If we were to ask the majority of students to reminisce on their best times at university, I am fairly certain some of these stories would have come about as the result of copious amounts of alcohol being consumed. Now that is not a bad thing in any respect, student’s drink alcohol; it’s a stereotype, but one which is not far from the truth. However I am one of those random ones who don’t actually drink (anymore). Back-story? Okay, here we go.
Growing up, my parents and family members did not drink so I wasn’t really exposed to alcohol during my upbringing. I strongly believe this was actually quite damaging because when I finally encountered it I wasn’t aware things like my limits and how to enjoy alcohol responsibly. As most of us know, drinking is a huge part of university culture; in fresher’s week you are bombarded with coupons and leaflets all advertising cheap student nights where drink would be sold at discounted prices. Rightly so, because it can be flipping expensive!
So for the first couple of months at university I didn’t really drink anything apart from the odd Rekorderlig at a flat party, and sometimes I would genuinely just stick to water or orange juice because I’m not really a fan of fizzy drinks either. However as time went on I started drinking a little bit more; looking back now I feel like it was mainly because I thought that I was missing out. I was homesick, but everybody around me appeared settled and seemed to be having the time of their lives. So gradually I started going out more and on nights out I would, you know, have some tequila here, a jaeger bomb there.
Before I continue I should issue a disclaimer; alcohol, though it can be used as a form of escapism, does not solve the root of the problem. I realised this during my first term at Aberdeen. To celebrate the end of exams, myself and a large group of friends went out to Institute; now, just like with drinking clubbing is another thing which I am not particularly fond of (God I sound like such a granny!). In retrospect, I was uncomfortable going to a club in the first place because I knew I would not enjoy it, but my F.O.M.O. ended up overruling my gut instinct. So I went along to Institute and, to cope with this uncomfortable environment, I basically drank everything in my path. That is not an exaggeration; I think I must have tried almost every alcoholic concoction there is that night. So homesickness mixed with heavy drinking resulted in my night ending with uncontrollable tears and emotional outcries about missing my family and hometown.
So University restarted in January and, obviously scarred from my previous antics, I avoided the juice for as long as possible. However, unlike in my first semester when I had little experience about what type of alcohol I enjoyed (and how much to enjoy!), now I knew that tequila was my ishhh. So this semester although I did drink a lot more, I was also more aware of my limit. However this time (and to this day I still have no idea how!) my parents found out about my supposed ‘drinking problem’ and that I’d been going out. Even though my grades had not dropped and I was still attending church they were completely outraged! Now, in that entire term I got drunk twice and for a fresher I feel like that’s rather amicable. Anyway, my parents did not see it this way.
So after countless phone calls with the ‘rents expressing their disappointment and concern over my drinking I decided that it was simply not worth the stress. Also to be honest, I do prefer myself when I am sober; I feel more in control and this might sound odd to some people but I don’t believe that drinking suits me. These days I will have a cider now and again, but that’s about as far as my drinking goes. I have a great group of friends, and I enjoy myself just as much if not more at parties because I’m being more true to myself, rather than simply trying to fit in by drinking.