Will I survive university without drinking?
I wanted to ask about alcohol and university. As it is, I don't drink at all, it's not due to anything other than the fact that I simply don't enjoy it. I don't get pleasure out of drinking vast quantities of alcohol, nor do I go out that often. I get far more pleasure from a night in with a close friend, just talking about everything and anything or listening to music together. Will I struggle to make friends at university if I turn down any offer to go out drinking because I don't enjoy it? Do you know of anybody else at your university who is in a similar position to myself, are they coping okay?
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Original post by Shorton
I wanted to ask about alcohol and university. As it is, I don't drink at all, it's not due to anything other than the fact that I simply don't enjoy it. I don't get pleasure out of drinking vast quantities of alcohol, nor do I go out that often. I get far more pleasure from a night in with a close friend, just talking about everything and anything or listening to music together. Will I struggle to make friends at university if I turn down any offer to go out drinking because I don't enjoy it? Do you know of anybody else at your university who is in a similar position to myself, are they coping okay?
I don't drink much or at all at uni...
There's always non drinking options... got a weekly poker game with a few mates and stuff like that... although 2 people were drinking last time as it was St Patricks day but they got drunk and lost poker so it was funny...
You can normally still go out and just not drink. I've done that a few times. It's alright...
No, humans need water im afraid.
Yes, yes you will.
Original post by Shorton
I wanted to ask about alcohol and university. As it is, I don't drink at all, it's not due to anything other than the fact that I simply don't enjoy it. I don't get pleasure out of drinking vast quantities of alcohol, nor do I go out that often. I get far more pleasure from a night in with a close friend, just talking about everything and anything or listening to music together. Will I struggle to make friends at university if I turn down any offer to go out drinking because I don't enjoy it? Do you know of anybody else at your university who is in a similar position to myself, are they coping okay?
Yeah, I don't drink alcohol and I'm pretty sure I'll have a great time at uni. Don't worry too much. Just don't be too much of an outsider, i.e. at least go to pubs and stuff, but just drink a coke or something non-alcoholic. Shouldn't be too much of a problem really. And don't make it sound so bad as in "Hi, I'm [...] and I don't drink alcohol, so I don't know if you want to be friends with me or not" (exaggerated ofc). Just make it look like something usual and something that hasn't caused a problem in your life so far. That's the best thing to do.
2 of my close friends survived uni without drinking a single drop of alcohol. No they were not boring, no it wasnt because of religion. They just didnt like alcohol and the whole concept of it.
Anyway, one became president of a club and the other a social sec. To be honest fun doesnt have to equal alcohol, plus think about the money savings. Its just that britain has a drinking culture that people think its weird if you dont drink at all.
Anyway, one became president of a club and the other a social sec. To be honest fun doesnt have to equal alcohol, plus think about the money savings. Its just that britain has a drinking culture that people think its weird if you dont drink at all.
In my experience my flatmates are very much about going out and getting drunk. I don't really do this often, so we don't have that bond, but I still get on with them. We just haven't done the drinking games, been through the same experiences and stuff which tends to bring people closer together, so I think if you live with people who put quite a large emphasis on this type of bonding (incidentally not the most interesting group of people), you may struggle to be as close as everyone else. But you can bond in different ways. And it makes them even more excited when I do get drunk with them.
I managed fine. Quite a few people told me they really respected me for it, actually 
Try using the search function. This has been done to death.
The honest truth is you will make less friends if you don't go out pubbing and clubbing with the rest of your flat. Doesn't mean you won't make friends though.
Original post by Shorton
I wanted to ask about alcohol and university. As it is, I don't drink at all, it's not due to anything other than the fact that I simply don't enjoy it. I don't get pleasure out of drinking vast quantities of alcohol, nor do I go out that often. I get far more pleasure from a night in with a close friend, just talking about everything and anything or listening to music together. Will I struggle to make friends at university if I turn down any offer to go out drinking because I don't enjoy it? Do you know of anybody else at your university who is in a similar position to myself, are they coping okay?
I think I do but it is unliklly that after december that you wont be getting drunk.
im teetotal and i managed to 'survive' university just fine!........that is unless i am a ghost and i do not know about this..... *runs into a wall to check*
....owch. nope, still here! ^^ ehe.
anyway,why not start up some sort of non-drinkers society? when i was doing my undergraduate degree in birmingham uni i was part of an unofficial society of this very nature ok, sure, it was a small group of us (about 12), but we spent most of our spare socialising time ordering kebabs or pizza, and playing multiplayer nintendo...and i must say i had very enjoyable time in these moments,especially considering i did not have too many friends from my time there overall (ie: did not befriend any people in my course).
i even left with a first class degree, so my suggestion really should not be a cause for poor learning during your years being a uni student ;D x
....owch. nope, still here! ^^ ehe.
anyway,why not start up some sort of non-drinkers society? when i was doing my undergraduate degree in birmingham uni i was part of an unofficial society of this very nature
ok, sure, it was a small group of us (about 12), but we spent most of our spare socialising time ordering kebabs or pizza, and playing multiplayer nintendo...and i must say i had very enjoyable time in these moments,especially considering i did not have too many friends from my time there overall (ie: did not befriend any people in my course).i even left with a first class degree, so my suggestion really should not be a cause for poor learning during your years being a uni student ;D x
I find it difficult, but I'm quite shy too so its just one of several contributing factors to my difficulty!
Yes, you will. Don't worry. I know it's the toughest dilemma on the planet but just hang on in there bro. Hang on. Stay tough and you'll make it at the other end of the tunnel.
Oh please. Hope you noted my sarcasm. It's not that hard. You don't have to give in to social pressure just to fit in with loads of sheep. If you don't want to drink then don't drink. If the people are really your friends later on, they wouldn't be bothered if you don't drink when you're out with them.
Oh please. Hope you noted my sarcasm. It's not that hard. You don't have to give in to social pressure just to fit in with loads of sheep. If you don't want to drink then don't drink. If the people are really your friends later on, they wouldn't be bothered if you don't drink when you're out with them.
Original post by Toon Fan
Na mate its always funny being sober and seeing drunk people lol
Apart from when you're the only one in a flat of 6 girls who doesn't drink, and you end up being the one who has to make sure they don't die from doing something seriously stupid.. which almost happened on a scary number of occasions.
Of course you can! Alcohol is not a necessity to live. I'm sure you'll do fine well, me I can't drink more than one anyway but I'm not worried about going to uni and not drinking. I have this 'allergic' reaction to alcohol :/ I get patches of red all over and have a rapid heartbeat and also mild abdominal pain.
well, me I can't drink more than one anyway but I'm not worried about going to uni and not drinking. I have this 'allergic' reaction to alcohol :/ I get patches of red all over and have a rapid heartbeat and also mild abdominal pain.Original post by The Velveteen Rabbit
I find it difficult, but I'm quite shy too so its just one of several contributing factors to my difficulty!
I feel as though I'm quite shy too, which is probably why I've asked this question. I've never really been in a situation where I've had to make new friends, it's always been the case that my friends have continued onto the same secondary school/college as I. University will be somewhat different for me. That's why I wondered how much of an affect my stance on alcohol would be. I really detest the binge culture in the U.K. I want to go to university to study and achieve, not to waste my evening (and money) in such a way that I won't remember what happened the next day. I'd just feel much happier were I to find a person who felt the same way - there must be somebody.
Thanks for everybody's responses, you've certainly reassured me to some extent. I apologise for starting a thread which has no doubt been covered in the past.
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