TGIF! And Wednesday. And Monday. In fact all days except the actual weekend, students up and down Nottingham connect in the fraternal bonds of Predrinking.

Uniting in a circle usually on the lounge floor, with the host’s “Going Out!!!!!!” Spotify playlist setting the atmosphere nicely, we each present our offerings to the group; our choice of alcohol.

But have we ever stopped to deeply consider the cultural impact of our ‘poison’? The Tab delves into the fascinating insights of Predrinks Tribes.

The West Cider Cult

Be it Tesco’s own or the devilish Frosty Jacks, many turn to these ciders on the basis of pure volume.  A likely member of the tribe will be straight-forward and practical, willing to travel light instead of messing around with mixers.

Pros:

• ITS SO CHEAP 
• You won’t run out of alcohol. No one can consume that amount of liquid in one sitting.

 

Cons: – Lots of ‘fruity’ burps that continue long into the night. Not the one when you’re trying to pull.

The Wine Tribe of the North

North being Sainsbury’s. A popular tribe amongst many students, the choice of wine varies not between taste or preference but as to what is on offer. Reduced from £7.50 to £5.00? THANK YOU THAT’S MINE.

Pros:

• Getting drunk will not be an issue
• There’s pretty much no need for a glass

Cons:

• When there’s a waterfall in Ring of Fire (a classic predrinking ritual), downing wine is NOT a pleasant experience.
• The monumental hangover.

The Spirit Sprites

A varied tribe of predrinking novices – they come armed with their bottle of Basics vodka insisting “Do NOT let me drink all this tonight” – then they do.

Or, worse, they’ll leave it at the host’s.  Inevitably it is consumed without the original owner ever knowing… until they ask after it three months later. Oops.

Pros: 

• Tastes quite nice 
• Such a wide selection!

Cons:

• The whole having to get a mixer situation…I’ve had a housemate ask me if Robinsons Fruit and Barley is an ok substitute. It really isn’t.
• Judging how much you should really drink becomes fairly difficult and once in Coco Tang you may struggle…

Six-Pack Pack

Towing along their trusty crate of beers, members of this tribe are bubbly, bouncy and generally sporty people. It all feels a bit frat party but everyone goes with it.

Pros: 

• BEER PONG!

Cons:

• When you can’t find a bottle opener…

The Classy Club

Oo-er, their spirit is actually a recognizable brand; their wine is gently sparkling – even their vodka has gold flakes in it!

The elite members of the classy club are usually rather rah and act like predrinking is an episode of Made in Chelsea.

Pros:

• There ain’t no party like a classy club party

Cons: 

• So exactly HOW much did that cost you?! 

The Weird and Wonderful

Those random bottles of unrecognizable alcohol collecting on your windowsill must belong to someone.

That Ouzo was an impulse buy on holiday and now it is happily welcomed to be part of the Weird and Wonderful predrinking tribe.

Pros: 

• Drinking suspicious ready-made Pina Colada may bring back joyful memories of THAT Malia trip 
• They have an irresistible pull…

Cons: 

• Mixer dilemma 2: what is the appropriate accompaniment for Limoncello?
• Half the time you’re not entirely confident to what you are actually drinking…and 9/10 its gross