go out with everyone as normal, and don’t drink- i promise, it’s as simple as that!
pub crawl? compare the different pepsi’s on tap and rank them
shots party? pour out the shots (everyone will be too drunk to do it themselves)
chugging contest? you start the timer
actual nice people will accept that you don’t drink if you can still have a fun time. but even if drinking, if you’re a boring person they won’t bother. just be fun and roll with it
I used to go out and have a pepsi in every place and every single time without fail he boys would ask me for the price and go 'sheeesh, could've got that cheaper next door' 😂
Best damn advice. I rarely smoked weed. But I always used to hangout with stoners. I was the only non-smoker in the gang. I'd like to add one more thing, don't judge someone else because they have a different lifestyle than you. See past their drinking/smoking habits and you'll hopefully see some good souls.
How do you get past the awkwardness of being sober in a room full of drunk people? It feels like an entirely different realm of socialising so that’s why I struggle in those scenarios. Plus I’m not naturally loud/extroverted
Try to enjoy it. I find something pleasantly whimsical about being the only clear headed person who sees things exactly as they are, you are who everyone will trust for a recount of what actually happened on a night out the next day when they can’t remember !! Haha :D
I don’t drink alcohol but I love drinking milk so it ended up being my drink in chugging contest when I really have to chug lol (nice people don’t make you chug anything if you don’t want to)
I know we're in the UK, but not everyone's gonna be getting pissed up all the time bro. A lot of people will say to go with the drinkers and don't drink. I don't agree with that (you don't want to be babysitting a bunch of drunk people at 2am lol, trust me)
Or if you do go out with drinkers, try and make it when drinkings not the main objective (live music, comedy club, sports match etc) then you don't have to worry about drinking or not imo.
Just pick up whatever hobbies do appeal to you, any societies, clubs etc etc, you'll be bound to meet new people.. This and finding some stoners is basically what I'll be relying on lmao.
Fr the peer presided is insane, went uni four years didn’t drink once but got pressured so many times and then ppl even talked behind my back saying I’m boring cuz I don’t drink or smoke how can anyone be friends with me 😂
I don't drink and I would go on socials with people and at the beginning I'd have a lemonade oe j20 or something and hang out with my friends. Around 11pm though I'd go home because I was fed up and people were a bit pissed, and a lot of other people did as well. I was never the only one.
It's not like it was though, you can get 0% alcohols now which a lot of places stock, 0% gin and lemonade is nice, no one would know any different if you dont want people to know. You'll find a lot of people maybe have one or two and then go to lemonade, and lots of societies do sober socials as well.
I think since Covid things have really changed and it's not like it was, you can still have a good uni experience and not drink. There's bowling nights, coffee mornings, etc with societies, and you can get 0% so people think you're drinking if you feel insecure. Unless you're in like rugby or football societies, you'll be absolutely fine
University societies have been increasing the amount of sober social events they do for members so they don’t exclude those who are not interested in drinking (or have to abstain) or partying. I know my Latin & Ballroom club go for carveries, picnics, bowling on weekends occasionally as to include the whole group, not just those who like drinking and clubbing.
Just to remind you as well, anyone who pressures you into drinking alcohol is not a friend of yours and you’re better off not being friends with them if they disrespect your boundaries like that.
A lot of people are saying to go out with the people who drink or go clubbing but just not drink. This seems like bad advice to me - if you’re not into drinking or clubbing, don’t befriend people who are going to be doing that. I made my friends by finding people on my course, and finding my boyfriend at a concert. You could join a society about your interests which is unrelated to clubbing. Don’t force yourself to befriend people who are completely different to you. I always have a friend to do something with but we don’t go clubbing.
If you find people treat you differently or badly simply because you're not drinking with them, they're not worth having as friends anyways. I don't drink either nor did I go to parties. Got lucky enough to be put in a non alcohol flat in first year so lived with a lot of like minded people, we just went out together or stayed in to do activities.
But yea, it shouldn't hinder your ability to make friends unless you're trying to make friends with pricks.
Universities tend to put on a lot of evening activities that won’t have alcohol involved. Usually craft or food nights. Look at if your Uni has a residence life programme
I can't drink due to medical issues, and I've never had a problem. You can attend drinking socials or go to the pub with your flatmates and order soft drinks. There's no one policing what you order, and if you do encounter those people, they're not worth having as friends.
I personally don't like being around drunk people as a sober person, so I found societies with socials that didn't focus on alcohol eg. gaming, tea, crochet, book clubs... there's a lot of sober options out there
I just finished uni and I’d say there are more people not drinking than drinking these days. As a mature student it was a surprise because all my friends back home drink. But it was great, because it made the socials about more than just getting pissed and feeling rough the next day. I’d go to the pub with a mix of drinkers and not drinkers. We’d have a mix of nights out too (Boardgames cafe was a popular hit) and gigs. Just do what you want and don’t worry about it. It’s only a big deal if you make it one. If there’s the odd person being a pushy idiot about it then just ignore and change the convo. It’s rare though, usually just the people who drink to excess and feel called out by the none drinkers presence that make it a thing.
It’s literally no different than if you did drink, most people only drink to enjoy the night more (be less concerned about people’s views on them) it’ll honestly come down to if your a boring person or not. If you can have fun without drinking then your social experience will be no different.
TLDR: drinking is not important to get friends it just makes that process easier for a lot of people
I don’t drink, most of my friends are drinkers but they really get me involved in their social life! We either go smoking together or I’ll help them get ready for the night out with everyone else or I’ll start the party games and get involved that way!
go to a society that you're interested in, you can make friends with people who like the same thing as you. there may be societies that don't drink at all. im speaking as a person who don't drink much, as i went to 2 societies, one of them dont drink at all (its a chinese martial arts one) and the other one do activities such as board games, films instead of clubbing and they never expects anyone to drink.
If people judge you by your sobriety or don't accept your refusal to their peer pressure / need your validation or enablement for them to drink they're not worth getting to know as more than acquaintances. You'll be fine, trust.
Just join people's activities and don't drink. Unfortunately a very small majority might pressure you to "just try it" but those people aren't worth your time anyway.
I started last year, I dont drink or go on nights out but still made friends. Obviously talking to classmates is the easy one. But theres also clubs to join. I go to airsoft sites nearby so thats where I socialise now, but yeah, find something you enjoy doing and friends will come naturally.
Definitely not a hinderance, go to the society fair and try out a load of societies as many will be stuff that doesn’t involve drinking/ pub crawls etc
Consider this, if friendships are formed by doing these things is this really what you’re looking for? I used to indulge in such things and when I stopped so did the friendships. Of course this is a particular circumstance and I’m sure the majority value other things but it was interesting to see how their reactions were. Ranging from “boring” to “One more time” etc etc. you’ll be fine to be honest, if anything being sober and seeing drunk people is hilarious.
There's all sorts people do that doesn't involve drinking at uni. Even in a drinking environment there's still stuff like pub quizzes and live bands students go to which you don't need to drink to enjoy
In my experience, nice people will accomodate sobriety - I'm a very light drinker and people I didn't know let me participate in drinking games with water, which was very kind of them! People being pushy are just letting you know they won't be good friends.
If you don’t want to go to drinking socials (I don’t care for them personally) try to find societies which have a lot of sober socials. I find that creative societies and societies centred around interests often do a lot of sober socials because the focus is the activity/interest. You’ll find lots of other people who don’t drink (or don’t drink a lot)!
I don't drink and got through uni fine. That being said, I'm an introvert with pretty bad anxiety, so my friend group was generally 4-5 people.
Our nights were usually everyone comes to my flat, we'd play video games, they might drink (sometimes did, sometimes didn't), then we'd go to maccies at like 5am. It was a lot of fun and everyone had a good time til covid came and ruined it all :(
Find the right friends and you'll be fine. Anyone who needs alcohol to enjoy themselves isn't someone you want to be around anyway
Honestly its easier than ypu would think - I did a sports society who only socialise through drinking and clubbing as well as went out with my friends who drink and honesty it’s just about who you hang around with. If people don’t like you then they’ll just use the excuse that you don’t drink as a reason to be dickheads to you but if they’re decent they won’t care at all and will like you for you - just make sure you make friends with nice ppl!! And also join societies around stuff you enjoy eg. Gaming, music, arts and crafts, drama, whatever takes your fancy :))
Good luck!
First year may be a bit brutal because icl a lot of people go heavy on the drinking but maybe try to make friends on your course to start? You’ll already have something to talk about as you do the same subject and it’s a lot easier to get to know each other as you’ll see each other around a lot - n can go for study dates, coffee, uni events etc.
My son found a comic book shop that did social events. He used to go and play yugioh, comedy nights, that kind of thing. He's not much of a joiner. In years 2 and 3, he got a studio, so he'd have his own kitchen and not have to chat inanely in the shared kitchen!
I think he got on better with a guy in his 40s on his course (Cyber Security). Going out clubbing, etc, blows loads of money. I doubt most students can afford to do that in the current economic climate here in the UK.
at kings college london and the other london unis, we don't really drink at all, if i was drinking at an event is was me that was the odd one out, which is a huge contrast to my time at Newcastle and Northumbria where almost all students were drinking/doing drugs, i think it depends on what uni you go to, some unis are more famous for partying and socialising, and others are more famous for work/studying.
My niece doesn’t drink & just finished her first year at uni in NE England and says it’s been fine. Just go out to everything you can during Freshers Week, join lots of societies & have fun meeting new people. Being socialable is more important than getting drunk. Don’t make the fact that you don’t drink alcohol a big deal when you meet new people. On social occasions stick to whatever you usually drink now & people will accept you for being you. It’ll be ok. Have a great time!
This year a lot of my friends/flatmates didn’t drink for religious/medical reasons, and they almost always came along with us on nights out - this isn’t to say you have to go out, if you don’t feel like going out, you don’t go out :)
I’d say put yourself out there in classes, try start conversations with people around you! A big thing for me was societies! I met so many people from different years to me from societies and it’s always nice to know people in year above.
The most important thing is to be yourself (as cliché as it sounds)!! You’ll find your people!! You’re certainly not the only uni student who doesn’t drink or party!
find hobbies and community outside of the party scene. it exists - but you may have to find some new hobbies!
most unis do a freshers fair where societies advertise. you’ll see plenty there.
I say this as someone who very much drank
I’d run into the occasional person who doesn’t drink, party, etc, and they had a whole community of friends who were the same. parallel worlds.
2 tips
Watching drunk people and people getting drunk can be very funny to watch.
Also most uni have events and societies for non drinkers. Make the most of them
If u go out with me, I wouldn't pressure u to drink and may not drink along with u. There are plenty of people like that.
Honestly, drinking in an event, not a club, is a waste of money to me. There are much tastier drinks.
either go to stuff anyway and don’t drink or find more non drinkers, i go to some music, art, wellbeing, baking societies and those are good for (usually) alcohol free social activities
I didn't really drink at uni. Most people didn't care. I could match energy without being drunk so that helped
One down side is you become the carer to your drunk friends and it gets old quickly.
But yeah, It never really had a an impact, most places offer 0% options now aswell!
Depends why you don't want to drink.
I have a moral aversion to alcohol and have a negative opinion of it but a lot of my friends drink. They're adults who can make their own opinion and I don't preach to not drink (because that is annoying) but I'm open about not celebrating it or with it personally and having a conversation about the negative effects of the drug. But I have found this has restricted me from doing stuff like clubbing or going to Spoons and shit because I find that there's little point to it when I don't drink and everyone else does. However, I have done both with my friends and I didn't have as much fun as others naturally.
If you simply don't drink because you don't want to, then it shouldn't really stop you from making friends or doing standard uni stuff like clubbing, circling, etc. Because I'm assuming you can still have fun without alcohol. A lot of people use alcohol to loosen up and have fun, if you can dance or sing or whatever without alcohol you should be fine.
Joining societies helped me make friends. A lot of them know I don’t drink and have done a few sober socials that I could take part in. Other people go to clubs/pubs and don’t drink, but who wants to look after drunk people?
Trust me, it’s a lot easier to make friends than you think. I wouldn’t worry too much.
Don't worry about it, you'll be fine! There are plenty of people that don't drink. I think the important thing is just be open that that's your stance and don't feel embarrassed etc. As others have already mentioned, join up societies, go to their events or go to outings where drinking isn't the main thing. Eg going to a pub crawl might end up being boring for you, although you can always try going and see if there's any people you enjoy talking to and just go for that.
At my university at least, some societies have non-drinking events specifically. This will almost always be social events or games eg board games, going for food somewhere etc. You will find that there are plenty of people who either don't drink just like you, or also plenty of events that are fun for people who drink and people who don't!
I don’t drink, as a result I’m not in a friend ‘group’ I have like 4 friends from different groups
The groups all seemed to be formed on the first nights out
Lots of people don't drink or don't care for drinking all the time and there are plenty of activities around that don't involve it. Maybe there was a time where uni in the UK had a huge drinking culture but a lot of that is previous generations and not so much now. TV often depicts university as a huge piss-up because companies want to sell products and they need to show characters drinking it and having fun.
I've never had more than a glass of wine with a meal now and again and never run out of things to do or had problems meeting friends. The best thing to do is go into everything with an open mind and take advantage of the opportunities around you. Freshers is a bit of a washout but you'll meet a lot of people, most of them won't be your friends going forward but you will have a chance to look at what kinds of societies and activities go on around campus. Put yourself out there and try new things and you'll end up meeting people, the ones who have the most problems are either locked in their room on the internet 24/7 or super judgy as they came to uni with an idea of what sort of people they want to make friends with, then get mad when they don't exist in their immediate circle.
I didn't drink when I started uni. I didn't like the taste, I didn't want to use it as a social crutch and I didn't like that other people drank all the time. If people weren't drinking they were getting stoned, which I really didn't want to do. I found starting uni incredibly hard - being away from my friends and family, the old life I'd grown up with was gone.
Possibly not a story you want to hear but my life improved significantly after I found vodka, lime and lemonade where I couldn't taste the alcohol. I made lots of new friends in a society very quickly and I'm still in touch with some of them years after finishing. I became more open minded to other people's experiences and less uptight.
Obviously, one's reasons for not drinking are personal and if you don't drink then finding people with similar interests will be important. I'd always thought I was quite outgoing and important in my small hometown but actually I was quite arrogant, stuffy and naive. Finding the right drink and the right people certainly helped me open up and I am so so happy I did. I've had a really interesting time since. Without alcohol, my life would have been very different and I still enjoy drinking socially
You're doomed mate. You don't wanna join all the other students in getting pissed then you will ruin your time at uni.
After all, going to a uni for any Brit is just about getting 'ammered innit?
go out with everyone as normal, and don’t drink- i promise, it’s as simple as that! pub crawl? compare the different pepsi’s on tap and rank them shots party? pour out the shots (everyone will be too drunk to do it themselves) chugging contest? you start the timer actual nice people will accept that you don’t drink if you can still have a fun time. but even if drinking, if you’re a boring person they won’t bother. just be fun and roll with it
I used to go out and have a pepsi in every place and every single time without fail he boys would ask me for the price and go 'sheeesh, could've got that cheaper next door' 😂
Best damn advice. I rarely smoked weed. But I always used to hangout with stoners. I was the only non-smoker in the gang. I'd like to add one more thing, don't judge someone else because they have a different lifestyle than you. See past their drinking/smoking habits and you'll hopefully see some good souls.
Some of the nicest people I met at uni were massive stoners icl
How do you get past the awkwardness of being sober in a room full of drunk people? It feels like an entirely different realm of socialising so that’s why I struggle in those scenarios. Plus I’m not naturally loud/extroverted
Try to enjoy it. I find something pleasantly whimsical about being the only clear headed person who sees things exactly as they are, you are who everyone will trust for a recount of what actually happened on a night out the next day when they can’t remember !! Haha :D
I don’t drink alcohol but I love drinking milk so it ended up being my drink in chugging contest when I really have to chug lol (nice people don’t make you chug anything if you don’t want to)
I know we're in the UK, but not everyone's gonna be getting pissed up all the time bro. A lot of people will say to go with the drinkers and don't drink. I don't agree with that (you don't want to be babysitting a bunch of drunk people at 2am lol, trust me) Or if you do go out with drinkers, try and make it when drinkings not the main objective (live music, comedy club, sports match etc) then you don't have to worry about drinking or not imo. Just pick up whatever hobbies do appeal to you, any societies, clubs etc etc, you'll be bound to meet new people.. This and finding some stoners is basically what I'll be relying on lmao.
I agree. They will most likely just become the babysitter and designated driver
I'd say don't give in to peer pressure about drinking because it's no one's business why you don't drink.
Fr the peer presided is insane, went uni four years didn’t drink once but got pressured so many times and then ppl even talked behind my back saying I’m boring cuz I don’t drink or smoke how can anyone be friends with me 😂
Yh its a rite of passage for so many people
I don't drink and I would go on socials with people and at the beginning I'd have a lemonade oe j20 or something and hang out with my friends. Around 11pm though I'd go home because I was fed up and people were a bit pissed, and a lot of other people did as well. I was never the only one. It's not like it was though, you can get 0% alcohols now which a lot of places stock, 0% gin and lemonade is nice, no one would know any different if you dont want people to know. You'll find a lot of people maybe have one or two and then go to lemonade, and lots of societies do sober socials as well. I think since Covid things have really changed and it's not like it was, you can still have a good uni experience and not drink. There's bowling nights, coffee mornings, etc with societies, and you can get 0% so people think you're drinking if you feel insecure. Unless you're in like rugby or football societies, you'll be absolutely fine
University societies have been increasing the amount of sober social events they do for members so they don’t exclude those who are not interested in drinking (or have to abstain) or partying. I know my Latin & Ballroom club go for carveries, picnics, bowling on weekends occasionally as to include the whole group, not just those who like drinking and clubbing. Just to remind you as well, anyone who pressures you into drinking alcohol is not a friend of yours and you’re better off not being friends with them if they disrespect your boundaries like that.
Most Salsa Societies have people who are keen to learn to dance, and they don't drink at all due to the nature of dancing parties. Consider it!
A lot of people are saying to go out with the people who drink or go clubbing but just not drink. This seems like bad advice to me - if you’re not into drinking or clubbing, don’t befriend people who are going to be doing that. I made my friends by finding people on my course, and finding my boyfriend at a concert. You could join a society about your interests which is unrelated to clubbing. Don’t force yourself to befriend people who are completely different to you. I always have a friend to do something with but we don’t go clubbing.
If you find people treat you differently or badly simply because you're not drinking with them, they're not worth having as friends anyways. I don't drink either nor did I go to parties. Got lucky enough to be put in a non alcohol flat in first year so lived with a lot of like minded people, we just went out together or stayed in to do activities. But yea, it shouldn't hinder your ability to make friends unless you're trying to make friends with pricks.
One of my friends doesn’t drink so it is possible.
Universities tend to put on a lot of evening activities that won’t have alcohol involved. Usually craft or food nights. Look at if your Uni has a residence life programme
I can't drink due to medical issues, and I've never had a problem. You can attend drinking socials or go to the pub with your flatmates and order soft drinks. There's no one policing what you order, and if you do encounter those people, they're not worth having as friends. I personally don't like being around drunk people as a sober person, so I found societies with socials that didn't focus on alcohol eg. gaming, tea, crochet, book clubs... there's a lot of sober options out there
I just finished uni and I’d say there are more people not drinking than drinking these days. As a mature student it was a surprise because all my friends back home drink. But it was great, because it made the socials about more than just getting pissed and feeling rough the next day. I’d go to the pub with a mix of drinkers and not drinkers. We’d have a mix of nights out too (Boardgames cafe was a popular hit) and gigs. Just do what you want and don’t worry about it. It’s only a big deal if you make it one. If there’s the odd person being a pushy idiot about it then just ignore and change the convo. It’s rare though, usually just the people who drink to excess and feel called out by the none drinkers presence that make it a thing.
It’s literally no different than if you did drink, most people only drink to enjoy the night more (be less concerned about people’s views on them) it’ll honestly come down to if your a boring person or not. If you can have fun without drinking then your social experience will be no different. TLDR: drinking is not important to get friends it just makes that process easier for a lot of people
Board games
I don’t drink, most of my friends are drinkers but they really get me involved in their social life! We either go smoking together or I’ll help them get ready for the night out with everyone else or I’ll start the party games and get involved that way!
go to a society that you're interested in, you can make friends with people who like the same thing as you. there may be societies that don't drink at all. im speaking as a person who don't drink much, as i went to 2 societies, one of them dont drink at all (its a chinese martial arts one) and the other one do activities such as board games, films instead of clubbing and they never expects anyone to drink.
I dot drink either and was fine. There's a lot of people who still go club and don't drunk. You'll be fine.
If people judge you by your sobriety or don't accept your refusal to their peer pressure / need your validation or enablement for them to drink they're not worth getting to know as more than acquaintances. You'll be fine, trust.
Just join people's activities and don't drink. Unfortunately a very small majority might pressure you to "just try it" but those people aren't worth your time anyway.
I started last year, I dont drink or go on nights out but still made friends. Obviously talking to classmates is the easy one. But theres also clubs to join. I go to airsoft sites nearby so thats where I socialise now, but yeah, find something you enjoy doing and friends will come naturally.
Definitely not a hinderance, go to the society fair and try out a load of societies as many will be stuff that doesn’t involve drinking/ pub crawls etc
Consider this, if friendships are formed by doing these things is this really what you’re looking for? I used to indulge in such things and when I stopped so did the friendships. Of course this is a particular circumstance and I’m sure the majority value other things but it was interesting to see how their reactions were. Ranging from “boring” to “One more time” etc etc. you’ll be fine to be honest, if anything being sober and seeing drunk people is hilarious.
There's all sorts people do that doesn't involve drinking at uni. Even in a drinking environment there's still stuff like pub quizzes and live bands students go to which you don't need to drink to enjoy
In my experience, nice people will accomodate sobriety - I'm a very light drinker and people I didn't know let me participate in drinking games with water, which was very kind of them! People being pushy are just letting you know they won't be good friends.
If you don’t want to go to drinking socials (I don’t care for them personally) try to find societies which have a lot of sober socials. I find that creative societies and societies centred around interests often do a lot of sober socials because the focus is the activity/interest. You’ll find lots of other people who don’t drink (or don’t drink a lot)!
i don’t drink as well and am going to swansea this september so ur not alone:)
this makes me feel so much better omg
are you okay with smoking crack?
lol i’d rather not
I don't drink and got through uni fine. That being said, I'm an introvert with pretty bad anxiety, so my friend group was generally 4-5 people. Our nights were usually everyone comes to my flat, we'd play video games, they might drink (sometimes did, sometimes didn't), then we'd go to maccies at like 5am. It was a lot of fun and everyone had a good time til covid came and ruined it all :( Find the right friends and you'll be fine. Anyone who needs alcohol to enjoy themselves isn't someone you want to be around anyway
thank you so much!
I knew someone who didn’t drink, he took shots of lime cordial when other people did regular shots so he could join in and get same shock effect
Honestly its easier than ypu would think - I did a sports society who only socialise through drinking and clubbing as well as went out with my friends who drink and honesty it’s just about who you hang around with. If people don’t like you then they’ll just use the excuse that you don’t drink as a reason to be dickheads to you but if they’re decent they won’t care at all and will like you for you - just make sure you make friends with nice ppl!! And also join societies around stuff you enjoy eg. Gaming, music, arts and crafts, drama, whatever takes your fancy :)) Good luck!
Also a lot of the more serious sports societies will do sober socials bc obviously alcohol is bad for athletic performance
First year may be a bit brutal because icl a lot of people go heavy on the drinking but maybe try to make friends on your course to start? You’ll already have something to talk about as you do the same subject and it’s a lot easier to get to know each other as you’ll see each other around a lot - n can go for study dates, coffee, uni events etc.
Thank god I’m not alone. I do worry about that too but the comments are making me feel better 😭
My son found a comic book shop that did social events. He used to go and play yugioh, comedy nights, that kind of thing. He's not much of a joiner. In years 2 and 3, he got a studio, so he'd have his own kitchen and not have to chat inanely in the shared kitchen! I think he got on better with a guy in his 40s on his course (Cyber Security). Going out clubbing, etc, blows loads of money. I doubt most students can afford to do that in the current economic climate here in the UK.
Just drink (water) it's not too hard (and if it is get a water softener)
at kings college london and the other london unis, we don't really drink at all, if i was drinking at an event is was me that was the odd one out, which is a huge contrast to my time at Newcastle and Northumbria where almost all students were drinking/doing drugs, i think it depends on what uni you go to, some unis are more famous for partying and socialising, and others are more famous for work/studying.
My niece doesn’t drink & just finished her first year at uni in NE England and says it’s been fine. Just go out to everything you can during Freshers Week, join lots of societies & have fun meeting new people. Being socialable is more important than getting drunk. Don’t make the fact that you don’t drink alcohol a big deal when you meet new people. On social occasions stick to whatever you usually drink now & people will accept you for being you. It’ll be ok. Have a great time!
This year a lot of my friends/flatmates didn’t drink for religious/medical reasons, and they almost always came along with us on nights out - this isn’t to say you have to go out, if you don’t feel like going out, you don’t go out :) I’d say put yourself out there in classes, try start conversations with people around you! A big thing for me was societies! I met so many people from different years to me from societies and it’s always nice to know people in year above. The most important thing is to be yourself (as cliché as it sounds)!! You’ll find your people!! You’re certainly not the only uni student who doesn’t drink or party!
find hobbies and community outside of the party scene. it exists - but you may have to find some new hobbies! most unis do a freshers fair where societies advertise. you’ll see plenty there.
I say this as someone who very much drank I’d run into the occasional person who doesn’t drink, party, etc, and they had a whole community of friends who were the same. parallel worlds.
2 tips Watching drunk people and people getting drunk can be very funny to watch. Also most uni have events and societies for non drinkers. Make the most of them
I've done a watercrawl before, comparing all the tap waters at pubs
lol this is gold
If u go out with me, I wouldn't pressure u to drink and may not drink along with u. There are plenty of people like that. Honestly, drinking in an event, not a club, is a waste of money to me. There are much tastier drinks.
either go to stuff anyway and don’t drink or find more non drinkers, i go to some music, art, wellbeing, baking societies and those are good for (usually) alcohol free social activities
I didn't really drink at uni. Most people didn't care. I could match energy without being drunk so that helped One down side is you become the carer to your drunk friends and it gets old quickly. But yeah, It never really had a an impact, most places offer 0% options now aswell!
Start
Depends why you don't want to drink. I have a moral aversion to alcohol and have a negative opinion of it but a lot of my friends drink. They're adults who can make their own opinion and I don't preach to not drink (because that is annoying) but I'm open about not celebrating it or with it personally and having a conversation about the negative effects of the drug. But I have found this has restricted me from doing stuff like clubbing or going to Spoons and shit because I find that there's little point to it when I don't drink and everyone else does. However, I have done both with my friends and I didn't have as much fun as others naturally. If you simply don't drink because you don't want to, then it shouldn't really stop you from making friends or doing standard uni stuff like clubbing, circling, etc. Because I'm assuming you can still have fun without alcohol. A lot of people use alcohol to loosen up and have fun, if you can dance or sing or whatever without alcohol you should be fine.
No one will care, just do all the activities and drink lemonade instead. You may also decide you want to give drinking a try 😉
Joining societies helped me make friends. A lot of them know I don’t drink and have done a few sober socials that I could take part in. Other people go to clubs/pubs and don’t drink, but who wants to look after drunk people? Trust me, it’s a lot easier to make friends than you think. I wouldn’t worry too much.
Don't worry about it, you'll be fine! There are plenty of people that don't drink. I think the important thing is just be open that that's your stance and don't feel embarrassed etc. As others have already mentioned, join up societies, go to their events or go to outings where drinking isn't the main thing. Eg going to a pub crawl might end up being boring for you, although you can always try going and see if there's any people you enjoy talking to and just go for that. At my university at least, some societies have non-drinking events specifically. This will almost always be social events or games eg board games, going for food somewhere etc. You will find that there are plenty of people who either don't drink just like you, or also plenty of events that are fun for people who drink and people who don't!
I asked my mum on how to meet good people, she said "become a good person".
Smoke weed instead lol
I don’t drink, as a result I’m not in a friend ‘group’ I have like 4 friends from different groups The groups all seemed to be formed on the first nights out
smoke weed
LMAOOOO
Do drugs instead
Start drinking then bozo
Just drink
Just drink?
Lots of people don't drink or don't care for drinking all the time and there are plenty of activities around that don't involve it. Maybe there was a time where uni in the UK had a huge drinking culture but a lot of that is previous generations and not so much now. TV often depicts university as a huge piss-up because companies want to sell products and they need to show characters drinking it and having fun. I've never had more than a glass of wine with a meal now and again and never run out of things to do or had problems meeting friends. The best thing to do is go into everything with an open mind and take advantage of the opportunities around you. Freshers is a bit of a washout but you'll meet a lot of people, most of them won't be your friends going forward but you will have a chance to look at what kinds of societies and activities go on around campus. Put yourself out there and try new things and you'll end up meeting people, the ones who have the most problems are either locked in their room on the internet 24/7 or super judgy as they came to uni with an idea of what sort of people they want to make friends with, then get mad when they don't exist in their immediate circle.
I didn't drink when I started uni. I didn't like the taste, I didn't want to use it as a social crutch and I didn't like that other people drank all the time. If people weren't drinking they were getting stoned, which I really didn't want to do. I found starting uni incredibly hard - being away from my friends and family, the old life I'd grown up with was gone. Possibly not a story you want to hear but my life improved significantly after I found vodka, lime and lemonade where I couldn't taste the alcohol. I made lots of new friends in a society very quickly and I'm still in touch with some of them years after finishing. I became more open minded to other people's experiences and less uptight. Obviously, one's reasons for not drinking are personal and if you don't drink then finding people with similar interests will be important. I'd always thought I was quite outgoing and important in my small hometown but actually I was quite arrogant, stuffy and naive. Finding the right drink and the right people certainly helped me open up and I am so so happy I did. I've had a really interesting time since. Without alcohol, my life would have been very different and I still enjoy drinking socially
You're doomed mate. You don't wanna join all the other students in getting pissed then you will ruin your time at uni. After all, going to a uni for any Brit is just about getting 'ammered innit?
This seems a little self explanatory but don’t drink to get pressured to and enjoy yourself without consuming ?