Over three quarters of students believe drinking is a part of university culture

Despite the large quantities of alcohol consumed by university students during term-time, surveys suggest the events and social aspects are more important to students than the drink itself. 

78% of students stated they believe drinking and getting drunk is an important part of university culture, according to the Students, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (SADS), which surveyed 10,561 students in higher education. This percentage is marginally down from 2025, when 81% of respondents agreed, but has increased since 2023 and 2024. 

While many universities have introduced more sober activities, an alcohol-centred nightlife still dominates many campuses across the country. 64% of SADS respondents said they have made friends through drinking, and most respondents (78%) said they drank “For recreation/fun”. 

I think it’s really easy to be sober at university

Anonymous student

Although three-quarters (74%) of students agreed that “Students drink alcohol to fit in with their peers”, only a quarter (24%) agreed with the statement that “My university friends expect me to drink regularly and get drunk”.  

A respondent to a survey by The Boar said that “I think it’s really easy to be sober at university”, and another shared: “I feel that the sense of belonging someone might feel from participating in a drinking culture is an inherently personal issue.”  

The same student elaborated: “I myself do not feel self-conscious if I’m not drinking, and my sober friends do not feel that way either.” 

At Warwick, Wednesday circles and POP! club nights are a weekly highlight for many students and societies, with drinking in the Student Union described as “incredibly affordable and perfect for students”. This includes T-Bar and The Dirty Duck, as well as Copper Rooms, which are convenient and well-priced especially for those living on campus. 

Interestingly, only 3% of students reported being sober due to the price of alcohol

Various universities, such as Surrey, have opened on-campus Wetherspoons  branches in recent years, demonstrating the ongoing demand among students for affordable places to drink and socialise. Interestingly, only 3% of students reported being sober due to the price of alcohol (SADS).  

A respondent to a survey by The Boar described money as not being “an inhibiting factor, for most.” 

In response to a question posed by The Boar, Warwick student response was split between the possibility of drinking more often if alcohol was cheaper (44%) and drinking the same amount (40%), with the remainder not drinking at all. 

When asked to elaborate on the relationship between affordability and drinking choices, Warwick students mainly reported that they would likely buy their alcohol from nicer venues, or buy better quality drinks, if prices were lower. For example, students might pre-drink less on a night out, and drink more at pubs, bars, or clubs.  

Despite being in the minority, choosing sobriety has become more normalised. 27% of students nationally reported being exclusively sober, compared with 14.8% of Warwick students. 72% of SADS respondents stated that they do not feel pressured to drink more than they wish. 

Further, 61% of SADS respondents said there were enough social events at university that “do not involve having to drink or get drunk”, with only one in five respondents disagreeing with this statement. 

At Warwick, many societies host both drinking and non-drinking socials, with over half of Warwick students believing that both societies and sports clubs host “an appropriate amount of non-drinking socials”. A further quarter felt that only societies host an appropriate amount, and sports clubs did not. 

I can understand the trepidations and concerns about initiations but, if run correctly, they can be a great way to engage freshers with the society

Anonymous student

Sports clubs are often associated with an increased amount of drinking, especially involving hazing rituals, initiations, or ‘adoptions’, as they are often called.  

Over half of SADS respondents (54%) did not report witnessing or partaking in any initiations or hazing at university that involved alcohol, and a further quarter of respondents (24%) found these events “safe, supportive, and enjoyable”. 

The majority of respondents to a survey by The Boar (52%) reported never having been initiated into a society. However, of those who reported being initiated, 87.5% reported having enjoyed their experiences. 

One respondent elaborated: “I can understand the trepidations and concerns about initiations but, if run correctly, they can be a great way to engage freshers with the society and get to know their club and exec members.” 

Most societies and sports clubs at Warwick also participate in the tradition of ‘circling’, a Warwick-exclusive event that typically takes place before POP!, the Wednesday club night in the SU. Although every circle is different, 60% of respondents to a survey by The Boar reported attending either circle or POP! at least once a month. 

One respondent claimed that the Wednesday night tradition was “a much bigger part of going out when I was in first year … because it’s closer, easier, and in some ways safer.”  

Another respondent said: “I think it makes up a fair bit of society drinking culture, but between friend groups it’s just another event, and not that important in my experience.” 

I find that circling is the perfect way to make new friends, meet new people and bring a society closer

Anonymous social secretary

One response suggested circle and POP! made up about 20% of drinking culture at Warwick, whilst another suggested it was as much as “95% of my experience at uni, as it’s where I mainly drink.” 

An anonymous social secretary reported: “I find that circling is the perfect way to make new friends, meet new people and bring a society closer.”  

They went on to share: “As a social sec who has circled both drinking and sober and who actively participates with people who circle sober, I would maintain that circling is not just an excuse to get drunk but something that everyone can enjoy and get stuck in to, becoming even closer with their society.” 

Responses […] suggested two thirds of Warwick students drink more at university than they do at home

Before starting at university, 42% of SADS respondents believed that students got drunk “most of the time”. This perception falls to 37% since being at university, with most university students believing that students get drunk “occasionally”. 

At The Boar, responses to our survey suggested two thirds of Warwick students drink more at university than they do at home, with a further third drinking the ssame amount. Approximately half of this third reported not drinking at all either way. 

While responses described not feeling explicit pressure to drink at university, one response described a culture around drinking at university that makes getting drunk seem more fun than not, and drinkers more exciting than non-drinkers. 

However, responses also suggest drinking culture remains a key part of university life outside of getting drunk. One response described drinking at university as “a way of enhancing the events which already happen”, while another shared their “favourite memories at uni” come from events such as circling and balls.