Does anyone not drink at uni

Basically, I want to have fun at uni and makes loads of friends but I'm not into the whole drinking and vaping/smoking scene and EVERYONE at uni does it from I've heard (or anyone socially relevant - sounds harsh when i say this but I basically mean anyone who's made a lot of friends).

It's just for personal reasons tbh. A couple of my friends vape and are crazy addicted e.g. when i went over to my mate's house i saw she had like 8 vapes in her drawer, and I know I'd 100% get addicted so I've stayed away. It's just not my vibe, never found it appealing or wanted to start even though loads people in my family smoke and drink

With the drinking... I've never had a sip of wine or alcohol in my life and I don't want to start. I just feel like at uni people just get drinks and go clubbing regularly and you're seen as neeky if you don't. It's frustrating because I'm fun without having to drink or smoke but I can't help but think that if I don't, I'll feel left out/be pressured into starting

Anyone going through something similar or any advice?

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Reply 1

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

Same, I think drinking is overrated. I'll probably go out a bit but don't need drinks to have a good time. Alternatively, find introverted friends like I plan to!

Reply 2

username5319484

ye I'm at uni and don't drink

Reply 3

Anonymous #1

Original post by hungrysalamander

ye I'm at uni and don't drink

How has that been for you? Have you felt the peer pressure to start or nah

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

Original post by Anonymous

Same, I think drinking is overrated. I'll probably go out a bit but don't need drinks to have a good time. Alternatively, find introverted friends like I plan to!

The problem is is that I'm quite extroverted so I don't think I'd get on well with introverted people (or more like they wouldn't like to get to know me lol). It's a decent idea though, I'll just see if there's anyone who doesn't drink who wants to be my mate

Reply 5

Gillian My Heart

i cant imagine not drinking at uni especially 1st year

Reply 6

username5319484

Original post by Anonymous

How has that been for you? Have you felt the peer pressure to start or nah

No because I rarely go to events where you drink (parties/clubs) and even then I just bring soft drinks. If someone tries to force me into drinking then I can just leave, they're not someone I'd want to be around anyways as they don't respect my choice.

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Original post by Gillian My Heart

i cant imagine not drinking at uni especially 1st year

Whaaaat? Do you know anyone who doesn't?

Reply 8

Ten-Ten

I don’t drink, smoke or vape. Get the occasional questions but not experienced any form of pressure yet. Don’t feel left out at all

Reply 9

Gillian My Heart

Original post by Anonymous

Whaaaat? Do you know anyone who doesn't?

no i don't certainly everyone on our halls corridors get drunk regularly

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Original post by Gillian My Heart

no i don't certainly everyone on our halls corridors get drunk regularly

What uni do you go to if you don't mind me asking?

Reply 11

Gillian My Heart

Original post by Anonymous

What uni do you go to if you don't mind me asking?

Liverpool

Reply 12

lesgo21

Original post by Anonymous

you'll be fine, plenty of people don't drink and have a good social life

Reply 13

wifd149

Original post by Anonymous

How has that been for you? Have you felt the peer pressure to start or nah

I feel the peer pressure sometimes too. I'm currently in my last year of university, but the people that I love the most loves to drink and in my own head I started to think that I had to drink to keep the relationship (not a romantic one) alive even if no one pressures me to. In some ways, it feels like you're missing out the fun I guess.

A tip is to maybe just buy soft drinks when you are at events/the bar/pub, normally once your mates are trashed, you'd start to have fun as well without the alcohol.

Reply 14

wifd149

Another tip is to go to day outings instead of the evenings most of the time. You're less likely to drink then, except if some ordered beer and such — but people don't get trashed because of beer unless they drink many cans or had something else :s-smilie:

Drinking alcohol is not a fun thing to do sometimes, especially if you're drinking it for the wrong reasons.

Reply 15

Gillian My Heart

im quite tipsy right now with some friends

Reply 16

wifd149

Original post by Anonymous

If you're someone who is firm about not drinking, when mates ask you, you can just say that you don't drink. Very rarely would people force you to drink. If you think they can get weirded out, behave like everything is normal yourself and life'll just go on.

Maybe having outings where no drinking is generally involved, e.g. going to the movies or visiting the bookstore, should help build your relationship with those people outside of alcohol.

Reply 17

Mesopotamian…

The benefit of not drinking is that you can laugh at and witness all the silly things your friends do and say whilst they’re drunk. Very entertaining.

Reply 18

londonmyst

I know some who don't.
Usually for medical or religious reasons.
Most of them live quite far from campus with their relatives and spent most of their time working or studying.

Reply 19

Anonymous #3

I’m in my second year, I’ve always been the girl that knew everyone and was cool with everyone (girls and guys). I’ve been living at home because the uni (super good) is in my city so yay. From what people have told me especially the guys like they’ve been pressured into drinking if they don’t because of religious reasons or heath reasons. Some have been told they’ll go for one and then have ended up going to the houses at like 4 in the morning. I also know guys that are very sociable like EVERY knows them but they set boundaries like they’ll get invited and say no. I don’t drink or smoke or do anything like I don’t even kiss random people but I’ve made tons of friends (even whilst living at home) like sometimes I get asked how I know so many people at uni. You’ll make friends even if you don’t drink, I know people like girls and guys that didn’t drink or smoke all throughout first year and are still sociable. Of course you’ll get asked and some may even try and persuade but let them know you’re not on it. You won’t seem any less cool because trust me, exam season will come about and they’ll all wish they’d not drunk or smoked so much. There’s tons of people at uni and you’ll make friends with people that aren’t even on your course. Uni is make or break like you either do well or you fall off rapidly but don’t let anyone force you. You’ll do just fine trust me ☺️ x