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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Raphael Boyd

No alcohol? No problem: how to make friends at university without booze

female friends having a fantasy role playing dayGroup of friends spending an easy afternoon, playing a role playing style boardgames at their home. Wizards and skeletons making their fate through the throwing dice.
Try a games club for some sober fun – there are a surprising number on campuses. Photograph: lechatnoir/Getty Images

For as long as anyone can remember, drinking has been a key part of the student experience – but this is changing. An increasing number of young people are turning away from drinking, with a 2024 poll by Student Beans finding that half of first-year students did not plan to drink during their freshers’ week.

If you’re considering a teetotal uni experience, or want to limit your drinking, here are four places to look for sober fun.

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