It’s no secret that drinking is a significant part of university culture, but is this the case for all students?
It is a staple of student life: unwinding from a stressful week at university and pre-drinking cheap supermarket alcohol with flatmates, before hitting the local nightclub filled with the usual blaring club tunes and bustling bodies.
The pattern has become routine for so many students that, ultimately, it is now an unoriginal experience that has spread across many recent generations.
Drinking culture is stereotypically linked to students and life at university, with 47% of young people thinking that, before attending university, students get drunk most of the time.
This reflects on events such as Freshers Week and gatherings held by social societies, using alcohol to help students meet new people more comfortably, this means that there’s an overall pressure prior to studying at university, that in order to fit in and enjoy yourself alcohol must be involved.
Social media plays a large part in pushing this stereotype out amongst university students, by glamorising the drinking culture and ultimately creating a false consensus on what university life is really about.
This is because, students constantly see their peers posting online about going to the club or enjoying house parties, leading them to experience a fear of missing out on the university experience, and overestimating how much people are drinking. As a result, many misjudge what the ‘norm’ actually is.
However, this stereotype is beginning to slip, with 64% of legal drinking Gen Z adults reporting that they are cutting back on alcohol and drinking, 20% less than Millennials did, at the same age at university.
This is due to the fact that students are now deciding to drink less for either a healthier lifestyle, experiencing “hangxiety”, the rise in the cost of alcohol, and the importance of studies, which overall makes it harder to embrace a night out.
Nottingham University has approximately 80,000 students living on campus, so it’s no surprise that the city has a diverse and lively nightlife scene. I spoke to several people during a night out to gain their perspective on drinking as a university student.
One of the main reasons for them to choose to ditch the booze is for a healthier lifestyle and to take time for self-care, causing them to choose fitness clubs and sober social events, to stay connected with fellow students without the need to drink alcohol.
Emily, a history student at Nottingham, told us: “If I’m not drinking, we love to have a board games night, play football or something arts-based.”
Running clubs and group workouts with flatmates, or other peers in social societies have become extremely popular, with 76% of students meeting physical activity guidelines in the UK. The popularity of these events stem from how inexpensive they are, the health benefits, and the positive effects it has on emotional well-being.
“There is a lot more encouragement with sober social activities, so less people are feeling the pressure to drink and go out,” said Emily.
With sober activities becoming a popular thing, students are also taking the initiative to go on nights out without the need for alcohol completely, as they don’t view it as a necessity to enjoy themselves and socialise. Isla, another student at Nottingham expresses “Having the right friends, the right environment and good music can make any night out enjoyable without alcohol.” implying how alcohol isn’t a requirement for mixing with peers.
Getting drunk is often related to waking up with a hangover however, over recent years pop culture has emerged the term “hangxiety” which refers to the worry and panic that follows after a night out, causing students to find themselves feeling embarrassed or regretting their actions from the night before.
This is caused by the elevation of the stress hormone cortisol, which happens after the comedown from alcohol, as drinking brings a temporary surge of serotonin.
In addition to this, the more frequently you drink alcohol, the higher your cortisol levels will increase each time, causing a long-term effect on mental well-being, inducing a higher risk of anxiety and depression.
“Being hungover really affects your physical and mental health a lot,” Isla stated.
The majority of current university students are a part of Gen Z; they are known to significantly prioritise their mental health and are more sober-curious in comparison to later generations, viewing being drunk as counterproductive and uncool, leading them to turn to these non-alcoholic alternatives to enjoy themselves just as much.
Although students are choosing to drink less, in some cases this isn’t necessarily by choice. Due to the current rise in the cost of living, students are having to prioritise their needs over their wants, meaning they must pre-drink before going out or cut out alcohol completely, as a standard drink on a night out is now typically £7 or more.
Emily stresses that the way students have had to adapt to the rise in alcohol prices: “Students have to pre-drink more before going to the club because the costs are so expensive on a night out and it really adds up.”
Barclays carried out a survey in 2023, that proved how university students are largely cutting their costs on alcohol to spend their funds on essential needs, such as groceries and rent, with 14% of students reducing or cutting out alcohol completely, due to the constant rise in costs.
The importance of studies for students is another reason why some are drinking less. Whether they are experiencing their first year at university or their last, the constant stress to meet deadlines and balance their social life at the same time, can be incredibly difficult.
Being hungover, or frequently drained from an eventful night out can heavily decrease focus and motivation, causing missed lectures and decreased study time. This, in turn, can have a serious impact on grades.
“I am probably drinking a lot more than I’d like to, especially being a history student where most of it is self-led; it means you end up going into late hours studying instead of going out and socialising,” said Emily.
Regardless of the social pressures to drink and regularly go out, every individual’s university experience is diverse, and traditional nightlife is still extremely significant to most students.
However, this doesn’t mean non-drinkers are being judged or judging drinkers for not sharing the same desires, as students are increasingly becoming accepting of their peers who are staying sober, because it’s the company and friendships that count.
Drinking and enjoying a night out will always be a part of university culture, as it is one of the most enjoyable parts of experiencing university for students, giving them a chance to let loose and mingle with peers.
However, looking towards the future, students are beginning to prioritise their mental health and are taking the initiative to decide for themselves what makes a good night out, with or without alcohol.
Given all of those factors, it will be no surprise if this sober-conscious generation challenges the stereotypes of the drinking culture at university, for upcoming undergraduates as well.
All images courtesy of Pippa Tester.