The pregame predicament: The normalisation of drinking culture at university

I was notified of the release of Welcome Week party tickets a considerable time prior to hopping on my flight to the UK. I thought getting tickets early on was going to serve as a realignment to the energy of the Universe, as these purchases were swiftly followed by the approval of my visa. 

A quick browse through the ticketed events revealed that there was something for everyone. A foam party, Afrobeats, Bollywood, the Fresher’s Ice Breaker – we were spoilt for choice. I had to make an educated decision on which ones I wanted to attend. So, I googled ‘student drinking culture in the UK’.

To my surprise, the first five links were blog posts and articles on navigating the consumption of alcohol as a student written and published by a bunch of reputed universities in the UK on their websites. The emphasis on the prevalence of drinking among students was overwhelming, yet the acknowledgement of this and the support being offered were reassuring. In addition, countless threads on Reddit and the occasional ‘Everyone just wants to drink, I guess’ text at 9pm on a WhatsApp group chat reinforce the pronounced presence of drinking at university.

As the ‘kitchen pregame followed by shots and the hungover morning debrief’ routine of Welcome Week wanes, students are now transitioning into regular classes, society sessions, and socials, alongside upcoming career fairs.

Freshers’ Week can be fun and energising, but the heavy drinking culture often makes it challenging for those who prefer sober or low-key socialising

Anonymous sober student

The Boar reached out to a few freshers and returners to reflect on their Welcome Week experience and, more specifically, the parts that were likely to involve alcohol. A returnee remarked, “I would say that the drinking culture at Warwick is varied. Some groups of people definitely engage in more than others, for example, depending on accommodation, sports clubs and societies, and friend groups. This is because Warwick has such a diverse population of students.”

Another student who chose sobriety due to religious reasons mentioned that “Freshers’ Week can be fun and energising, but the heavy drinking culture often makes it challenging for those who prefer sober or low-key socialising. While alcohol helps some people loosen up, it can also create pressure or discomfort for others trying to connect authentically,” when asked about their Welcome Week experience.

It is quite impossible to develop an exhaustive list of reasons for the pervasiveness of alcohol amongst students. A lot of reasons intertwine psychological and social factors alike. University is, for a lot of students, their first move away from home. Students tend to view this new start through rose-tinted glasses, often idealising the promise of the unlimited freedom associated with living on their own. Take curfew and parental intervention out of the equation, and suddenly, drinking does sound more fun than it used to.

Additionally, the first week of university pushes students out of their cocoon, forcing them to transform, at least temporarily, into a social butterfly. Not having your best friends and family around is hard. Coupled with making plans with strangers in the hopes of meeting your new best friend, putting yourself out there, not to mention the fear of rejection (‘I made a fool of myself, and now everyone hates me and thinks I’m weird’), the first week of university can be quite the emotional rollercoaster.

Alcohol can serve as social lubricant in interactions with new people, easing the rough edges of mixers and icebreaker activities and, of course, the party lights at Copper Rooms

An interesting observation by a student at Warwick accounts for the involvement of alcohol in a cultural context as well. “I think that alcohol is very prevalent in the university culture because firstly it is a big part of British culture, for example, going to the pub with friends. I also think it is highly prevalent for socialising with new people, celebrating, and unwinding from stressful daily life. This is particularly prevalent at university when meeting new people, and where many people enjoy going out to clubs and parties for the first time, and this can be a big aspect of personal development.”

Alcohol can serve as social lubricant in interactions with new people, easing the rough edges of mixers and icebreaker activities and, of course, the party lights at Copper Rooms. A fresher, when asked about why they thought university parties were alcohol-fuelled, noted, “In order to connect with people, students tend to get into the habit of drinking. Alcohol can often act as a social crutch at university events, easing anxiety but sometimes masking deeper social discomfort.”

Peer pressure, bullying, or feeling the need to fit in cannot be negated as contributing factors to drinking habits amongst students. And while the above reasons paint a rough sketch of causality, they only describe the scratch, not the itch of the drinking culture within universities.

Gen Z is drinking a lot less in comparison to the previous generations. Almost a third of Gen Z abstain from alcohol, and a significant percentage introduce alcohol into their life only as an occasional relaxation aid

Last week, I came across yet another Instagram reel of a millennial talking about how Gen Z was prematurely old and not fun, and how the wellness-obsessed generation found the ‘party while you’re young and hot’ concept to be unappealing. Gen Z is drinking a lot less in comparison to the previous generations. Almost a third of Gen Z abstain from alcohol, and a significant percentage introduce alcohol into their life only as an occasional relaxation aid, often leaving it at one glass on sporadic instances.

Curating a night out by placing alcohol at its crux, as seen across earlier generations, has become unpalatable to those currently in their 20s. It has been observed that this new generation prefers new avenues of socialising, for example, fitness-related events. While conversing with The Boar, a student mentioned, “I actually prefer meeting new people through either creative or fitness-related events. I am someone who loves a hobby, and meeting people through such communities ensures you already have common interests. I also get to be more present in the process of getting to know the other person in the absence of alcohol or other substances”.

This year, The Independent released an article which mentioned that Gen Z were no longer as sober curious as they claimed to be. The article starts with the line “hold the kombucha and pour me a pint,” a direct reference to the prioritisation of wellness often attributed to explain Gen Z’s lack of appeal towards casual drinking.

The promise of a good time no longer sells. But the injection of a few glasses (a week) into a weekly routine that revolves around health and wellness has found a certain level of resonance with this generation

No matter how many times millennials and older generations urge Gen Z to let loose, live a little, and wear the highest heels to the club, however, the patterns around Gen Z’s drinking habits (or lack thereof) seem slightly resistant to change. The proof of this lies in how alcohol brands have now been forced to welcome paradigm shifts within marketing to capture Gen-Z audiences. The promise of a good time no longer sells. But the injection of a few glasses (a week) into a weekly routine that revolves around health and wellness has found a certain level of resonance with this generation.

Regardless of whether you reach out for the cocktail or mocktail menus, Warwick has plenty of events for you to make the appropriate choice for yourself. The insights offered by a master’s student currently in her fifth year at Warwick reveal, “During my time at Warwick, I have come into contact with / planned many events tailored for sober students as well as drinking events whereby there were plans in place specially for those wanting to remain sober. I would say that as president of a sports society, this was one of our main and most important considerations when planning social events. E.g., making sure sober events like dinners or movie nights were present on the social calendar or planning specific measurements for events whereby drinking may seem heavily required, for example, circles or initiations.” Moreover, the Student Union goes beyond to offer access to various activities and events that are accented by sobriety.

‘There are lots of protocols for those who don’t drink, and it is a very common occurrence for people not to drink, so don’t feel unusual if you don’t. As long as you have a group of people around you that you trust, you should be able to have fun’

All of us students have put in undeniable amounts of hard work, effort, and sacrifice to be able to pursue a degree at Warwick. It is only essential for us to make the most out of our time here, drink in hand or not. The consumption of alcohol is purely an individual’s intuitive choice. However, safety and comfort are non-negotiables.

The students we spoke to for this article do not disagree. “I would say that it is important to know your own limits when drinking and not feel like there is pressure to join in if you are not comfortable, as often the person who is exerting the pressure is simply trying to make sure everyone feels included and doesn’t actually care if you don’t drink. I would also say that, having planned society events that there are lots of protocols for those who don’t drink, and it is a very common occurrence for people not to drink, so don’t feel unusual if you don’t. As long as you have a group of people around you that you trust, you should be able to have fun whilst drinking or not drinking.”

In conclusion, keep your drinks and yourself protected, do not drink and drive, and do not forget to remember that you define what a good time means to you. Cheers!