4 students open up about being tee-total at university

Living your best uni life doesn’t have to involve drinking if you don’t want it to

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photo: American Pie Beta House / Universal Pictures
Hero image in post
photo: American Pie Beta House / Universal Pictures

Living your best uni life doesn’t have to involve drinking if you don’t want it to

By Lucy O'Brien25 Oct 2022
5 mins read time
5 mins read time

Let’s face it, when you think about going to university, scenes of packed-out clubs, freshers decked out in their sparkling bar crawl wristbands and windowsills stacked up with used liquor bottles are the first to come to mind. Freshers Week is branded as a sacred right of passage and what it translates to is seven days worth of boozy nightlife, society initiations, and rough hangovers. It’s inevitable that this entry into university life can make you think of it as a place of pure drinking, and little else. But trust us, this isn’t the case.

In fact, it can be quite the opposite – if you want it to be. Don’t get us wrong, there will always be a drinking culture at uni, but it’s not as popular as you might think. More students are turning away from alcohol than ever before, and sobriety is proving increasingly attractive among young people. Research from Student Beans found that as of the 2022 academic year, a third of young Brits now identify as sober, wracking up a whopping 800,000 teetotal students across the country. From prioritising self-care to simply not enjoying the taste, young students aren’t afraid to turn down the offer of a drink.

So if you’re feeling anxious about being teetotal at uni and navigating its infamous drinking culture, we’re here to remind you that you're not alone. Drinking does not have to make or break your experience, and there are plenty of ways to get stuck in with uni life without relying on that bottle of Echo Falls. Don’t believe us? Woo sat down with 4 young students who are making the most of their time at uni without alcohol - and loving it.

Daisy, 20

“It was so much easier than I thought it was going to be”

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I've never been much interested in drinking - I've never felt the need to have alcohol to help me have fun. The only thing that's ever made me even consider the option is being the only one not doing it. I assumed that I was going to be the only sober person at uni, but I have been surprised by the amount of people I’ve talked to who, even if they're not completely sober, aren't really that interested in drinking every single time that they go out. Even though you might feel like it if you choose to stay in while other people are out drinking, you're not missing out on making a genuine connection or getting to know new friends. That fun stuff happens when you just go out for a coffee and meet someone.

Evan, 18

“No-one has made me feel pressured into drinking”

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I have never had alcohol before, and I don’t really see the appeal of being drunk or needing to have alcohol to have fun. Instead, I’ve found that my university offers loads of events that are sober-oriented from a range of societies. Even at events where alcohol is consumed, there is never any pressure to drink. I’ve managed to find lots of other sober people around the university of all different ages. I like to do my own things for fun, like go on walks, do photography, play badminton and hang out with friends at local cafes. There are also lots of events that are still just as fun sober, like bingo and pub quizzes.

Erin, 19

“I developed the confidence to not care what people think”

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My parents didn't really ever drink, so I was brought up without a big drinking culture. I have tried alcohol a few times and just was not keen on the taste at all - so I thought, if I don't like it, I'm not going to drink it. If you don't want to drink, that's okay. You'll find that most people probably don't care anyway (even at Leeds, which has a pretty big drinking culture!) If they do care, then you don't want to be friends with them anyway. What helped me was when I found High on Life society, who run alcohol-free socials. So I went to their bowling event that week and found my circle of people.

Anwar, 20

“There's so many ways to enjoy yourself without alcohol”

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I personally value knowing that I am always truly myself and I much prefer filling my time with things that are enjoyable sober - they are almost always more fulfilling. And in reality, alcohol just isn't that important to everyone, which means there's a massive sober culture if you look for it. Whether it’s joining a society dedicated to sober socials or a sports-based club like archery (my current favourite) where you're going to be sober anyways, the majority of events naturally aren't alcohol-based. Regardless of where your interests lie, most societies are very welcoming. As a busy uni student, your days will be full of studying and hobbies; so unless you're planning to be out late into the night frequently, drinking culture really does not invade your daily life. In my experience, sobriety is widespread, understood and accepted at uni. My advice to you is to stick to your values and find those communities where drinking is not a priority!