As a very light social drinker, I’ve experienced conversations and peer pressures similar to the following ones many times in my lifetime since my teenage years.

During a friends gathering dinner:

A friend of mine: Hey Koray, why don’t you drink tonight?
Me: Well, I am not feeling good, I have some kind of stomach ache.
A friend of mine: In order to enjoy the conversation and relax, you have to drink at least one, man!
Me: Thank you my friend, I’m fine with my dinner. I’m enjoying the food
and the conversation. Hope next time!

During another dinner with friends at a fish restaurant by the Bosphorous:

A friend of mine: Koray, why don’t you drink rakı while eating fish? Rakı, fish and meze
combination is one of our traditional menus.
Me: Well, I’m drinking beer, man!
A friend of mine: You should drink rakı! It’s a man’s drink, it’s strong. Beer is for kids.
Me: (With a smile on my face) I’m fine with the beer, man. I don’t like the
smell of anise, thus rakı either. By the way fish tastes great with beer.
You should give a try.

Anyways, after a few more this kind of peer pressure attempts, night ends up happily.