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Drinking culture --> How intense?

I've been on med admission forums for a while now, so i've picked up a few things here and there. One thing that stood out for me is the overwhelming importance of drinks for med students. I mean, I ask a question about student life, and everyone brings up the relative cheapness of beers and the amount of bars and pubs! Now I don't mind a drink or two on nights out, but it certainly isn't a religious activity as it seems to be! Perhaps being an international, its a bit weird for me. If i'm not really into drinking, will I suffer?:P

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Reply 1

Renal

Mmmm...

Given that our most notable Muslim has recentyl condemned himself to a hell filled with vodka, it's hard to say. :wink:

But that aside, medical school social lives are dying on their arse everywhere, you won't stand out.

Reply 2

randdom

I am teetotal and I haven't found med school a problem, not all social activities are drink related. Though many are.

Reply 3

Elles

As long as you're not militant either way ('alcohol is evil, tut, tut' or 'yeah, we're so cool - we get hammered every night') and make attempts to be sociable then I think you're unlikely to alienate people or suffer because of your drinking stance.

Reply 4

Fluffy

I am not tee total. I like wine and cocktails, and especially Champagne. It makes me happy :wink:

Reply 5

digitalis

medical school social lives are dying on their arse everywhere

That blows, why is that?

Reply 6

randdom

Elles

true and just because you don't drink much doesn't mean that you can't go out to bars or clubs etc. I do quite a lot and sometimes it is fun being the sober one because you remember everything that happend the night before

Reply 7

Renal

digitalis

That blows, why is that?

Multifactorial, IMO, the following are some important ones in no particular order;

(1) ^ (Post-)Graduates
(2) ^ Muslims
(3) ^ Local intake, see (2) (albeit, this applies mainly to schools like BL and Brum)
(4) ^ Emphasis on grades rather than people (I don't give a toss if you have 10 A*s and only one offer, I have a fantastic union and only a hundred punters)
(5) ^ (Misplaced IMO) emphasis on rankings.
(6) V Level of sports participation in schools.
(7) V Level of social awareness in kids.
(8) V Number of students with any real hobby. (You'd think that given the number of applicants who play an instrument to grade whatever we have we'd be able to field a fairly large orchestra wouldn't you?)

Reply 8

Mlzas

Muslims? This may seem obvious to some... but please do elaborate! [I'm a muslim, and i'm asking him for his opinion, any other muslims on the board.. don't take offence]

Reply 9

Renal

You may have noted that Muslims are not embracing or embraced by union culture, also, many of them do not patronise student unions' prime commercial enterprise which is a bit of a handicap.

Reply 10

godfather

i started management and eco at sheff... boring degree so i was out four nites a week, all the medics i knew and i knew about a group of 15 - 20 were always out.. the dentists are the ones who go out less from what i saw at uni...

i did wonder how the medics coped with the work load...

Reply 11

Revenged

don't assume that getting wasted = great social life...

a lot of piss heads have unresolved issues...

Reply 12

Idontknowwhat

i use a work hard, play hard idea :-) but everyone's views on playing hard will be different. although i know im going to have some heavy nights out in brum!

Reply 13

godfather

yeh bham is wicked m8.. that and notts r the best places ive bin for nites out..

Reply 14

Philosoraptor

Well I'm certainly not going on "piss-ups", but I don't mind a few drinks. :smile:

I also will go out with people if they go to bars or something.

Reply 15

Renal

Philosoraptor

Well I'm certainly not going on "piss-ups", but I don't mind a few drinks. :smile:

Certainly?

Reply 16

Philosoraptor

Well, I'd leave if something that started as a cool night out just turned into a complete drunken mess.

Reply 17

Saffie

At BL the culture isn't very intense because there are so many muslims and internationals who won't drink and won't even go out of their rooms.

Having said that, the people that do go out, usually go out a lot. Because there are so few of us who go down to the union, it makes more difference if someone isnt there. So if your friends know that you're not morally against drinking... you get dragged out.. Also, you probably have to be pissed to enjoy our union, especially when there's hardly anyone there!

I can see that its looks scary, but a lot of the people that go out regularly are really nice and not remotely scary the rest of the time :smile:

Reply 18

Philosoraptor