The traditional image of the binge drinking student is being slowly shattered as statistics show that young people today drink less than in past decades. The number of young adults who choose low or no alcohol drinks to help moderate their drinking has nearly doubled since 2018, according to a Drinkaware poll. Are the current generation simply prioritising their health? Or are other factors, such as economics, social stigma, and safety, at play?
With dry January in full swing, it’s a good time to take a look at our drinking habits and investigate the trends. Binge drinking and alcoholism are still huge issues in the modern day, but can it be said that the increase in sober youth is truly a representation of society becoming health-conscious?
Karen Tyrell, CEO of the charity Drinkaware, said: “It is great to see young adults leading the charge in the growth of no & low drinks. But it is the rise in their use by risky drinkers which shows their potential for helping to reduce alcohol harm.”
A report by ukactive and Sport England states there has been a “generational shift” in people prioritising their health. Specifically, higher levels of physical activity and fitness memberships show that young people are taking an interest in wellness. With trends such as veganism and low sugar diets most popular among the younger age group, students can be seen to prioritise health and wellbeing – a view also reflected in other current trends e.g matcha over coffee.
This change also shows a move towards less alcohol-centred socialising; young people now find activities outside of pub trips to be worthwhile. Whether that be thrift shopping or attending a sport, student life can be seen to revolve less around the nightlife. In my experience, it’s easier to bond with those around you on a midnight run to Tesco for ice cream or a trip around Meadowhall than holding their hair back in a bathroom (although both have their merits!)
However, this shift towards wellness and sober socialising does not eliminate student drinking entirely. For proof of this, we can look to the fight to get Pop-Tarts tickets to the interesting scenes on West Street every weekend. Drinking is still very much the norm; it can just be said that most students pair these nights with ones on the sofa watching the new season of Traitors, or going to music venues and enjoying alcohol free drinks.
Beyond health, one huge reason, and, in my experience, the primary reason, behind the decline in drinking is the price. With 58% of students reporting their student loans don’t even cover their rent, and the alcohol tax set to rise 3.6% more this year, drinking has become increasingly uneconomical.
Students can no longer afford drinks in bars and pubs. Instead, most choose to drink more heavily before they go out, leading to fewer sales in these venues. With “pres” culture only becoming more and more normalised, it could be said that students aren’t just drinking less but are also drinking differently, buying alcohol and consuming it in different settings.
In this way, students enjoy non-alcoholic drinks more commonly in pubs and bars as they are a cheaper alternative to their alcoholic counterparts, and they have already gotten their buzz beforehand. While others simply choose not to drink alcohol at all, with this iteration of students not always seeing a need for expensive drinks to have fun.
This generation has also grown up with the well-known warning that ‘the internet is forever’. As children in the 2000s, the tabloids made sure that celebrities’ and others’ most embarrassing drunken moments were flashed upon the front page, from Prince William to members of One Direction. In the current climate of employment, many young people see this as a risk they cannot take, especially with everyone carrying a camera in their pocket.
Women, especially, have been subject to this stigma – the rise of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic on TikTok and the shock of the ‘Brat summer’ messiness shows us that how young women engage with party life is still a topic of debate.
A study conducted by Obsurvant on behalf of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) found that, almost a third of respondents aged 18-30 feel negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and a sense of being unsafe on a night out, with women significantly more likely to report this.
With these reasons, it can be said that the downturn in student drinking is more complex than an indication of a disciplined and uninterested youth centered around health. It seems many students have decided the barriers to traditional drinking culture are too much, whether this be because of financial, security, or other reasons. Regardless, it’s clear that this generation of students has changed this culture and the norms around drinking, with some even forgoing it completely.
