I really didn't intend on reading this thread thoroughly because at first it didn't interest me but then I did and this happened - sorry about the post length :/ My story at uni goes like this (I'm in my 4th year by the way): In first year my friends and I sort of went mad with the partying. Clubs and drinking never interested me through school, but when I got to uni I got dragged along for freshers week and it was basically down hill after that. Everyone was going out, it was the thing to do because we were first years living away from home and off campus and that's exactly what we did. I went out about 3 nights a week on a fairly regular basis. My friends and flatmates usually overdid it and went out more but I was studying a "real degree" and actually cared about going to lectures so whilst I did go out often and do the whole clubbing thing, I was careful not to let it force me into failing my first year at uni. I'm not a heavy drinker at all, in fact I would say that I am only a social drinker and even then I don't go nuts. I'd see my flatmates at the end of each night out, barely able to stand and wonder why they needed to get quite so drunk to have a good time. I could have a perfectly good night and only have a few drinks. All I can say is I am glad my first year of uni was relatively easy because I was fairly tired most of the time As my first year went on I faded off from going out or doing whatever we were doing that night (the lads in my flat and anyone else who was there - people from above, below and anyone else in the block would be in our flat all day and all night sometimes. It was "the place to be" for reasons which are still unknown). The work quickly piled up and I didn't have time for it for the last few months of first year. I moved out of the flats after first year because I realized that where I was living and who I was living with was the thing that influenced how much I went out and ultimately how much studying I did. A block of 30 flats, each housing 5 first year uni students, most of whom are under the impression that they are there for the sole purpose of drinking and partying is not a good environment to spend the second year of your course in where in my case the work roughly doubles and you are more or less expected to be at every lecture. The friends that I lived with from school stayed on but I moved to a private house that I saw advertised in a local paper. The girls that I have lived with for the past 2 years and their boyfriends and mates (who lived across the road where I just moved in) are now the closest group of friends that I have. In a year of clubbing, drinking and flat parties (like house parties but more cramped) I never made friends like the ones I did the day I answered that newspaper ad. Believe me, clubbing is over rated. Maybe it was good for me to find that out for myself though. I appreciate the quieter nights out with great friends who feel the same way ("meh") as I do about nightclubs and most importantly, share the same interests as me. This is excellent advice. THIS. Uni is primarily about an education. You've gotten this far, gone to the trouble of sitting and passing exams to get a place in a course that you will hopefully enjoy. Don't waste such a big opportunity to create a great career for yourself as many of my friends have done because of clubbing. I agree with Shepps about not sitting in your house for three years. Go out with people and do something, but it doesn't necessarily have to be drinking and dancing. Some of my best nights out in first year were spent in a local pool hall just having a few beers with my mates and playing pool, or in one of the local pubs that has live music most nights of the week. You don't have to drink to enjoy great live music! True words. Bit-tech is a place full of intelligent and helpful people I think the general consensus here is that it's not "compulsory for students to go out and get trashed most nights of the week." as smc put it. Good luck with your first year, and the rest of your course. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed University thus far
Yeah, things like Ultimate Frisbee, Airsoft/Paintball and martial arts are generally full of awesome people and very few stereotypical jocks.
Ahh yeah, last time I went to J7 (I'm still refusing to call it Seven), it was therapy and it was dire, not only that but it's a trek and it's one of the few places i still have to pay to get in, gah. I think this thread is deffinately enough proof that we NEED a nottingham Bit meet/piss up..
theres alot of drinkers out there! but honestly mate if you want to drink you will, so on that point just do somin you want to instead of goin clubbin all the time! even if you go alone i bet you will find a group, where you wish to go, and you will make new friends! dont feel like you have to do the club scene just because everyone else does! its your choice! the more friends the better life is son! spoilt for choice on what you want to do!!!!
If you aren't in rock city already, then goto rock city. Im not a massive clubbing fan, I dont usually go in favour of pubs. The one club I do goto is Rock City (when I am back in Nottingham). It really is awesome I also found that society's are a great way to make friends. At the end of uni, 80% of my good friends were from society's. I was lucky in that my flatmates were always awesome, and fantastic people - it wasn't like that for the first few weeks though and I did move quite quickly. That was because they were dicks though, not because of their drinking
Find a better place to go. I'm in a similar boat - All my hallmates love clubs etc, and although I drink, I'm of the opinion that clubs can go burn. There's, probably, a huge collection of pubs etc. around town, try them. I've got better friends there than I have within my hall.. Hell, I can't even remember two of the hallmates names, where as I can most of the regulars in the pub.
