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?

That Jackbox stuff looks fun.

Second/third years (e.g. your DS and his mates) do an informal tour of the campus or city - best coffee shops, best cheap food, best date restaurants, cheapest gym, best public toilets (essential).

Self care evening - could incorporate the cake and yoga from above, discussing what self care techniques people use and putting in place strong groundwork for the stresses to come. Might be better as a second or third week activity as people find their feet and have less other "vitally important" stuff to go to.

I don't believe the view that freshers week is all about drinking is just media hype. DS is starting uni this year and virtually all the advertised freshers week events (except the freshers fayre, etc) are pub or club nights.

I think this is a great idea OP, your son sounds lovely.

That's based on me being a third year now! It can be hard to generate enthusiasm for student led stuff but in the first few weeks people are normally more enthusiastic. Any free food is a big draw. 😂

Bingo
I was a big drinker at university, but i’d have loved a city walking tour. I guess this friends on the city!

Cheese tasting

I think we found Party Pack 2 to be best value for money.

Cafe crawl rather than bar crawl. Big big yes to board games night - DS does drink in moderation but is definitely taking Settlers and Dominion with him in the hopes of meeting some like minded friends. Yes to walks, could even do a walk with pub/ cafe meal part way round - no need to drink but nice way to break up a walk.

Guide to the town/city - take the bus/walk to shops/supermarket/cinema/bowling etc. to help Freshers get acquainted with their surroundings.

I left university 7 years ago and it was all drinking (a London university). A walking tour would have been great for me, as just about everyone on my course commuted in.

I don't know if you have time to make a monopoly game out of the university. Some schools already have their own personalised board game and some unis might have too.

Or a mocktail evening? An all night murder mystery in the university library?

Placemarking here as DD is going back to Third Year next week.

I second a beetle drive - they're great fun!

I used to love beetle drive!
Not sure if anyone is still playing but Pokémon go? (I still play)

I have no idea what it is/would involve but my friends with non alcohol imbibing teens seem to recommend Dungeons & Dragons,
I would've liked afternoon tea.

Lots of good ideas already, but a few more that I know are run at our local universities:

• Tea & Toasties (this one is VERY popular)
• Doughnuts & Dominos (as in the game - not the pizza!)

What about a “Brinner” night - breakfast for dinner. Seeing as most a lot of students live off cereal half the time anyway, how about a night with every variety of cereal you can think of with all the different milks, yoghurts, toppings etc.?

DD's boyfriend is enjoying freshers week hugely. He is sinking his own weight in alcohol every night. I don't know how long a person could sustain that amount of alcohol, but I would like to think that the drinking will lessen slightly once he has to start working instead of partying.

• Pancakes

• Cooperative Board Games. 'Forbidden Island' is a personal favourite.

• Loughborough university did glow in the dark Badminton, set to dance music

DS v grateful for all your ideas - a plan is in progress.

argumentativefeminist there will definitely be free food.

Another academic here and though there are plenty of non-alcohol-related longterm activities you can sign up for, I think your ds could well be plugging a gap by providing a non-drinking freshers social event. Some great suggestions on this thread. Your dh sounds lovely, OP.

Do students scale back their drinking after freshers week cory?

DD will be going next year, and I know she likes a drink, but I think that level of drinking will scare her.

My impression is that after freshers' week, they settle down a bit and find their own group. Some carry on drinking, some don't, or not to the same extent.

Thanks, corythatwas. I think he's hoping that there might be at least a few who will appreciate it.

So it's that time of year again, and DS and I were remembering all the help posters gave him last year. I can't remember exactly what events he ran, but he was telling me as I drove him back for his final year (sob) that they were so popular that last year's Freshers wanted him to keep running them all year, and that this year the organising group in his accommodation are running them as an official Freshers' programme, alongside all the drinking events. So he was pretty happy with how it all turned out. Many thanks to all who contributed - you helped give some nervous and homesick first years a lot of fun - with no hangovers.

Come dine with us. Walk from flat to flat with each doing a small food course.

My daughter went out with the others but didnt drink alcohol. She ended up being taxi caller and the one who took someone to a and e when they had a diabetic issue.

Baking (I think they watched a film and decorated biscuits/cupcakes)
Card games
Toasties and fruit juice in a quiet room
Keep fit maybe
Bowling
Choir
Bingo