Does alcohol create an exclusive circle?

Genevieve Kotarska argues that as long as there are students there will always be pressure to drink.

I was recently informed by a doctor that I have to take a break from alcohol. I don’t drink more than the average university student, and I probably drink a lot less than some, yet a reaction to alcohol now means that I’m plunged into a life of second year sobriety.

Photo Credit: Stéfan via Compfight cc

I have never felt pressured to drink alcohol at university, but now that I can’t drink alcohol I realise that perhaps I was part of a wider scheme where students don’t even realise the pressure they’re under. The fact is that if you want to go out with friends, whether to clubs, pubs or house parties, or if you want to get involved with the social side of most sports, you expect (and are expected) to drink. Sports socials are pretty much out of the question if you don’t want to drink, house parties tend to be pretty mundane without that alcohol haze and the sweaty, sticky clamour of nightclubs is unappealing without the buzz of a few vodka cokes.

Although there are plenty of options for teetotal students during the day, if you find yourself stuck for something to do in the evenings there tends to be limited options that don’t involve alcohol. If your flatmates are going out you don’t want to be left out, but watching them drink themselves stupid isn’t usually as funny as it sounds and more often than not by 11PM you fancy a hot chocolate and bed more than watching your friend bolt another cider black.

This is where the problem seems to lie; alcohol creates an exclusive circle and if you don’t drink then that circle often seems impossibly hard to become a part of. I think most of the pressure people feel to drink isn’t the active shouts of “down it” but a passive air of exclusivity that means students who don’t want to drink will forever feel like they’re missing out.

Yes, the pressure at sports socials tends to be a lot more direct, but it is easy to simply not attend the socials and still get involved with the sport if you’re a sober student. It’s a lot harder to exclude yourself from your friendship group and a whole world of evening socialising, most of which will involve alcohol somewhere along the line.

It seems that as long as there are students there will be pressure to drink, and I’m sure that many other universities would find similar survey results as were found by Exeposé last week. I don’t think that pressure can ever be removed, but what can be done is the creation of more societies and events that don’t involve drinking. As for me, the alcohol bandwagon is calling, and in just over a month I can once again answer its cry.

Genevieve Kotarska

Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.

Mind Your Head – Dealing with stress at University

President of Mind Your Head Society Jo Porter provides information on how to cope with leaving home for the first time.

After having successfully managed to ‘Tetris-pack’ everything deemed necessary (including of course two sombreros, an Aladdin’s jacket and a pirate sword… because you just never know) into my mum’s car, the inevitable pre-Uni jitters started to kick in. What if I had to live off baked beans and thin air on toast or live with someone prone to playing techno-beats at 3am every morning?

“Recent research by the NUS revealed that of the 92% of surveyed students who admitted to having experienced ‘mental distress’ the main causes were found to be course work, exams and financial difficulty.”
Photo Credit: beforethecoffee via Compfight cc

Being nervous before moving away to university is certainly natural. For many it’s the first time away from home– a stressful experience for anyone: “…So the washing powder goes in where?” Coupled with the pressure of hitting deadlines, building a new social life and beginning the pursuit of an answer to that age old question, ‘What am I actually doing with my life?” All of this makes it no wonder then that one in four students face mental health problems whilst at university.

Recent research by the NUS revealed that of the 92% of surveyed students who admitted to having experienced ‘mental distress’ the main causes were found to be course work, exams and financial difficulty. Amongst all of the fun and new experiences, it would certainly be a lie to say that university is not a stressful time. Aside from the obvious stresses, the unspoken pressure to ‘down it fresher’ really can leave you in some sticky situations. It’s worth knowing that according to DrinkAware no matter what mood you’re in when you start drinking: “when high levels of alcohol are involved, instead of pleasurable effects increasing, it’s possible that a negative emotional response will take over”. All of this shows it’s important to stay on top of your mental wellbeing whilst at university.

Let’s not forget that amongst all this, university can be the experience of a lifetime and of course, half the pre-term anxieties turn into nothing: the closest I got to a techno-playing neighbour was a flat of people prone to an Abba sing along after a night out, and who can really say no to that? But if your Freshers’ Week doesn’t turn out to be everything you hoped for; if your work-load suddenly starts to look like Mount Everest or if you are already coping with a pre-existing mental health condition, remember that you are not alone.

If mental health is important to you, find out more about the University of Exeter’s Mind Your Head society, who promote awareness about mental health issues and campaign to break down the associated stigma, here. Or why not come and see us during Freshers’ Week? Details of our events will be available online.

If things do start getting a bit much, don’t forget, you can always get in touch with Voice, a student operated phone service able to offer immediate support and provide information and advice about what to do next. Of course, the student wellbeing centre (which offers evidence-based therapies by trained professionals) will be there for you and your mental health throughout all of your time at the University as well.

So, best get those fancy dress classics packed up. Oh, and don’t forget that gift stationary… who knew a person could need so many post-it notes?!

Jo Porter

For help with any and all mental health concerns, contact Exeter Voice or University of Exeter Wellbeing Centre. Is the stigma of mental health intensified in the student community? Is enough being done to make students aware of the resources available to them? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.

 

Oliver Cary: an increase in mental illness among students

In his latest column, Oliver Cary assesses the rise of instances of mental health illness amongst students.

The Mental Health Foundation has found that 50% of students have dealt with clinical anxiety at some point. Picture credits: Lyssa Darkness

University brings independence, and this is often associated with freedom, personal decision-making and endless opportunities for enjoyment. For many students, university is the stepping stone between late childhood and adulthood. It is a balance between study, socialising and first experiences with the ‘real world’.

But university can also bring pressure to graduate with a 2:1 or higher in a degree, to constantly improve a CV, or to work towards overall employability. Many employers value other skills such as communication, leadership and enterprise in their candidates as well as suitable work experience gained during your university career.

Education journalist Mike Baker wrote in his BBC article that employers are looking at these ‘soft skills’ second to academic requirements. He states that Deloitte LLP, employer of approximately 1, 200 graduates each year, have basic requirements of a 2:1 or higher and then hopefuls need other transferable skills and experiences to make it through the next screening process.

This increasing pressure of employment that runs concurrently with academic deadlines and financial concerns can be hard to cope with for an independent young adult. Layla Haidrani, a student at Kent University and contributor to The Independent, views the academic pressure, financial difficulties and anxiety of job guarantee as a major contributor to the increasing figures of mental health in students.

Does an extended use of social media contribute to negative feelings of self? Picture credits: Eminent Youth

Some students suffer from isolation, loneliness and chronic anxiety after loosing their mechanism for coping with the pressures of university life. Isolation can be increased by the extended use of social media, and in particular this generation’s dedication to purport a particular image of their university life and activities. It is difficult to feel happy when seeing friends having fun at their respective university, whilst you struggle with the pressures of your own.

Chronic anxiety and depression is a global health issue. Carol Midgley writes in The Times that depressive disorders will be the biggest international health issue by 2030, according to the World Health Organisation. At universities it is believed to be increasing also. The Times suggests that one in four students will encounter or experience a mental health issue. Similarly the Mental Health Foundation has found that 50% of students have dealt with clinical anxiety, and 10% clinical depression.

Whilst it seems staggering that university, a place of socialising, ‘partying’ and also extensive opportunity, can be so challenging for individuals, it is important that each institution recongnises the need for student support. Universities have counsellors, tutors and recently ‘Wellbeing Day’ on the 20th February. Symptoms are described on studentsagainstdepression.org as a combination of constantly feeling ‘low, sad, anxious or empty’ or all of these at once. Everyone deals with anxiety daily, and it is not to say feeling the pressure of university means that one is experiencing clinical anxiety or even depression.

Charlotte, a student, has battled with depression as a teenager. She explains to Carol Midgley that she was a perfectionist and placed pressure upon herself to excel academically. She realised that she didn’t seem to have a protective layer or coping mechanism to help her deal with the anxiety she felt. The hardest part was voicing her feelings, and admitting that she was struggling with her daily life. Now hoping to restart university this September, she believes that speaking to a GP helped her and ‘she didn’t necessarily know the answers, she was just kind and listened. That was what I needed’.

The pleasures and pressures of university are new to all students and it is part of our emotional development to come to terms with these feelings. Lucie Russell, from YoungMinds, understands that ‘young people need to build a resilience to navigate the world they live in’. At times this is challenging, and one should always use friends, family and professionals to help themselves become a strong and independent young person ready to engage and participate in society. All students face strenuous times, but they are not alone, and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but of intended self-belief and recovery.

The Time to Change campaign in Birmingham aims to get the public talking about mental health in a more open way. Picture credits: Time to Change Campaign

Fighting mental health issues alone seem insurmountable. Charlotte and others found sharing their difficulties with family, GPs or university counsellors as the hardest but most helpful solution. Isolation and anxiety can be dealt with, and recognising this is the first step to recovery.