The question in the OP probably doesn't make complete sense, so I'll explain!
I'm two years into my first job and after a lot of struggle things are finally going well. I've moved to the location I wanted, I have more visibility and I think I'm doing well.
Now, I'm a lightweight, so I never usually went out drinking with work colleagues to the pub etc on Fridays. I just didn't want a situation where I got tipsy and said the wrong thing or acted foolishly. But I realised that this negatively impacted my career because the people who drank with the bosses were getting all the good projects. I also felt that perhaps, as the newbie, I needed more opportunities to bond with my team and get to know them in an informal, relaxed setting.
So I gradually did start going out to the pub for a few drinks after work. And it worked!!! I was getting on better with my colleagues, I even ended up making some good friends.
Let me be clear- I didn't get drunk, or act inappropriately. I stuck to what I could handle without acting like a fool.
Recently though, from some senior (all male) colleagues, I've been getting the impression that they're judging me? I don't know what sense that would make because there are people in the team who get absolutely smashed at these events and not a word is said about them.
But I feel that perhaps in the eyes of a few of these people, I'm taken less seriously now. I could be imagining it, but it's some offhand comments and the fact that sometimes they avoid me at these events (I could be imagining this too)
Am I overreacting? I really want to go places at my work, and I was just looking for ways to connect with the right people.