From mini golf to Lidl bakery: The ultimate guide to smashing Dry January in Cardiff

If the festive period has you vowing that you’ll never drink again, you have to lock in for the dreaded exam season, or maybe your New Year’s resolution is to drink less, Dry January could be the ideal challenge for you.

Now, we know doing “Dry Jan” as a student is hard – so here’s a guide on how to smash it.

Organise sober activities

Being such a fabulous city, it’s no surprise that Cardiff has tons of super fun sober activities for you to try.

The cinema – an oldie but a goldie. You could head to Cineworld, or with Odeon’s brilliantly priced tickets and a whole range of exciting new films coming out this January, it is the perfect place to have some sober fun.

If you manage to find a dry day, why not take a walk to Roath Park. Here you can grab a coffee, play some tennis and between 11am-4pm, you can visit the conservatory’s adorable terrapins.

At only £8.75 (for students), Treetop Adventure Golf is a brilliant sober activity. There’s delicious food, is conveniently located in St David’s and opens every day.

Do it with a friend

Doing Dry January alone may feel daunting, so why not find a friend to do it with you. You can encourage one another, and hold each other accountable, all whilst getting your competitive spirit going.

Prep yourself for some wholesome evenings.

Involve yourself

Just because you’re sober, it doesn’t mean you can’t join your housemates at the pub or for a cheeky night at Barbara’s. It may be hard to turn down a Jäger bomb, but just think how fresh and hangxiety free you’ll feel tomorrow.

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These nights will truly be your most memorable.

Exercise

Cease the hangover free mornings and head for a run. If you’re not a runner, but are interested in getting into it, you could try the NHS’s Couch to 5K; a brilliant scheme that transforms you from a novice to a pro in just nine weeks.

Admittedly, exercising outside in January can be a little chilly. Instead you could join a gym, where you can work out alone, or attend a class. Cardiff is full of gyms, many of which offer student deals – The Gym Group, located in Cardiff city centre, offers student’s the opportunity join at just £13.99 a month.

With hundreds to choose from, joining one of your university’s sporting societies is a great way to keep fit whilst making likeminded friends.

Although exercising may seem less fun than a night at YOLO, the Strava kudos you receive will make it all seem worthwhile.

Reward yourself in other ways

After a long day at the ASSL, any average student has a habit of “falling” into the Woodville. Although tempting, during Dry Jan try to reward your hard work in other ways.

You could grab a sweet treat from Lidl bakery, head into town and shop St David’s fabulous January sales. You could even also channel your inner mixologist and create a tasty mocktail, treat yourself to a coffee from one of Cardiff’s many independent coffee shops or even have a film night.

To really spoil and congratulate yourself on partaking in Dry January, you could organise a meal out in one of Cardiff’s many restaurants, some of which do offer student discount. Although a more expensive treat, it may be more feasible at the end of January thanks to all the money you have saved, not buying drinks.

Despite its challenges, Dry January is guaranteed to improve both your mental and physical well-being – so smash it, we know you’ve got it!