Freshers
week
is an exciting time for everyone – you’ve got brand new friends, an
unknown city to explore and what’s probably your very first taste of
independence. After waving goodbye to parents and beginning the long and
arduous process of unpacking, many new students may turn to alcohol to
ease the nerves and start making new friends. But what if you don't like
drinking?
Lots
of people may feel like drinking is a necessity to student life,
especially in Britain, which can lead you to feel isolated if it's not
something that you personally enjoy. It's understandable - nights out
are super expensive and clubs are loud, hot and crowded. Although
drinking can make it easier to socialise since everyone's a bit more
relaxed, you don't need to have a drink in your hand to have a good time
at uni; there are plenty of other cool things to be doing and ways to
make friends.
1. Join societies
Joining
a society is definitely the number one way to make friends at uni.
There are usually tons of societies available, which makes it super easy
to find people who have similar interests to you. Whether it's sport,
musical theatre, literature or even hide and seek, you're bound to find
something to suit you. Societies have regular meet ups and socials which
are always really fun and, more often than not, don't involve drinking.
2. Movie nights
Everybody
loves movie nights right?! This is a great way to get to know your new
flatmates - order some pizza, stock up on snacks and snuggle up with a
classic film! It'll probably make you laugh to hear that I spent one
night of freshers watching High School Musical 3 with my neighbour...
Yes, I know I'm cool.
3. Chat with your classmates
A
lot of the friends I made in the past year are from chatting to other
people in my seminar classes or lectures; it's pretty easy to strike up a
conversation about what you've been learning and then turn that into a
casual cup of coffee afterwards. It may sounds scary, but there's a
multitude of friends waiting to be found on your course, so amp up your
self-confidence a notch and get chatting!
4. Join a sports team or gym class
Similar
to joining a society, spending your time on a university sports team or
joining the gym is another way to have fun at uni without getting
absolutely wasted. It gives you something to work on in your free time
and is yet another great way to make new friends.
5. Check out local pubs or bars
While you may not like drinking or clubbing, it's a lot easier to go to the student bar or a local pub with some of your friends. Pubs are much quieter, very chilled out and have a large range of non-alcoholic drinks. When you're hanging out with your friends over a plate of fries, you won't feel too uncomfortable if you're the only one not drinking as it's not nearly as obvious!And there you go - let me know what you think of my list and what else you like to get up to at uni when you don't feel like a night out!
