More than one in five students now identify as teetotal, prompting a surge in demand for alcohol-free accommodation at universities across the UK. Institutions including Aberdeen, St Andrews, Chester, Bristol, Canterbury Christ Church and the University of West England now offer booze-free living options.
Mohamed, a 19-year-old Muslim student at Aberdeen University, chose alcohol-free halls for religious reasons. 'I would have felt uncomfortable living in a place where people were drinking,' he said. Despite initial concerns, he found the experience positive, allowing him to meet people and join activities without the pressure of alcohol.
At St Andrews University, over 400 students applied for alcohol-free accommodation last year, far exceeding the 132 rooms available. Aberdeen's alcohol-free block, introduced last year with 30 rooms, was only half full, but demand is growing as more young people choose sobriety due to financial pressures, faith diversity and health awareness.
Lachlan Shanks, 19, also opted for Aberdeen's alcohol-free block. 'If I had flatmates that liked drinking and clubbing I wouldn't have had much in common with them,' he said. Nearly four in five students surveyed by the National Union of Students (NUS) still believe getting drunk is part of university culture, but only one in ten are aware of responsible drinking campaigns on campus.
Eva Crossan Jory, NUS vice president for welfare, said universities should offer alcohol-free spaces if students request them. 'We also need to foster more responsible drinking cultures amongst students and offer more events and activities which aren't centred on drinking,' she added.
However, Georgia, 19, a teetotal student at Plymouth Marjon, chose not to live in alcohol-free halls even if available, as she did not want to feel marked out as different. She found that not drinking 'wasn't an issue' after making friends in ordinary halls.
