If you had mentioned Dry January to me a year ago, I probably would have found it boring, pointless, and a bit pathetic. Why would you willingly deprive yourself of fun? Surely alcohol is intrinsic to any good night out – so how could one possibly be any good sober? I found it baffling why anyone would subject themselves to such a thing.
Then, over the summer, having realised I had entirely wiped out my bank account on summer frivolities, money was seriously tight and I wanted to join my friends going out, but decided my budget could only stretch for one drink, and that would have to suffice for the night.
It turned out to be a great night – I had fun, was in control of myself, wasn’t sloppy. I didn’t take it too far or get back at 5:00 am and fall asleep with my makeup still on and teeth unbrushed, wake up to £70 gone and several embarrassing drunk messages distributed to whoever. I wasn’t hungover, I was spritely, and, miraculously, the entire next day was not ruined. It was like I had discovered a new life hack, in which it was possible to go out and have a fab time without completely ruining the next day.
It seems university culture promotes drinking over all else, and not only that – drinking to complete excess. It can feel as though if we don’t end up as paralytic as possible, or arrive home before the hours of 3 or 4am, we’ve failed. As students we are constantly trying to out-do each other with how plastered we can be, who can consume the most amount of alcohol and not die.
In response to the hedonism, there seems to have also been a movement on social media recently which prioritises wellness: being in bed with a herbal tea by 8 pm, staying in and ‘protecting your peace’. But it doesn’t have to be as polarised. Cutting out alcohol does NOT mean cutting out fun altogether or not going out. It’s actually very easy to have a non-alcoholic night out and, honestly, people probably won’t even notice that you’re not drinking.
Dry January is the perfect opportunity to try out the sober lifestyle, and here are some of the reasons why you should:
Money
Alcohol is EXPENSIVE. As I said before, it wasn’t unusual for me to wake up and realise to my horror that I had spent £70 the night before, purely on drinks. Soft drinks are obviously much cheaper without spirits, and being drunk also obviously lessens our inhibitions, making us far more impulsive and likely to buy an excessive amount of drinks (the numbers don’t really look as bad on the cardreader when you’re plastered). Drinking culture means a huge portion of our money goes on alcohol, but it really is not necessary, and cutting out alcohol for a month will leave you with a surplus of money that would’ve gone on drinks.
You can literally do everything non-alcoholically
Going to the pub is still (shock) completely possible without drinking, and, (for those of us who rely on alcohol to not be awkward), it can be great for improving your social skills, and meaning you’re not reliant on alcohol in social situations (see The Tab’s guide to a sober night out). Equally, sober pubs are now a thing! The Arc Sober Bar, a completely alcohol-free pub opened earlier this year in the city centre. The club states it has “no late-night chaos, just good music, safe vibes, a clear 11pm curfew and a focus on inclusion, access and wellbeing” – a great way to spend a night in Bristol, minus the hangover.
Improved mental health
I’m sure we all know by now that alcohol is terrible for our mental health. The anxiety and low mood you get from drinking can last for days, and some studies have even shown that the effects of alcohol stay in the brain for up to two weeks. For those of us drinking weekly, this could mean we actually have no idea what our mood would be like without alcohol. With drinking, you can either have a really great night or a great morning. I find I feel much better for the day if am productive in the morning, even just going on a walk first thing can seriously improves my mood and means I get much more done throughout the day. I’m sure this is not news to anyone, but cutting out alcohol would be pointless if we were all super happy – but we’re not. Everyone is sad! But, maybe alcohol is the bane, not the antidote.
What to do instead…
Instead of placing alcohol at the centre of everything, there are plenty of fun and fulfilling activities to do sober. Heading down to Watershed to see a film is a great one (student tickets are only £6), or going to one of Bristol’s many free museums and art galleries. Equally, you could go for a walk around the picturesque parts of Bristol, stay in and have a movie night with your friends, or host a dinner party. But, as I said before, you can also still do all the things you did before without alcohol – sober clubbing and pubbing is IN in 2026, and you can very much still dance the night away with your friends without a vodka in hand. It may feel embarassing, but it really isn’t, and perhaps 2026 is the year you should finally give Dry January a go.
