Tips for enjoying a Sober Night Out

The UK has a reputation for excessive drinking (one that is not entirely unfounded based on historical track record), yet there has arguably never been a better time to opt for a bit of sobriety. If your New Year’s resolution was to quit drinking, there’s every possibility that you might have actually stuck to it. Or perhaps you’re one of the 25% of young people who has never touched a drop of the stuff in the first place – it’s a trend that, for reasons of cost or simply disinterest, we’re increasingly turning away from alcohol.

Often, students are associated with drinking culture, and it’s true that many a Warwick night out is linked to a drunken adventure at Kasbah or Smack (I’ll admit I’ve never been to either although, as a local, I visited the former back when it was the Colly). But what if you fancy a sober night out (as a non-drinker, because of medication, or simply for a night off the booze)? Given a seemingly unspoken rule that the best nights out always involve drinking, how can you have a fun time while remaining off the alcohol? As an absolute teetotaller, I’m here to offer some advice.

The simplest solution to enjoying a sober night out is to have a night out in which you don’t need to drink. There are so many wonderful options, from a trip to the cinema to a spot of live music to even a nice walk. I’m personally a fan of quizzes and gaming nights, which are great occasions for friends to get together and do something enjoyable without the spectre of alcohol rearing its head. If you’re worried about drinking and pressure, I think a good strategy is to not be in a venue where such a dilemma rocks up.

If you’re not drinking, say no and don’t let yourself be pushed into drinking.

Societies and sports clubs might be a great solution. Most social secs offer a combination of sober and drinking socials, and these are a fun chance to spend time with friends in more relaxing social settings. Obviously, there’s unlikely to be any drinking at a sober social, while every drinking social I’ve been too has stressed that these events can be attended with no pressure to drink. If you’re part of a society or sports club, the work of the social sec can be so invaluable in providing spaces for people to enjoy themselves without touching alcohol (so if the one in your society is active, praise them to the sky).

Of course, it’s sometimes the case that you wind up out with friends who are drinking. There’s always social pressure to partake, but if you let them know in advance that you won’t be joining in, good friends should respect that and not push it. Besides, if you’re surrounded by people you like and have fun with, you’re likely to have a fun time whether you’re drinking or not. It can be tough to stand your ground, particularly if you wind up in situations with people you don’t know, but don’t be afraid to stand your ground – if you’re not drinking, say no and don’t let yourself be pushed into drinking.

As we’re increasingly seeing, opting to remain sober is common among students.

I’d also think about the venue, and what you actually get out of a night out – to my mind, if you need to be drunk to make an experience a good one, it probably isn’t a good time at all. I personally can’t imagine anything worse than a nightclub, but they’re popular for a reason. If you like dancing, or if you like the music, you can still enjoy that sober – there have been many anecdotal reports of people feeling the music more or feeling more connected to the people they dance with by opting to hold off the booze. If your preference for a drunk night out doesn’t work for a sober one, that’s no problem, and you’ll have the knowledge planning ahead.

As we’re increasingly seeing, opting to remain sober is common among students. Yet we often think of nights out in terms of alcohol, although that needn’t be the case at all. Whether you’re a non-drinker or just fancy a night out that doesn’t come with an accompanying hangover, there are loads of ways to enjoy a sober time.