They are immature. And trying to be "cool" which is pathetic. If they were real friends they would have respected the fact that you didn't want to drink.
But they aren't real friends and are too immature.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.