As Freshers’ Week approaches, I can understand the undeniable pressure to make friends, go out drinking, and explore Manchester. As a relatively introverted commuter, I started university worried about how I was going to form friendships that survived beyond lecture halls. Not being a big drinker meant I relied on mocktails, soft drinks and coffee to keep me going through nights out clubbing. After years of trying to blend in with my drinking friends, I picked up a few tips and tricks on how to have fun and be completely sober (because, yes, the two can coexist).
Whether you want to refrain from drinking for personal, religious or even financial reasons, know that you’re not alone; it’s completely normal to not align with the student drinking stereotype. At a house party, for example, the idea of being incomprehensibly drunk with breakables, lots of other drunk students, and a deposit on the line makes me feel queasy – even more so when imagining the hangovers after. Sobriety is just as good – and safer – for showing who you are and forming long-lasting, meaningful friendships at uni.
When hosting, keep your drinks exciting, even without the booze. Whenever I would host, I’d choose to be sober, but that never curbed how fun my drinks were. From homemade spritzes to special mocktails and mixers, non-alcoholic drinks make house parties more inviting for everyone involved. My favourite was a strawberry spritz: by mixing alcohol-free prosecco with pink lemonade, you create a delicious, bubbly drink (that can even be used as a general mixer).
Make hangouts about more than just drinking. Whilst pressure from your peers to drink is dying out – as acknowledged by the National Library of Medicine, who outlined a 38% decrease in 15-24 year olds drinking every week – it’s a culture that’s definitely still bubbling beneath the surface. So making something communal can help you feel less ostracised and create a more inclusive space. It’s always a nice idea to take the focus away from drinking (without isolating drinkers!) by including a theme or having food options, making the party more of a gathering than just a drinking session. I liked to make platters to ensure people could avoid alcohol easily.
Find your non-alcoholic drink order when going out. I used to get worried when the house party would turn into a night out, but now I know that was just unnecessary nerves. At the club, my favourite thing to order when my friends and I go out is a lime and soda. For those fed up with drinking copious amounts of juice, Coke, and lemonade, I would highly recommend this pick.
The alcohol-free industry is also ever-increasing, which means there are frequently new alcohol-free drinks being developed. One of my favourites is a non-alcoholic pornstar martini, a mocktail consisting of passion fruit juice with lemonade. As a waitress, I served many of these martinis before even realising they were alcohol-free. Alongside new 0% beers from Corona, Guinness, and Lucky Saint, there are plenty of options that taste similar and look identical (and are cheaper).
Find other options than a post-lecture pub sesh. From ‘Dry January’ to the cost-of-living crisis, we’ve always had reason to curb our alcohol intake, and that doesn’t stop for freshers. Alcohol Change UK reported a significant increase in the number of people participating in Dry January. Booming from 4.2 million in 2019 to 8.5 million in 2024, it’s no surprise that being teetotal is becoming somewhat trendy (lucky us). Alcohol is expensive, and not the only way friendships are formed – my closest friends from uni have been made over a mix of activities: coffee, charity shopping, and of course studying.
For example, on my first day here at UoM, I approached a girl who I thought looked very stylish. We went for coffee at the SU, looked at the jewellery stand and then stumbled to town to sift through the charity shops. That same week, I endured many uncomfortable nights out drinking. The first girl I met is now my best friend, and, unsurprisingly, I didn’t go out with the other people again.
I decided quickly that real friends would like to spend time with me, however that looked. My friends and I went for coffee (my personal favourite spot being Christie’s on campus – it’s great for a post-lecture treat), pottery-painted (I’d definitely recommend the Pottery Corner in Chorlton) and even the odd gym session.
It’s good to remember that drinking isn’t the event: it’s a choice. Friends who need you to drink aren’t your friends – the right people will always find you, and they’re not always at the bottom of a pint.
