The Student Room Group

sober at uni

I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Reply 1

Honestly probably? I start uni in September too however since I took a gap most of my friends have went off to uni. While they did say that they mostly met in pubs clubs etc I deffo think you could go and not drink or perhaps look for a group of friends that enjoy other activities.

Reply 2

Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi there,

I know a lot of people worry about this so I just wanted to reply to reassure you that lots of people go to uni and are sober or just don't drink much so try not to worry too much about this.

There are still so many ways to make friends so I thought I'd put some of them here:

•

Joining societies are a great way of meeting lots of new people and making friends! There will often lots of different ones that you can join and you meet lots of people without drinking. Some of the socials may involve drinking, but you could go and not drink and nobody will judge you, or you can just go to the sober socials!


•

The uni that you are going to may put some events on too as they quite often too and these won't involve drinking. It will likely be the SU that puts them on so have a look and see what they are putting on.


•

Have a look on social media as you can often meet quite a lot of people on here too and it is a good way to meet people that you wouldn't meet face to face. There will often be groups for your course, your halls or just your uni in general so it is worth having a look.


•

You will also meet lots of people on your course too, in lectures and seminars and this won't involve any drinking! Ask people if they want to go for a coffee after uni, or even just to the library to do work and I am sure that people will say yes!



I hope some of this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Reply 3

As someone who was a student in both 2000s and 2020s I can tell you for a fact uni drinking/party culture really isn't what it used to be. Younger students mostly have a far more restrained view of booze etc, there is far more demand for alcohol free events and most it not all unis themselves have taken steps to somewhat distance themselves from the louty side of the student exp.

Reply 4

Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi,

You definitely can be sober and still make friends!

Some great responses already :smile:

I have friends who are sober but still come on nights out or to the pub and just don't drink alcohol, and honestly no one really thinks anything of it. Especially when they just get a different drink, like a lemonade, it is just like they are drinking too.

Also from personal experience as someone who is not a big drinker I have had many great sober nights and my friends just know that I don't drink a lot and accept it. I think it is a sign of a good friend if they don't think anything of it, so maybe even a good way to find your people.

I hope this helps :smile:
-Grace (Kingston Rep)
Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi!

I totally agree with everything that's been said! Personally all of my lasting friendships in uni have come from societies, coursemates, and flatmates from living in student halls. I'd also recommend having a look at the events your uni has on in freshers week, most unis will have a range of things on, and not all will be club/drinking type events. Also I have lots of friends who will join on pub/nights out and not drink, so you won't be the only sober person at uni, you'll just have to find the right people. 🙂

~ Lillian (Falmouth Uni Rep)
Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi OP,
First of all, good luck in September! I was sober when I first came to university, and I can honestly say that it did not impact me half as much as I thought it would. You do not have to drink to enjoy nightlife - if that is even something that you want to do. I still go out sober from time to time regardless of whether or not my friends are drinking, and it does not particularly affect how much I enjoy a night. From my own personal experiences I would say that there is not a huge amount of pressure to drink, and even if there are people who do try and pressure you into drinking you can just find new people as they are probably not worth your time anyway! No matter your reason for not drinking, it is entirely your decision and your friends should respect this.

Socials are a great way to make friends outside of nightlife, I myself am heavily involved in two societies and they are where I have made the majority of my friends, as well as my current flatmates. There should be no pressure to drink at any society events, even for "drinking-heavy" societies. In recent years drinking culture has flatlined in comparison to perhaps what it once was, and so there are many more sober people at university now if you want to befriend people who share this as a principle.

I hope this helps! :smile:
Rhianna (Lancaster Student Ambassador, BSc Mathematics and Statistics)

Reply 7

Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.
Hey!

I totally get why you’re thinking about this… uni does have that reputation where the first thing people picture is drinking and nightlife, so it’s normal to wonder how it’ll work if you’re sober.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t actually go into uni planning to be sober myself… but I do understand why you’d be worried about it. I was a mature student though and well past the whole partying and drinking culture, which actually worried me too before I started. I thought I’d struggle to find people who wanted to do things that didn’t revolve around going out drinking all the time.

But it turned out I still made friends who were really like minded and enjoyed doing things that didn’t involve alcohol. We’d go out for food, coffee, cinema trips, walks, random day trips, society events… loads of stuff that didn’t revolve around drinking. So it definitely didn’t stop me having a social life.

It might take a little longer to find your people though… I guess the ones who aren’t really into that culture are often looking for something a bit different socially, so it can take a little time for everyone to cross paths. But it definitely doesn’t make it impossible.

Some good ways to make friends are joining societies or clubs you’re interested in, chatting to people on your course after lectures or in seminars, going along to society events, or even just suggesting grabbing coffee or lunch with people you get on with. Shared interests make it way easier to build friendships than just meeting in a noisy club anyway.

Also honestly, good on you for wanting to be sober. That’s something to be proud of. And you might be surprised how many people don’t drink these days for all sorts of reasons… health, religion, personal choice, sports, or just because they don’t enjoy it. It’s people of all ages too. It’s honestly more common than you probably think.

So try not to stress too much about it… you’ll definitely be able to find your people, even if it takes a little time. Uni is full of all kinds of different people and lifestyles.

Good luck! Sophie 🙂

Reply 8

One of the brilliant things about uni is that you can totally find your own path. You’re an adult living away from home, able to make the choices you want. While there is a drinking culture, there are plenty of clubs and activities that don’t involve drinking and plenty of people that feel like you.
Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi there,

I am a final year Cyber Security student at De Montfort University, and I do not drink at all. At the same time I was able to find friends and really enjoy my time at uni. You would be surprised how many students don't actually drink or even like alcohol. There are lots of sport clubs, societies and activities specifically designed for people who want to live a healthy lifestyle. At DMU for example we have a DMU Running and DMU Rowing societies which I found to be really great for finding friends as a first year student. So my main advice would be - do not stress, you will find plenty of people who share your thoughts on drinking and want to be friends with you.

Ilya
Cyber Security student at De Montfort University :smile:

Reply 10

Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.


Hi,

As mentioned above, it’s definitely possible to be sober at university and still make friends. You could still join nights out if you want to, even if you don’t drink as many people go out mainly for the social side and you could always get a soft drink.

There are also plenty of other ways to meet new people, like joining societies or sports related to your interests.

Universities and accommodations also run lots of events, especially during welcome week, and many of them don’t involve drinking, such as games nights, movie nights, sports, or daytime activities.

You’ll also find that not everyone drinks at university. Some people choose not to for personal, religious, health, or lifestyle reasons, so you definitely won’t be the only one.

Hope this helps,

Tayba
Student Rep

Reply 11

Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.
Hello!!

As someone who doesn't drink, and a current first year, I still found friends being sober and not going out much! I was fortunate to have friends move up with me from college, but I still made friends with quite a few people. Going out and drinking is absolutely not the only way to make friends, so please don't worry!

My first advice would be definitely looking at what your uni provides, especially societies! Societies are an easy gate-way to making friends. Especially with those of the same interests as your own! Here at University of Staffordshire we have loads of societies and a lot of these have group chats you can join for free to get a taster for what they're like before joining. So this is a definite huge recommendation to look into for your own university!

Alongside this, make sure to participate to all the events your university provides for your freshers. These are very good for ice-breaking and provides a wider scope of people you can talk to that aren't just on your course.

A lot of people love going out for coffee at uni, so local coffee runs are a definite recommendation if you want to go out with a new friend but not go out! ☕️

Lastly, do not be afraid to be yourself. Wear fashion you like, express yourself if you have any merch that you like wearing, etc! People tend to approach people with similar interests, or fashion sub-groups as an example as a clear point of instant relatability. And don't be afraid to come up to people who catch your interest as well! This is absolutely easier said than done, but especially at the beginning everyone is VERY nervous and also want to make friends as well - you're all in the same boat. :smile:

I hope this can help! Any more questions, please feel free to ask!

•

Staffs Rep Vera 🤍

Reply 12

Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hello,

People assume that drinking is the only way to socialise at uni, but that’s really not the case. There are loads of other ways to meet people, like joining societies, sports clubs, course groups, volunteering, or just going to events during Welcome Week, majority of which are likely not focused on drinking anyway.

From what I’ve seen, there are always plenty of students who either don’t drink or only drink occasionally, and most people are really respectful of that. Uni is such a diverse environment that you’ll find people with all sorts of lifestyles and interests, so you’re very likely to meet others who feel the same way. I personally don't drink and didn't feel like this impacted my social life.

My advice would be to get involved in things you genuinely enjoy early on. You don’t have to drink to be part of social events either; lots of people go along for the atmosphere and just have soft drinks.

Best of luck!
Malak- UOS

Reply 13

Original post
by StaffsRep Vera
Hello!!
As someone who doesn't drink, and a current first year, I still found friends being sober and not going out much! I was fortunate to have friends move up with me from college, but I still made friends with quite a few people. Going out and drinking is absolutely not the only way to make friends, so please don't worry!
My first advice would be definitely looking at what your uni provides, especially societies! Societies are an easy gate-way to making friends. Especially with those of the same interests as your own! Here at University of Staffordshire we have loads of societies and a lot of these have group chats you can join for free to get a taster for what they're like before joining. So this is a definite huge recommendation to look into for your own university!
Alongside this, make sure to participate to all the events your university provides for your freshers. These are very good for ice-breaking and provides a wider scope of people you can talk to that aren't just on your course.
A lot of people love going out for coffee at uni, so local coffee runs are a definite recommendation if you want to go out with a new friend but not go out! ☕️
Lastly, do not be afraid to be yourself. Wear fashion you like, express yourself if you have any merch that you like wearing, etc! People tend to approach people with similar interests, or fashion sub-groups as an example as a clear point of instant relatability. And don't be afraid to come up to people who catch your interest as well! This is absolutely easier said than done, but especially at the beginning everyone is VERY nervous and also want to make friends as well - you're all in the same boat. :smile:
I hope this can help! Any more questions, please feel free to ask!

•

Staffs Rep Vera 🤍


Thank you so much for this i really appreciate it 💗

Reply 14

Original post
by Anonymous
Thank you so much for this i really appreciate it 💗

Of course!! Have the best time at University - you'll be great 🤍
Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi,

you 100% can remain sober at Uni and still make friends. I myself didn't drink on nights out, and still had plenty of great friends a few who also didn't drink or only had one drink, never really getting drunk. I will say that you might become the designated sober support, I often found myself walking people home and herding society members.

If you don't want to go out at night, there's also plenty of other places to make friends. Lots of Clubs and societies have sober socials, at cafe's or bowling. Then there's just the friends you make at Uni through your course.

In general there are more people than you'd think who don't drink at Uni. Just go out and do the things you enjoy and you'll meet like minded people.

Hope this helps,
Eleanor
University of Salford Student Rep :grin:
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post
by Anonymous
I start uni in September and I'm lowkey wanting to know if its actually possible to be sober at university and find friends while doing it, since i know that the drinking nightlife is one of the 1st few things people do once going to uni. If anyone has any advice on this or can share their own experience it would help massively since its probably one of the things I'm wanting to know about the most.

Hi,
It is completely possible to be sober at university and find a great group of friends while doing it! While the drinking culture is often talked about, many students prefer other ways of socialising, and you definitely won't be alone in wanting a different experience.

Here is some advice on navigating university life while staying sober:

•

Shared Interests: Joining societies based on your hobbies is one of the best ways to meet like-minded people in a non-drinking environment.

•

Course Connections: You will meet plenty of people through your lectures and seminars, where friendships often form over shared academic interests rather than drinking.

•

Quality Connections: You don't need to be part of the "nightlife" scene to make deep, lasting friendships; often, the strongest bonds are formed in quieter, more personal settings.

My best advice is to stay true to yourself. You will find that many people respect your choice, and you will naturally find your group by simply doing the things you enjoy.

Hope this helps!😊

Rachel
(Third Year)
Undergraduate Multimedia Journalism

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Last reply 1 month ago

Withdrawn from medicine for attendance - help!
University life

18

80

Last reply 3 months ago

Laptop vs iPad for university
Laptop, Computer And Mobile Phone Recommendations And Support

12

11

Last reply 6 months ago

Should I Appeal My Undergraduate Degree Result?
University life

5

12

Last reply 8 months ago

I’m nervous to start uni
University life

13

14

Last reply 8 months ago

What do you wish you knew before applying to Uni?
University life

31

33

Last reply 8 months ago

living away from home for university- pros / cons, advice ?
University life

15

15

Last reply 8 months ago

I took a gap year and now I feel behind
University life

8

9

Last reply 8 months ago

Wearing a hat in lectures and classrooms?
University life

13

18

Last reply 8 months ago

Got a 2:2 in my Pharmacy degree
University life

4

5

Last reply 8 months ago

How to study at university?
University life

18

15

Last reply 8 months ago

What do I actually need for Uni?
University life

7

10

Last reply 8 months ago

Missed out on first year experience, any advice?
University life

10

8

Last reply 8 months ago

Options after failing foundation year at UoM for EEE
University life

4

8

Last reply 8 months ago

Home vs student accom
University life

11

11

Last reply 9 months ago

Feels like I’ve hit a wall - anyone else feel this way?
University life

4

3

Last reply 9 months ago

failing my course
University life

3

14

Last reply 9 months ago

Should I Appeal an Academic Misconduct Finding at a UK University?
University life

3

5

Last reply 9 months ago

Will I be an outcast in uni if I don’t use social media?
University life

14

13

Last reply 9 months ago

What's uni actually like?
University life

14

11

Last reply 9 months ago

Can I still get a 2:1 after getting 50% in second year?
University life

4

5

Articles for you

How The Student Room is moderated

To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.