Real Talk: "You don't drink?... Are You Even a Student?"

I do drink, i like juice, lemonade, a cuppa tea. I'm also partial to an alcoholic beverage; a glass of wine (rosè) or a vodka, soda & lime (that's my drink btw!). Sometimes. Sometimes i drink way too much of it. Sometimes i don't want to drink at all, in fact, most of the time i'd rather have a quiet night in with a movie or a book with a cup of tea. Does that make me a terrible student?



Now we all know the drinking culture the surrounds university and student life, more so in the UK. Which makes it pretty difficult being a student if you aren't big on binge drinking.

I find it quite hard to understand why it isn't socially acceptable to admit you don't drink, you don't want to drink and you won't be out because you don't want too. I find it sad that we have to make excuses like 'I'm driving' or 'I can't i have a 9am tomorrow'.


On our way home from a fun day in Edinburgh (where i drank no alcohol btw!), the train conductor commented "Look at all these students asleep; probably because of all the drugs and alcohol they've had this weekend.". Like what?! Another woman on the train looked at me like 'what the hell'. I couldn't believe he had just said that. You mean we were tired because we got up early to go to Edinburgh, had a pesky fire alarm at 3.30am that morning and had been busy working our arses off ALL week so we could have the day off! Not all students are automatically hungover or on drugs. Not all young people spend their weekends going on nights outs.

Of course, things are getting easier, what with 'Dry January' and September Cancer Research 'Dryathalon'.  Going tee-total seems to actually be catching on. And while i'm not bashing drinking because i do like love a night out. I just dislike the whole drinking culture which makes you feel less of a student if you don't. I dislike how students are defined by drinking and social situations that revolve around drinking (see this article).