A 'Fresher Perspective' blog: a different kind of party

Date: 19/04/10

Posted by: Lara B

I completely agree with you Sophie when you say that clubbing is impersonal - to be fair I have only been once or twice since turning 18 in January, but I would choose sitting in a pub with friends over going dancing with people I don't really know. This is why I'm quite glad I'll be going to a university which is in a small city with more pubs than clubs :-)

Date: 20/04/10

Posted by: Mark P

I only turned 18 in November, and I quite enjoy going clubbing with friends, but it is a different kinda occasion than going to the pub I find. I think clubbing has an expectation for you to dance and be extrovertive, but pubs seem more relaxed, but thats just my thoughts. I'm also going to a smaller university, but thats just because I find it more fun when there's not that many people out, but more of my friends.

Date: 20/04/10

Posted by: James Villiers

UK clubbing is dire, there is no social interaction other than that of the small immoral group of people that look for 1 night stands on a regular basis and sniff each other out like a bloodhound does to its kill..... UK people are the worst in Europe for creating terrible nightlife, if everyone is blind drunk every night why should the club owner/promoter make any effort with the music or the decor, its motivated by base economics of alcohol consumption only. More students need to get cultured about how the rest of Europe does nightlife and they might open their eyes a bit more.

Date: 20/04/10

Posted by: Shammy McK

I disagree with Lara B, dancing at a club with some random people is often more fun. While it is impersonal it tends to be more of a laugh and is a far better way to meet people. Hence why I went to a university with plenty of clubs nearby, good times.

Date: 20/04/10

Posted by: Scott

dunno maybe its an aquired taste, im the opposite, to me pubs b4 going 2 a club are an un-necessary expense, I dnt find clubbing impersonal, i love dancing and I get to do it with my m8s in a club having a laugh. to me a pub is kinda pointless, the kinda ppl who like going 2 pubs and not actually going clubbing strike me as the groups of ppl that dnt like each other enough to have a sober conversation. whereas clubbing is a kind of recreational activity. Save the taking in a quiet atmosphere for sober less expensive occasions like weekdays at each others flats/houses. ps u dnt have to be drunk to enjoy clubbing

Date: 20/04/10

Posted by: Kerry

How opposite is this to my uni life lol, I find myself constantly having my head in the books rather than clubbing or going to the pub. Though my third year I do find myself having more time just to catch up with friends at the local pub. You find that university brings such a wide diverse range of people that I find it annoying when media and other people brand uni students as individuals that party and get drunk and act like louts.

Date: 20/04/10

Posted by: Sam

Im a fresher at uni as well. In some aspects i agree that clubbing can be impersonal but thats usually down to you. In personal experience even if i cant find my friend that i go with, a drunken conversation usually ensues in where you actually have a nice chat and learn of other peoples experiences. Who says that you have to stay with the people you arrived with. One of the best nights ive ever had was with total strangers !!!

Date: 21/04/10

Posted by: Aaron

I must be a freak because AMAZINGLY i can socialise without alcohol! shock horror!

Date: 21/04/10

Posted by: Michael

This sounds like no uni experience I have ever encountered. Correction, this is like no uni experience anyone has encountered, unless they are in London and/or loaded. Freshers is usually all about pound a pints, getting hammered on cheap red wine, and waking somewhere odd. Love it or hate it, thats freshers. This sounds more like a shortened censored episode of sex and the city.

Date: 21/04/10

Posted by: Richard

As a fresher at Uni, I generally skip clubs if I go out, I agree with Scott that pubs add on an unnecessary expense, although they can be nice occasionally. I am not sure what people mean when they say clubs are impersonal - whether it is with regards to mixing with their friends or strangers. I personally go with my flat mates and we stick together without really mixing with anyone else. I just assume that is the norm, I have never gone to a club by myself and generally only talk to anyone else for a temporary laugh (conversation no longer than a minute). I also agree with James Villiers, I think drinking heavily has become to ingrained in our culture. I drink enough to get by, going close to and occasionally over 10 units, but most of my friends can and do drink much much more. It would be more pleasurable if everyone drank a little less and there was less social stigma if you "can't keep up" (I personally don't care what people think but I know lots of people that are weak willed). I would love for the clubs to cater for sober people more- especially music wise. The music is by far the worst part of most nights out, with terrible DJs that rarely stray beyond cheese or chart hits. DJs generally don't mix beyond stitching songs and even then, when they do it is gimmicky and unimaginative. There are exceptions to this in the best clubs, but even ordinary clubs should provide a mediocre level of variety and quality.

Date: 21/04/10

Posted by: Jerome

I like to dance at clubs and I hate wasted people on the floor who just stumble around. Go to a bar ffs.

Date: 22/04/10

Posted by: Amy

Clubbing is great ... if you go to decent clubs. Im in my final year at a uni which has amazing night life. although i havnt been out much this year due to too much work, clubbing always offers a great night out. Its fun to talk to new people, plus you dont have to worry what you say to them cuz u wont have to see/talk to them again if you dont want to. As for clubs being impersonal ... clubs dont open till at least 10 so you can spend the evening with you friends, get a little merry and then head to a club to dance with them. its only impersonal if you make it impersonal. i think people only think it is impersonal due to the noise, but you can still talk and sing just a bit louder ... or in the toilets! Uni is about having fun as well as learning. enjoy yourselves while you can. clubbing and drinking is part of uni life. its always going to be that way so make the most of it. at the end of the day, anywhere you go can be good if you are with the right company :)

Date: 22/04/10

Posted by: Joe

I definetly disagree with James Villiers on the point that UK clubbing is awful and uncultured. The UK has got one of the best clubbing scenes in the world (4 of the clubs in the top 10 of the top 100 club poll are situated in the UK; http://www.top100clubs.com/). It just sounds as though you haven't been to any of the right places yet. Furthermore, a good club doesn't necessarily have to have fancy decor, something that makes the UK clubbing scene so unique is the underground vibe, and anyone thats been to Warehouse Project in manchester, Chibuku in liverpool or The Arches in glasgow will wholeheartedly agree with me, they may not look the part, but the atmosphere is always incredible regardless of how much booze you've consumed.

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: Josh

To be honest its all about finding a balance. When i want to have a chat and a laugh with the boys i go to the pub with no expectations of getting really drunk and making a fool out of myself. Frankly its more of a social event. When i go to a club however, (and im not saying this is right or everyones ideal night out) but i do like to get obscenely drunk, let out some steam and generally go a bit mental. I dont know what the above freshers week was about but i didnt take a night off in 2 weeks, i felt the worst i have ever felt in my life, did some horrible things, but i wouldnt change it for the world because when im 70 and looking back ill have a smile on my face!

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: Sarah

I completely agree with Michael. This isn't a debate about clubbing in the UK, it's about the student culture of drinking. I found as a Fresher it was all about pub/bar crawls with designated Fresher reps who showed you the cheapest places to get absolutely wasted and then give you discounted tickets for the clubs to end your nights out (if you made it that far!). In my experience the main reason we went to clubs as students wasn't for the excellent decor or the fascinating conversation, but because all the other bars and pubs were emptying out and so everyone moved on to a club for more booze. I think it was a bit of a rite of passage as a Fresher to join in on these student nights out as it was the first chance we could without the nagging parents asking what time you would be home. Later on in student life i.e third year and on was more for going out to socialise at the bars for a few and going to more swanky places, the novelty soon wears off of the all you can drink mentality, but thats not to say that I didn't have a cracking time as a Fresher because I certainly did!

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: philly

i find that if you start the night somewhere quiet with a small group of close friends and then move out when you're had a few drinks is the best way to do it. when you meet people that you don't know very well sometimes it's easier to be a bit tipsier. eventually as you see these people more and more they will become better friends of yours and you will spend more time with them without the aid of alcohol

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: Sam

I have to agree with James Villiers. If anyone from here went to a few other European countries and experienced the nightlife there, whether in the form of clubs or just bars, they would find that he's absolutely right. The UK cannot compare to the rest of Europe, unfortunately.

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: Caroline

I haven't read all of the comments but when I got to Scott's felt as though I had to say something. People who go to pubs are the kind of people who feel uncomfortable socialising when they're sober? You could not have got it more wrong. Clubs are the places where you'll find the blind drunk people throwing up in the toilets, pulling randoms, starting fights, downing shots etc etc. Pubs are places where you can go with your friends for a good conversation and not feel pressure to drink other than to enjoy the taste. I have no idea what is going on in your mind.

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: Tony

Well I think that just staying in by myself beats pubs and clubs uni is a time to study not drink

Date: 26/04/10

Posted by: Tanya

As an 19 year old who has just finished my first year at uni i feel it necessary to put forward my point of view. It is a well known fact that the UK is notorious for our nightlife with regards to clubbing and socializing. This year I felt slightly ashamed on a few ocaisions when i returned to my flat at 4 in the morning in a bit of a state as I had two 20 year old american flatmates who appeared shocked at my lack of self control and responsbility. But on the other hand - it think it is unfair to generalize that everyone in the UK is a party animal and a binge drinker. I have heard many a conversation of international students *ripping it out of* UK students. Mabye we do party harder than most but as a fresher I would say that this behaviour is acceptable while you adapt to uni life and being of age to drink. I for one know of several occaisions in the last year that a LOT of people would be shocked by and ashamed - but i am not. You have to have experiences in order to learn from them, grow and move forwards. Why not make the stupid mistakes at uni when you have less responsability and time to ensure they don't happen as a grown up? As for the club vs pubs argument - surely it depends on your preference and the type of night you wish to have. Want to have an earlier night and a few social drinks with friends - go to the pub. Want to have a few drinks then get up and dance about to music of your preference - pick a club - simple as that. Either way the quality of the night will depend on what you make of it!

Date: 27/04/10

Posted by: Kate

As a 22-yr-old American college student (University of Delaware), I must say that I find all this absolutely fascinating. Here in the U.S., our drinking culture is very different. Because of our history with teetotaling southern Protestants, Prohibition, etc., we have generally much stricter alcohol laws (sometimes to the point of absurdity). And they vary state by state. There are some parts of the Deep South that are still dry, and you can't even legally drive through them, for example, while transporting your personal wine collection to a new house. Our laws on alcohol advertising, opening/closing hours, online shipments, spirits taxes, etc. are absolutely ridiculous. But worst of all is the drinking age laws. In the 80s, the federal govt. - under pressure from advocacy groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) - bullied the states into setting their drinking ages at 21. The ostensible goal was to lower drunken driving fatalities. So the states complied. The law only required the criminalization of purchase and public possession, but many states went further and banned drinking by under-21s in private locations. Now the new trend is "social host laws", which hold the owner of a house legally liable for any underage drinking that occurs there - even if the owner didn't allow it or even know about it. Parents have gone to jail for years for hosting parties in which their children drink with their friends. There is no distinction made here between drinking by minors (under 18) and by underage adults (18-20). You can be convicted of furnishing alcohol to the underage even if you are underage yourself (an 18 year old procuring alcohol for his/her friends). And 18-20s are tried - even for underage drinking - as adults. Our attitudes towards this age group are schizophrenic. That being said, a movement is growing to lower the drinking age back to 18. Several organizations are working together in pursuit of this goal. It's a tough fight - there is a HUGE neo-temperance, anti-alcohol industry over here that demonizes alcohol manufacturers, distributors, retailers, bar and restaurant owners, etc. These people also fight to restrict the rights of drinkers of all ages, but especially young ones. They will deny that's what they're doing - but it is. Anyway, that's a very brief summary of the legal issues. There are also cultural differences between the U.K. & Ireland and the U.S., with regards to our drinking habits and attitudes. I can certainly relate to the writer of/commentators on this article. I don't drink much myself, but most of the students I know do. At times I feel a little out of place. The University of Delaware is known as a "party school "- a place where kids come to drink. Since most undergraduates here are under 21, this drinking does not normally occur at bars, pubs, or restaurants (although plenty of kids have fake IDs). Instead, it goes on in residence hall rooms, in fraternity/sorority houses, and at house parties, held in the apartments and houses of students who live off campus. In other words, in uncontrolled, unsupervised environments. Frankly, the U.K. is lucky that its young adults go to bars, pubs, and clubs to drink. An 18-yr-old first-year student died a year and a half ago from alcohol poisoning. He drank a ridiculous amount of Southern Comfort and beer as part of his fraternity initiation. He was passed out on the floor, but his friends didn't call for an ambulance or take him to the hospital, because they didn't want to get in trouble for the underage drinking situation. By the time the paramedics arrived the next morning, he had been dead for hours. It was horrible. Lots of universities (including mine) around the country have instituted Medical Amnesty/Good Samaritan policies, under which a student who seeks medical attention - for him/herself or someone else - because of dangerous intoxication, will not be punished. It is becoming an increasing problem in the U.S. - under 21s getting so drunk they need to be hospitalized. Sometimes this happens with students slightly over the drinking age, too (21-24). This age group has the highest rate of drunk driving fatalities. Many kids attempt "21 on 21" - attempting to drink 21 shots of spirits on your 21st birthday. Some of them die. While fewer young American adults are drinking, those of them who do are drinking dangerously and recklessly. There are more abstainers than there were 30 years ago, but also more high-risk drinkers. Those of us who practice moderation are in an ever-shrinking minority. So, to sum up - we Americans have somewhat different problems. The U.S. does not by any means have a healthy drinking culture - I guess we and the U.K. (and Ireland!) have that in common. From everything that I've ever heard/read, it seems like you guys have a problem with high-risk drinking/drunkenness/alcoholism that is even worse than ours. Groups like MADD love to point to your country as an example of what would happen if we lowered our drinking age and/or liberalized our alcohol laws. "Look at what's happening in Britain, their youth are out of control, they're all out drinking on the streets every night, they're clogging up the emergency rooms, and if we changed our laws, we'd be just like them! And every single country in continental Europe is exactly the same!" (I'm exaggerating, of course, but you get my point.) Ah, well. The British Isles have had a reputation for drunkenness and alcoholism that goes back since at least Roman times. The first Christian missionaries to Britain and Ireland complained about the dangerous, excessive drinking that was common there even then. According to them, drinking problems were much worse in the British Isles than on the continent. And that was 1600 years ago! When there was no such thing as a drinking age anywhere in the world! The U.K., Ireland, Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand - we all seem to have serious cultural problems with alcohol. It's the English speakers' lot in life. :) Anyway, thought you might appreciate the cross-cultural perspective. Thanks for your patience with my very long post!

Date: 28/04/10

Posted by: Morag

I'm not sure why everyone's saying this is a weird freshers week... It would be weird, if it were freshers. But its just after easter. Sounds like a fairly normal weekend to me, pub and a friend's house.

Date: 04/05/10

Posted by: Lau

I agree with James and Aron, funny

Date: 01/06/10

Posted by: Gisele

It's human nature to get wasted from time to time, and alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs. If the govt. really cared about lowering binge drinking rates, they'd legalise other less dangerous drugs so people could alter their consciousness without risking becoming violent or losing control instead of posting unrealistic blogs like this. When did you last hear about someone getting so stoned they died at a frat party?

Date: 18/10/10

Posted by: Anon

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