How has lockdown changed the drinking habits of Sheffield students?

If there’s one thing students are infamous for, it’s drinking. We love it – a pint between lectures, a triple vodka coke on the dancefloor, or a cheeky game of ring of fire at pres. 

With all that gone, though, are students still getting their drink on? Well, the answer, by-and-large, is no.

The official recommended maximum to drink a week is 14 units – that’s only 6 pints! Almost everyone frequenting a CODE Tuesday has already smashed way through that limit in a single night and will go on to smash through it again twice or three times more in that week.

So yeah, students are usually way over. From those we’ve spoken to, though, covid has really changed this. There’s no real doubt as to why – if you’re home over lockdown, it’s likely your parents aren’t in the business of getting paralytic with you on a Friday night. And if you are at your uni house, well, there’s only so many home club nights you can stomach.

Here’s what you said (anonymously, so we don’t expose your drinking habits to the world):

“I definitely drink less over lockdowns – normally, I’d drink heavily once or twice a week, but not anymore.”

“Now I’m back at uni, I drink once or twice a week. I had a break over lockdown though – it was good for my body, my tolerance went right down, and I got way more into fitness.”

“I actually developed a drinking problem over the first lockdown. I’ve gotten help now, thankfully, but it was quite bad.”

“I find myself casually drinking a lot more, which isn’t something I used to do at all, really. Generally, I’m drinking less, as I used to really go for it – but I am partial to a nice glass of wine with the telly on.”

Hopefully it won’t be long before clubs reopen and people have the choice again, but it’s certainly not a bad thing that many students have dialled their alcohol intake back – if only for a year.

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