Meet the freshers who aren’t bothered about going clubbing at uni

‘I’m generally more introverted so would rather not spend a lot of time going out’


A new academic year brings with it a swarm of new freshers starting at university this September. While nightlife can be one of the most important considerations for freshers when choosing which uni to attend, especially as clubs have been shut for so long, there are many students who don’t care about clubbing.

Not every student dreams of being in a sweaty club, surrounded by throngs of drunken people pretending to like the taste of vodka lemonade.

University is a chance to try new things and meet new people, but there are many ways of experiencing what uni has to offer without having to oblige to club culture. The Tab spoke to some 2021 freshers who aren’t bothered about going clubbing when they start university.

Joe, Lancaster University, physics

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Joe is a fresher going to Lancaster University to study physics, who has no desire to go clubbing once he goes to uni. To Joe, clubbing is “a crowded, hot space with lots of unfamiliar faces, loud music, and an awful lot of alcohol.”

He has “never felt comfortable in that sort of environment, where everybody seems to be ‘going crazy’ and there’s a lot of social pressure to fit in.”

It’s not just the claustrophobic environment of the a club that deters Joe, but also the type of music that’s played. He said: “I also don’t like club music at all, although I suppose there are probably some places with music I could live with.”

Annie-Rose, Kings College London

Kings College London fresher, Annie-Rose, also has no ambition to go clubbing as she too believes that clubs are “super loud and noisy and cramped”. She said that if she did go to a club then she wouldn’t drink alcohol so she felt “safer”.

Annie-Rose isn’t a fan of drinking culture. She said: “I think drinking culture at uni is strange. I’m not in uni at the moment but the way I’ve seen people make drinking their whole personality in college. I imagine it’d be worse in uni.”

But Annie-Rose doesn’t feel as if clubbing would help her to make friends and believes it will be easier to meet people from societies and lectures. She said: “It would probably be harder to make friends at clubs in my opinion.”

Olivia, University of Manchester, geography

Olivia, a geography fresher going to the University of Manchester, only perceives clubbing through the way it’s presented in the media. She said: “Even though I wouldn’t seem like the type to usually go clubbing I do want to try it at least once just to see what the hype is about. And I feel like it wouldn’t meet the hype so my expectations aren’t that high for that amazing, exciting experience shown on media.”

When asked why she wasn’t bothered about going clubbing, Olivia said: “It’s not usually my type of scene. I don’t have the persona of a person that likes to party so I’m not that bothered. And I’m not one for drinks any way. I would probably look quite lost confused and awkward at a club.”

Abbey, University of Liverpool, sociology

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Abbey is a Liverpool fresher studying sociology, who isn’t bothered about clubbing as she isn’t a big drinker.

She said: “I have been clubbing but I imagine it will be a lot more busy in university! I think there’s a lot of pressure around drinking culture. I will happily not drink on a night out but I have been called boring for it before.”

Noé, University of Leeds

University of Leeds fresher Noé is another student who isn’t bothered about the clubbing scene of uni. He too believes he would feel uncomfortable in a club.

When asked why he wasn’t bothered about clubbing, he said: “I’m not particularly interested in it! I’m not looking for any new people, and although I like gatherings with people I’m familiar with, I don’t like events with strangers as much. I’m generally more introverted so would rather not spend a lot of time going out.”

Noé said he would find more like-minded people in societies than going to a club. He said: “I’m planning to join a lot of societies when I go to university, as there are many which interest me and I believe that it would be a great way to meet new people, who already will have similar interests to mine.”

Seb, Loughborough University, maths

Seb is a fresher going to study Maths at Loughborough University and perceives clubbing as a “hot and crowded environment, full of drunk and noisy people.”

He said: “I would feel pressured to drink to fit in, clubbing not my scene as I’m not into music or dancing. Hot and crowded environments are not for me.”

Seb said he would rather socialise ” in a common room, bar or games room” than a place with loud music. He also doesn’t drink and doesn’t see himself getting drunk at university. He said: “It’s possible that I will try some drinks and I expect to suffer peer pressure at some point.”

Molly, Nottingham Trent, psychology with counselling

Molly, a Nottingham Trent fresher studying psychology with counselling, told us that she has only been clubbing once and she felt “uncomfortable” and believes clubbing in a big city will be “overwhelming”.

She said that she feels a little “scared” about going clubbing as a young woman, with a fear of keeping herself safe. She would prefer to stay in and drink with flatmates, as she said: “I know I’m in a safe environment and if it gets too much I can leave.”

Regarding drinking culture at uni, Molly said: “I do think there is an expectation to drink which may pressure some people into joining but it’s much more acceptable to do uni sober.”

Karolina, University of Exeter, psychology

Karolina is a going to study psychology at Exeter and said she doesn’t feel confident in a “socially packed / close environment”, therefore isn’t bothered about going clubbing at uni.

She said: “As someone who to certain extent struggles with some social anxiety I prefer more calmer and relaxed environments to meet new people or to socialise with those who I already know.”

There are many ways to meet new people at university instead of clubbing. Don’t worry if you don’t drink, you’ll find many people who don’t either.

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