An estimated 81% of students believe that drinking is part of the university culture, according to Students Organising for Sustainability.
According to the same study, 53% of students claim they drink more than once a week.
“I probably consume 10 to 15 glasses of alcohol within a week,” said Kingston University student Eden Faulkner.
Young adults that binge drink are at a high risk of becoming dependent on alcohol compared to the rest of the population, according to Drinkaware.
Faulkner continued: “I do believe there is a massive drinking culture within universities, especially affecting sports societies in the area.”
In 2021, Sam Potter died from alcohol toxicity after playing a four hour drinking initiation game at the University of Gloucestershire, consuming 4.5 times more alcohol than the legal drink driving limit before he died in his sleep.
The NHS website highlights the effects of alcohol, with damage to the brain, nervous system, liver and heart being the main problems.
Sam Potter’s parents, Kevin and Lindsay, view that the “education around this matter is key” in order to help address the problems within university drinking.
“Do you really want to go there?” campaign was launched in 2022 to encourage responsible drinking within universities.
The campaign was launched by Diageo, the makers of Smirnoff, Gordon’s and Guinness.
Diageo partnered with Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Oxford university to run digital billboards across their campuses.
However, Faulkner thinks that universities promoting safe drinking, “would be nice in theory but wouldn’t be effective”.
“A lot of people come to uni for that specific culture and trying to take that away will not stop students from drinking, as alcohol is part of other cultures like clubbing”, she said.
Drinkaware and AlocholChange UK help encourage individuals to battle against binge drinking. Alcoholics Anonymous, London Friend and We Are With You are sites which support people quitting drinking.
Shaunelle Harrydass-Clark
Emma Farr
Balsam Maki