For as long as anyone can remember, drinking has been a key part of the student experience – but this is changing. An increasing number of young people are turning away from alcohol, with a 2024 poll by Student Beans finding that half of first-year students did not plan to drink during freshers’ week.
If you are considering a teetotal university experience, or want to limit your drinking, there are plenty of ways to find sober fun. One of the easiest is to join a society that interests you. There are more than 10,000 societies across UK universities, with at least 50 to choose from at most institutions, many of which do not involve alcohol.
Georgia Burdis, vice-president of activities at Northumbria University, says that for “students who don’t drink, university can still be a very rewarding social experience when you find the right spaces”. She advises teetotal students to “seek out communities that align with your intentions rather than the social norms of alcohol consumption”.
It is also possible to attend parties where others are drinking and still have fun while sober. Sober parties have become increasingly normalised, with events such as Good Clean Fun in Glasgow offering monthly ticketed events combining music with activities like meditation.
For those looking to combine health with socialising, most universities have sports facilities and teams for all ability levels. Outdoor societies, such as Dundee University’s Rucksack club or the University of Plymouth’s Adventure & expo group, take advantage of local countryside and welcome all backgrounds.
Board games are another option. A study by Edge Hill University found that 26.9% of board game players are aged 18 to 25. Many campuses have dedicated games clubs, such as Edge Hill’s Poker and card games society, which invites new members to bring along any card game they wish to play.
