinks made of liquor, citrus and sweetener. Ingredients: 6 mint leaves, plus an additional for garnish 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lime juice 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) simple syrup 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) white rum 2 to 4 ounces (½ cup) of soda water Instructions: In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves. Add the lime juice, simple syrup and rum. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and shake until cold. Place ice into a glass, and strain in the liquid. Top off the glass with soda water. Garnish with additional mint leaves. All recipes courtesy of A Couple Cooks.