You don’t have to drink to enjoy first year

Contrary to popular belief, university life isn’t all about alcohol. There is much more to it, such as crippling anxiety and fear of failure. Lol jk. But still kind of.

Join societies

There are loads of different societies to choose from, from the conventional sports society to more abstract ones (see our 15 societies you’ve never heard of article!). If a night out on the razz and a whole lotta bev doesn’t sound like a perfect night for you, there are literally loads of different socials that multiple society’s offer that don’t involve alcohol. You have just to find the right one!

Be creative

When planning something with your friends, there is more to bonding then getting drunk together. You don’t even have to necessarily leave the flat and explore Southampton to have fun. You can stay and watch movies. You can cook together, play stupid board games or even hold a flat Olympics. Doing a relay in a narrow hallway is sometimes a lot funnier then getting pissed.

Hype yourself

Remember that a lot of people feel like they have to drink to be fun and have a good time, but you don’t have to do that! You don’t need the help of vod to be the life and soul of the party, you’re naturally fun sober. It doesn’t matter how drunk or not you are, you can still do a cringe slut drop that you will later regret.

Juice it up

So you don’t feel completely left out at pre’s, take any drink that you like (and can easily and quickly down) and stick with it at pre’s. Especially if you take a sugary drink, the sugary rush could give you an alternative, albeit temporary, hyper state. You can get just as lit on a pint of pineapple juice as a double vodka mixer.

Take pity on your friends

There is nothing funnier than watching your friends vom all over their carpet while you watch them suffer, like a disappointed but entertained parent. The moans and groans next morning from your hungover pals, who can’t or would rather not remember the night before is so satisfying to your sober and bushy-tailed self. Sitting smugly whilst watching your friends choke on their shots is a prize in itself.

At least go to pre’s

People will appreciate that you still want to despite time with them despite your want to get shitfaced. You don’t have even have to turn up dressed, you can go in your PJ’s if you want. Or if you’re into that, fully naked. Pre’s are always the best part of the night anyway, and you don’t have to be drunk to enjoy it.

Be honest

People are normally more understanding than you think. If you just casually drop into convo that you don’t drink, although they may be a bit shook at first, as there are actually a lot of people who go to uni purely to get off their face. But, normally people do respect your decision to drink, for whatever reason it may be and they will still want to invite you out.

Still go to big events

Particularly during freshers, even if you don’t really like going clubbing, you should still try and go to the big events. There are ones to remember and usually have people talk about them for months on end, and you don’t want to be left out of the conversation. The big events are also a chance to properly make memories and get to know your flatmates.

Don’t judge others

Try and hold off your judgement, both silently and not. You choose not to drink for whatever reason it may be, and you should be respected for your choice. In the same way, you should respect others for their choice. They want to drink and although you don’t, they are still allowed to get steaming without shade.

Don’t isolate yourself

Sometimes being the only sober in the squad makes you feel a bit of a lemon. But keeping a distance from your friends is still a mistake. If you keep away because you feel left out, this will probably make you feel even more left out, because your flatmates think you don’t want to spend time with them and won’t bother asking you to do anything, even if it doesn’t involve drinking.

Be persistent

Don’t crack under the pressure. Although you may want to ditch the night altogether and stay in bed all snug, you may miss out on one of the funniest nights of your life. You can still have the time of your life with your friends whilst sober. Good times are rare, and Netflix will always be there.