Cardiff graduate starts campaign to stop students feeling pressured to drink

A Cardiff graduate has started a campaign which aims to stop students feeling pressured to drink.

The ‘My Drink. My Choice’ campaign empowers students to challenge traditional drinking culture at university and to make informed decisions about alcohol.

The campaign aligns with a growing trend among Gen Z for health-conscious, inclusive socialising with research showing that 39 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK no longer drink.

Speaking with WalesOnline, campaign founder Chris told said: “Coming from Aberaeron, the middle of nowhere to a massive city like [Cardiff]. And that pressure to drink just happens so quickly and it’s spaces like this where that pressure just doesn’t exist.

“It’s a bit taboo but my first alcoholic drink was at 18 but then I come to my student accommodation, just half way through 18 and the wristbands are coming out and people are going out every single night.”

He added: “If you don’t drink at uni, you’re left behind. I sat and I watched all of Twilight but it gets to the point where you leave your room at like eight or nine and no-one was there.”

My Drink. My Choice promotes alcohol-free events and encourages students to explore alternative ways to socialise. A recent gathering at Scaredy Cats café featured mocktails, board games, and sketching activities, offering a relaxed and inclusive environment.

“I’ve always chosen not to drink, but events like these make me feel included,” said Akeen Okadi, a dentistry student.

“It’s great to meet like-minded people without the pressure to drink.”

Wren, another attendee, added: “There is a big culture around drinking at university, so finding your own circle of like-minded people is essential. It’s nice to have events where drinking isn’t central.”

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Supported by Cardiff Council and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, the campaign also aims to raise awareness of alcohol-free alternatives for Cardiff’s nightlife.

Luke Fadipe, community safety manager for Cardiff Council, said: “This has been a great opportunity for Cardiff to showcase best practice with partners. The My Drink. My Choice campaign is about increasing awareness of the range of alcohol-free venues and activities as well as empowering students to say no to peer pressure.”

Principal public health practitioner at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Lauren Idowu also said: “Global evidence indicates that two major causes of alcohol-related harm are the affordability and availability of alcohol; put simply, the more available alcohol is, and the cheaper it is, the more harm it is likely to cause the population in both the short and longer term.

“Increasing alcohol-free options is an effective way of shifting the availability of alcohol. We also know there is a growing trend in sales of alcohol-free alternatives, and demand for alcohol-free events is rising. Nights like this are great to support that shift in social norms to protect our young people from the harm from alcohol.”

Cardiff already offers sober activities such as escape rooms, gaming cafés, and a vibrant arts scene, but My Drink. My Choice hopes to expand these options and make non-drinking social events a normal part of student life.

Feature image credit: Pexels