I've never really got into the post-uni clubbing or pubbing scene and yet I still have many good friends and lead and active social life at uni. I used to be really big on nights out but have generally avoided this at uni so that I can focus on my education.
My advice would be to just take life at your own pace and do what you want to do, I agree with someone else here who commented that getting drunk & partying all the time is a somewhat outdated uni trope from the past; to be sure, some groups of people are very much still like this (partying & getting drunk all the time), but not everyone is (and the people who aren't, are a sizeable percentage in their own right).
Most of the people I'm aware of who party a lot, are passing stuff at uni but aren't exactly producing their best work, and some are now beginning to really struggle (if you almost never work on anything after hours, it will become reflected). But I don't really judge as people are here for different things and have different priorities and for some, socializing & partying is very important for their university experience.
IF you DO want to drink alcohol and/or go out clubbing, my top advice would be:
1. 100% line your stomach before drinking, it makes a big difference to your alchol tolerance. Bready carby things (like pizza, pasta or sandwiches) often make the best foods to line a stomach with before a night out.
2. Avoid drinking lots of different types of alcohol, it will make it harder to monitor your unit consumption and will make you feel more drunk (some people debate this, but I agree with it based on personal experience).
3. Drink a pint of water at some point in the night, it will help you avoid or lessen a hangover the next day.
4. ALWAYS ALWAYS KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR DRINK! NEVER LET IT OUT OF YOUR SIGHT! DON'T GIVE IT TO OTHER PEOPLE (NOT EVEN A FRIEND) TO WATCH OVER! TAKE IT TO THE TOILET WITH YOU, IF NEED BE! I cannot emphasize this enough. And this advice goes towards you whether you are male, female or anything else, irregardless of your sexuality!
5. Injection spikings have been a thing recently, be awares; if you see anyone behaving strangely or a group is making you feel uncomfortable, TRUST YOUR GUT INSTINCT and move away (or go to a different place entirely). There is no need to justify stuff in a club- if you don't like someone, move away from them!
6. Let your roommates or someone else know when you'll be going out and what time you expect to be back.
7. Have a back up plan for if you lose your key, card or phone or if any of these things get nicked while you're out. When drunk, you are entering a state of vulnerability and when in a packed club or dance floor, it can be the perfect place for pick pockets, so think about what you'd do if your valuables got stolen (i.e. how would you get home, and would you know how to get home?).
8. DO NOT separate from your friends nor travel alone late at night, especially if drunk.
9. If you are in a group and someone is clearly not keeping up (alcohol consumption wise) with everyone else, make sure they get back safely rather than trying to encourage them to keep on drinking (which they will if they continue to stay out).
10. Another way to pace yourself better with alcohol is to have a soft drink inbetween drinks; no-one will be able to tell the difference if you're drinking a class of coke VS a coke & rum/vodka (etc) and it will be cheaper on your wallet and make the night go on longer.
11. Be mindful about how drunk you're getting and don't assume that stopping drinking will stop you from getting more drunk! The alcohol already consumed in your stomach will continue to make you feel more drunk for some time afterwards, so think of your condition as being like a car with bad brakes (you can put the brakes on, but don't expect the car to stop immediately!). If you're in a good place, then don't keep on thoughtlessly piling in more alcohol without thought.
12. IF YOU DO end up drinking too much alcohol, then consider finding a nearby toilet and purging your stomach; it will not be pleasant, but it will sure as hell be better than allowing the alcohol to continue putting you in an even worse state and getting to a point where you either throw up against your will, act like a complete douchebag, get mugged or some other bad thing while incredibly drunk, or wake up with the most almighty hangover the next day (or even all of the above!).
13. If you do end up being sick (for whatever reasons), absolutely make sure to drink a lot of water afterwards and to rinse your mouth out with it (stomach acid is terrible on tooth enamel). It will also help get rid of any vomit smell in your mouth and this will help you get a taxi back if you need one (if taxi drivers feel that you are too drunk or suspect that you might throw up, they are more than within their rights to refuse to give you a lift home).
14. If you've never really gotten drunk before, you are not going to know what kind of drunk you are. And there are many types; happy drunks, sad drunks, party on the dance floor drunks, generous drunks, look for a fight drunks, sleepy drunks, hungry drunks and more. Figure out what kind of person alcohol makes you more into and you can avoid a lot of regrettable night out decisions.
15. Take the next day off; alcohol gives you a poor quality of sleep and if you've consumed a very large quantity of units, you can still be technically drunk the next day (and certainly in no legal shape to drive or ride a motorbike). Don't assume that you'll be doing anything productive after a night out of drinking, it is better that you just rest up and eat well.
Going out clubbing or pubbing is very expensive and a night out in the city can easily cost upwards of £100 or more, especially if you start adding in travel expenses or other things into the mix. Many people will have some drinks at home or at a friends house before going out so that they feel a little bit buzzed from the get-go. Weatherspoons is a popular choice for a 1st place to go as the drinks are cheap there but as a vibe, its not really a party place so many people typically go somewhere more interesting after getting things started off at a weatherspoons.
Further tips:
1. Cocktails can be cheap & cheerful, but don't be led into a false sense of security by their sweet flavours; they can be very strong in alcohol content!
2. You will get asked if you want ice in your drinks a lot - which can be nice - but ice is also used by establishments to bulk out drinks. If you want more bang for your buck, then avoid having ice in your drinks!
3. Plain water COSTS NOTHING in clubs and pubs. There is an actual rule everywhere that prevents them from charging customers for this! So always remember that if you're feeling too drunk (or are worried about getting a hangover the next day), you can always ask for a free glass of tap water!
4. If you look like you could pass for age 25 or younger, then EXPECT TO GET ID'd! Always bring some form of ID on a night out with you, or your night might not go very far!
5. Their job is to look out for trouble but don't expect the bouncers or doormen to have 360 degree vision! If you see something beginning to go down, someone in trouble or something else bad (like someone slipping something into someone else's drink), then staff are always grateful if you inform them.
6. Likewise, if the toilets are in a right state or are completely out of toilet roll (etc), don't expect the staff to be aware of this situation (especially on a busy night)- a quick word a the bar and they'll often send someone out very soon to sort out the situation.