We asked international students what they thought of UEA drinking habits

As you stumble out of your flat, arms draped around each other, steering your course towards the LCR, spare a thought for the international students.

University is all about meeting new people, experiencing new things and furthering yourself academically. Try and remember that next time you’re downing a pint of  vodka, cider and bong water.

For many, university is a culture shock – especially if you are from outside the UK. So what do international students think about how we drink?

When asked about her British flatmates drinking habits, Kaitlin Donnelly, a third-year from Arizona, USA said: “Don’t ever try to out-drink a British student. Before coming here I was advised that you should not attempt to out drink a British person, because you will lose”.

For some of the American contingent in UEA, the Hugh Grant, Prince Harry exterior of the British student is shattered as soon as we take the first sip of our K Cider. Lacking the natural confidence and social skills of our Transatlantic cousins, it seems to be that we make up for this by being able to down near endless amounts of cheap alcohol. Sinking VKs like they are going out of fashion.

Something which other international students agree with. First-year Biology student, Sara Sabzikari from Istanbul, thinks that: “British students go at a much faster pace, you drink to get drunk, you don’t pace yourself”.

Pace ourselves, why would we do that? Those snakebites aren’t going to down themselves you know.

Another point Sara raises is that we drink for different reasons on a night-out. When we drink, we drink to get drunk.

She said: “Drinking games are a much bigger thing here”.

Drinking is big across the world, but it seems we may have a certain soft spot for a game of Ring Of Fire, or a (potentially friendship ending) round of Frenemies. The sticky Ace of Spades stuck to your favourite cup serving as a constant reminder.

But don’t let that make you think we are the top drinking dogs. In fact we may not even be as good as we first thought. British students may stand their ground against Americans, but many international students think we are lightweights.

When asked about British Students drinking abilities, Yoanna Stoykova, a Languages Student from Milan, disagrees entirely: “I think you drink less but get drunk more easily”.

So next time you think you’re on your sixth VK and feel like the Mike Tyson of heavy drinking, take a look at the Italian necking a bottle of Jaeger, or the Lithuanian drinking vodka like it’s tap water.