The Art Of Having Fun Without Drinking: My Experience in London, UK

London, UK: a city of chaos, hustle and bustle, and incredible charm, with a rich culture and vibrancy — a place I was lucky to visit with my two friends through a program offered by The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

We brought with us a sense of wanderlust and an extensive list of places to see, food to try, and spots to get a decent cup of coffee. We were adamant about embodying the British experience, but not all of it. 

We discovered that British culture relies heavily on bonding through drinking. Pubs lace every corner, a swarm of conversation echoing onto the streets, young and old flowing in and out while business suits stand outside with glowing pints of ale. 

We thought, at first, that the two weeks we were alongside our classmates meant we would get to know one another and form a sense of camaraderie under the London expanse. However, due to varying belief systems and different ideas of fun, we found that our experiences wouldn’t be the same.

Naturally, our classmates planned their days around the pub they could frequent. They also wanted to experience this city’s culture to its fullest in a way that resonated with them. 

As we got off the train during our field trip to Manchester, one of our classmates said, “Let’s do some day drinking!” 

To each their own, I thought. I was always curious, however, why drinking is such a key component to having a good time for so many people. It’s almost like a much-needed requirement to have fun. Of course, these questions go both ways. 

Is it possible to have fun without it? 

“Do you wish you could drink?” my friend asked. 

The choice not to, which majorly involves religious beliefs, also comes from being a person who is constantly fretting about forgetting. 

Memories are like little love letters I keep tucked in different parts of my mind, opening them whenever. The concept of blacking out and forgetting your night scares me. The process seems fun — a drink to ease situations, open up and feel more comfortable. The aftermath, however, doesn’t sound too alluring. It’s a bit of a short-term gain and a long-term loss. 

We had our own ideas of making the most of our trip without alcohol. While some people shared laughs and heartfelt conversations at bars with lowlights and cold drinks, we shared our version of the same, but under the kitchen light of our dorm that illuminated our empty bowls of cereal as we talked late into the night.

While we didn’t bond over sharing drinks, we did find ourselves having one too many croissants at Blank Coffee. 

From frequenting markets, trying Birria tacos and Dutch pancakes at Camden, strawberries covered in chocolate at Borough Market, to walking down quaint and charming streets like Kensington, my friends and I could rely on each other’s ability to have a good time.

We stumbled through streets in a heap of laughter and sat on curbs after hours of walking. We were drunk in our natural high spirits. With pure adrenaline and our shared stupid humour, we made the most of whatever the day and night threw at us. We debriefed after every outing about what we got up to, ensuring our favourite moments of the day didn’t become forgotten memories. 

By the end of our trip, we found we weren’t missing out by not pouring a drink. Instead, we found our own entertainment and joy through other avenues.

The lack of drinks in our hands didn’t mean we were not having fun. Just as our classmates did, we experienced London as it fit for us: spending our days rushing to the tube and our nights yapping as if we didn’t have early classes the next morning. For us, that was our definition of fun. 

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