Does UW-Madison really have a sober community? Yes, yes we do

In the late summer of 2016, the Princeton Review ranked the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the number one party school in the nation. Some rejoiced, some shrugged it off, others took pride and others felt shame.

Not everyone embraces the drinking culture at Madison, and a label of such caliber can bring a negative stigma to the students attending the university. We want everyone to know, although Madison is fun, we don’t all partake in the same activities.

It can be a difficult subject, talking about people who don’t drink. The activity appears common and popular, so anyone who goes against the grain may seem ‘weird’ or an ‘outcast’.

“Sometimes I find myself in a group of friends talking about their drunken mistakes or describing their party, and I feel out of the conversation,” said Jacob, a freshman at UW.

One thing many non-drinkers struggle with is saying they don’t drink and then explaining why they choose not to. The ‘why’ is always tough to get across because not everyone can relate.

Mikaela, a junior at UW-Madison, is another student who has chosen the path of sobriety.

“…most people are really confused when I say I don’t drink,” Mikaela said. “They think I mean that I’m not drinking just for the night.”

In my experiences as a non-drinker, I’ve definitely received an incredible range of reactions. A lot of students are respectful and won’t force you to drink, which is great.  There is, however, a large portion of students who cannot grasp the concept of choosing sobriety every single night.   So their only reaction is peer-pressure, since ‘it’s so hard to have fun without alcohol’.

UW-Madison does a great job of hosting events around campus to encourage alternate activities with friends.  Still, an excuse to why someone isn’t drinking is never easy.

Coming up with excuses on why a student may not be drinking is always a difficult task. My go to is usually “no thanks, I’m the designated sober one tonight”.  The idea of students needing to make up excuses for why they don’t drink really says something.

“When I’m asked to go to a party, I find myself scrambling for the nearest excuse,” Jacob said. “I don’t want to seem lame, but at the same time, I wouldn’t ever go to a party, so I shouldn’t feel that pressure.”

Stay hydrated, my friends

I’m not writing this to make the people who don’t drink look like saints or the good guys. No one is above anyone, there are just two vastly different groups of people when it comes to this topic.  Some struggle to grasp the concept of people coming to college, especially Madison, and not pursuing the party scene.

This topic should not be taboo and people should not judge others for sobriety. Yes, Madison is the number one party school in the nation and yes, it’s a blast, but this does not mean everyone drinks.

For the purpose of anonymity, the students interviewed have been given alternate names.