Parents of university-aged DC: if they don't drink, what evening events would they enjoy in Freshers' Week?

[sendhelp]

DS has offered to run some events for Freshers this year in the evenings that don't involve drinking or clubbing. I think he was pretty bored last year as a fresher as everything seemed to involve alcohol or going to clubs, and neither are really his thing. He is very sociable, and does have friends who drink, but he didn't really enjoy endlessly hanging round bars with drunk people.

Do any of you have DC who are a bit like him? What would they appreciate? He's planning a number of low-key evenings where anyone who wants to can just hang out. I've suggested a movie night, with popcorn, but he has rightly pointed out that that is not very sociable. So far, he's thought of a board games café. What else could he organise?

Tea and cake? I would have been drawn to that like a mouth to a flame. Knitting Cafe. Evening art class? Quiz night. Poetry recitation open mic something. Anything involving puppies.

Oh, murder mysyery

Ten pin bowling. Pool night. Yoga. Open mic night. Walking group (get to know the city?) Brunch club. Coffee and cake. Book club.

Puppies

Like the quiz night and murder mystery ideas. And a tea and cake/coffee and puddings night might work quite well.

Quiz night? Curry club?

Escape room. Most cities/large towns seem to have them now.

Pudding club is traditional.
Movie night
D&D or retro games like Wii and ps2?
I would ask ds but he is a total piss head

An art/craft type event, like origami or something, if he can get hold of some basic materials?

Keep them coming! He's liking the walking group one. Apparently there is already a quiz night happening. Anything that is drop-in is good, which might rule out a murder mystery. I've suggested a treasure hunt.

Where is he going to advertise? If he advertises to all freshers he might end up with a hundred people wanting tea and cake. But if it's from a particular place or a particular course then he might get 20 people wanting tea and cake and that would be really nice I think.

Board games? I bet there are some Settlers of Catan or Carcassonne fans who'd love that. I'm an academic and freshers week really pisses me off. Many freshers are homesick and vulnerable and the last thing they need is enforced, alcohol induced jollity.

It's fair to say he's not over-confident with anything art and craft.

It's going to be advertised with all the other stuff that's going on in his accommodation so he won't get hundreds. He could definitely get hold of home-made cake for 20 people.

Murder mystery night , curry club, ten pin bowling, cake club all sound great (I would’ve loved them as a fresher not keen on alcohol).

Yes, I think the board games are a lock. I though he could do a separate card games evening - anything from poker to snap.

He's really conscious that there are a number of people who would like anothe option to drinking, including international students, hence he's volunteered to organise this.

Round robin evening. Each lodging does a course, starter, main, dessert. You move from flat/house to flat/house for each course. Then games to round off the evening.

Many freshers are homesick and vulnerable and the last thing they need is enforced, alcohol induced jollity

If you were really an academic you'd know full well that frshers week is not what is shown in the media, but that there are a huge variety of options available for students. Huge.

What university is your son at op? That all the events are about drinking and clubbing? What you describe is fairly unusual and more media hysteria.

Beetle drive

Don't want to say which university. I don't know what proportion of events are based around alcohol, but I do know that he, although socially adept and keen to meet new people, really struggled last year to find very many events that he thought were fun and enabled him to start conversations - hence his offer to organise some for this year.

If you were really an academic

I really really really am an academic. Fucks sake.

I believe you, silvercatowner

Had to google beetle drive. Love it!

I think your son sounds amazing, sendhelp. I hope he is at the University I work at!

If he has a computer do a Jackbox party night - the game packs are really fun and stupid and you can drop in and out.

Bluntless I'm a very old fresher. This is my second year of being one as last year was my foundation. It is very drinking orientated