I'm not going to lie, Fresher's Week terrified me above everything else as far as uni was concerned. Not making friends, not exams, not the work load, but the thought of getting through a week renowned for being focussed around partying, pub crawls and drinking.

For those of you that have read my blog and browsed my Instagram for a while, then you will know that I don't drink. If you want to read about my general experience living the sober life whilst being a student, then click here to read my First Year and Second Year reviews. However, for those of you that are new, lets catch you up:


I think alcohol is grim, apart from a very select few, and would rather have a glass of water than be stressing about hangovers and the like that might come for me if I drink copious amounts of bubbly.

Therefore, is it really any surprise that Fresher's Week shot terror into my heart?

If you are worried about Fresher's Week as a non-drinker or non-clubber, whether you are part way through it and hiding in your room from pre-drinks, or questioning going to uni at all due to it's drunk reputation, I am here to calm your nerves and get you through it. After all, I don't drink and am about to start my final year (!) and don't want to leave - it can be done.

What I will start by saying is that Fresher's Week is only one week and partying in the evenings is only a very small part of it. You have welcome lectures, library tours, your department may organise events (for instance, my department held a quiz) and you will spend most of your time working out inventive ways to tell people your name, where you're from and what you study. The likelihood is that your flat (i.e. the first people you will meet) will not be going out every night (and if so, they're mad!). This brings me onto my first piece of advice:



Get To Know Your Flatmates away from the evening's antics

Take a door stop with you so people know you have arrived and can say hi when you first move in. Take food to pass round as an ice breaker if you want (homemade biscuits or cake never go amiss). Chat to them in the kitchen during the day and over dinner. Suggest you explore the city together (which my flatmate did and it was the best thing ever!), collect your student IDs together, or grab free pizza from fresher's fair. If they are pre-drinking in the evening don't run away, just sit in a corner and laugh at their worsening state of drunkenness. Join in as much as you can. I know I've sat and watched before, laughing along whilst everyone else gets smashed. As long as you are strong and say no to offers of alcohol, people will let you be after a while. Have a cup of water in your hand so people can't hand you those infamous red cups. And if it all gets too much, just leave - there's no pressure to stay in the room longer than you want.

By getting to know your flatmates, you stop yourself becoming isolated from your flat, and it makes it easier to suggest doing something non-alcohol related on evenings they aren't going out. Maybe suggest a few of you watch a movie and order pizza. Maybe you could play cards or a board game one evening (I know my cards and monopoly board got well used during the year).

The university should have some non-alcohol related activities going on (especially now us sober students are more prevalent in student culture), so maybe suggest going to a comedy night or bar quiz.

If anything, by being sociable during the day, it makes the evenings when you don't join in as much feel less lonely because you are still interacting with people. Being the only non-drinker can feel isolating, so you do have to make an effort to take opportunities to stop yourself going to default isolation mode as this will only make the beginning of your university career lonely and miserable. But equally if you just want to curl up by yourself with a book or a movie in the evening that's fine - do as much as you feel comfortable with, just don't cut yourself off from everyone for the whole week.

And if you are really struggling you can always talk to your accommodation's pastoral care point-of-contact that you should be made aware of when you first arrive.

Look at little sober me, partying at Fresher's Ball!

But what if you are open to partying, just want to go sober? 

This is 100% an option. Never say never to clubbing sober, even if you're not sure. If you are comfortable with the people you're going with and the music is to your taste (pop cheese here I come!), then it makes the experience a lot easier. It's cheaper too cause water is free from the bar so you only have to pay the entrance fee! I have had some fab nights out completely sober, collecting embarrassing stories to use against my friends which they will no doubt forget. As long as the people you're going with know you won't drink and so won't pressure you into drinking, then go for it! Copy someone else's moves whilst you get comfortable, sit out when you need you sit out, and keep hydrated cause oh my gosh those places are hot and crowded! You never know, you might meet other sober partiers too - I know I've met some. Of course, if you don't like it or want to leave early then that is perfectly fine too - you are not obliged to be the sober responsible adult getting everyone else home safe. Just be sure to grab a taxi if it's late and get home safe.



Facebook is your best friend

If you are really worried about not drinking before you get to uni, go onto your University's Freshers Facebook pages and put up a post asking if there are other non-drinkers about. I asked to be added to a sober student group chat myself, and they all organised to meet up during the week for non-drinking activities. Whilst I personally never went as I was ridiculously lucky to be in a flat which weren't huge partiers or drinkers (see we exist in higher numbers than you'd have thought!), I'm sure that group chat and what they organised would have been of great comfort to the people that did need it.

Fun fact: I happen to know that a non-drinking society was formed in this way, so you never know what might happen if you put yourself out there and make plans before you get to Uni!




At the end of the day, Fresher's is not forever. Even if you end up getting through it by having movie nights every night (and make them known to your flat as someone might join you!), the nine days will fly by and before you know it you'll be wishing for the days of no deadlines and hanging with your new friends to return. If you do find yourself struggling with your flat's drinking and partying, whether it be during fresher's or the rest of the year, don't feel afraid to ask for help from your accommodation's pastoral care team or even to ask to move. One friend of mine hated her flat in first year so moved - it was one of the best decisions she made in her first term.

Finally, remember the people you meet in your first week are not the only people you will meet in uni. Attend the societies you want in later weeks and you are sure to meet people similar to you before you know it. If you are truly afraid, arrange to go home after 2 weeks of uni so you have something to aim for. I know that this really helped me get through my first few days - and I ended up not wanting to leave when the 2 weeks were up!


Good luck on your sober fresher's journey. It is more than possible, and before you know it you'll be an old third year like me begging not to leave!


Love,

June xx