The âUniversity Experienceâ is a term often used to encapsulate the stereotypical culture of drinking, drugs, romantic escapades and ultimate freedom enjoyed by students in higher education. But is this culture evolving?
Iâm sure every 18-20 year old in the country has heard that University will be âthe best years of their livesâ and that âyouâll never get this time backâ, but do these claims add unnecessary pressure to indulge in this culture? Is drinking at university an active choice, or is it just an expectation that students conform with, because itâs what is usually done? And where does this leave sober students?
There has been a marked decline in alcohol consumption in Gen Z, with reports suggesting as a generation we are drinking 20% less than Millennials. With this decline, we see the correlating increase of sober students. But how do they fit in with this typical âUniversity Experienceâ, are they left excluded or peer pressured, or is the rise of sober socials making these fears unfounded?
The University of Bristol (UoB) holds quite a notorious reputation of having an ‘active’ nightlife, being named the Cocaine Capital of Europe. However, there has been a conscious effort across the University to increase the volume of sober socials, with 101 being held during freshersâ week alone. But what are the reasons behind this increase, and is this leading to an evolving idea of the typical University experience? I spoke with the president of UoB’s Women in Law (WiL) Society, Alicia Low, who told me that WiL is a society that âhas never been [one] that heavily emphasises drinking socialsâ, and even they have been making an effort to increase sober events, by holding causal meetings, playing board games and getting to know each other without the pressure of alcohol. So what has led to this increase? The SU has an accreditation criteria to host sober socials, as Low told me, however I believe there is a different driving factor behind the rise: Social media.
Gen Z has grown up alongside social media, and the spread of ideas and opinions has been a prominent feature of our lives. Hence, when one sober-student releases a video explaining their time at university, it makes the sober viewer feel less alone, they interact with this video- liking it, sharing it, favouriting it, and the algorithm sends them another, and another, and another, until their feed is consumed by the benefits of being sober at university. This is known as the echo-chamber effect, and while it can be problematic, making students feel more confident in their decision to attend university sober, can only be a good thing. This leads to the resulting cycle: more sober students attend university â more demand for sober socials â an increase in sober socials â a more inclusive environment for sober students â an increase in sober students, and so it goes on.
However, it does raise the question, if there is an increase in labelled sober socials, does this increase pressure to drink at socials that are not labelled as sober? Would sober students feel limited to only sober socials? There is definitely a more inclusive and accessible environment for students who chose not to drink, but does this marked increase in sober socials lead to a divide between drinking and non-drinking students? While Low told me that there would never be pressure to drink at non-sober socials, do students put this pressure on themselves? Do we assume that we have to drink at a pub social, and do non-sober students avoid sober socials because they donât consider themself a sober student? Could this type of divide ever be considered a good thing? Surrounding yourself with students who have also made the decision to remain sober, creates a pool of friendships that have similar priorities and lifestyles; is this a benefit in the long run?
These changing expectations and the evolving idea of a university experience, leave many questions unanswered, but it is obvious that there is an emerging change in University Culture, and it will be interesting to see how this progresses in years to come.