This past Halloweekend, college students across the country geared up with their elaborate costumes and spirited celebrations. While partying remains a constant during this festive season and perhaps every Friday night in the surrounding Fordham University area, the conversation surrounding alcohol consumption has been shifting. A growing movement toward sober consciousness is emerging, offering college students and everyday people a different and healthier approach to social activities.
Sober consciousness, or being sober-curious, is a movement that aims for people to consider their alcohol consumption habits and evaluate the role that alcohol plays in their lives. It is not sobriety, but it is a reckoning with why one is choosing to drink in a specific situation. A sober-curious person is interested in how lowering their alcohol intake could improve their lives. Cutting back on alcohol can improve sleep, memory, energy and mental health, and also lessen the risk of cancer and disease. This movement has been popularized through a growing interest in health, a consideration of mindful consumption and the rise of non-alcoholic alternatives, some of which are celebrity-endorsed.
Partying, for some, is central to the American college experience. The party scene in college often involves drinking, as many students turn 21, the legal drinking age, during school. Many college students find themselves wanting to participate in this aspect of college life to fit in, lessen stress and lower their inhibitions. This mindset has taken its toll on the student population. Seen as a ritual of their higher education, the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that of full-time college students between the ages of 18 and 22, 49% reported drinking alcohol and 28.9% reported binge drinking in the past month.
The consumption of alcohol has effects on your body and the people around you. The consequences of harmful drinking include alcohol-associated organ damage and a weakened immune system. Normalizing drinking culture can contribute to behaviors associated with alcohol use disorder, which affects 29.5 million Americans. Alcohol is a depressant, and while it does lower inhibitions, it also affects decision-making processes and mental health, resulting in anger, anxiety and depression. Increasing awareness of the health risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption has prompted a reevaluation of this cultural norm.
While many young adults still participate in traditional drinking culture, the growing popularity of sober consciousness is focused on mindful consumption. This choice towards mindful consumption is not one based on vilifying alcohol and those who choose to consume it, but rather, it expands the choices available to everyone. These alternatives cater to those who wish to socialize without the effects of alcohol.
Bars and restaurants today offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, like zero-proof spirits and mocktails. Recently, more celebrities have become involved in the non-alcoholic beverage sphere. Bella Hadid is the co-founder of Kin Euphorics, a non-alcoholic beverage with ingredients aiming to produce benefits like social energy and enhanced mood. Tom Holland recently launched Bero, a line of non-alcoholic beer, two years into his sobriety journey after having evaluated how alcohol had consumed his life. Non-alcoholic alternatives cater to a wide audience of people, so one can still have fun and be social without the facilitation of alcohol.
Travel destinations acknowledge the need for sober-friendly options. Mindful consumption has led to the rise of sober traveling, offering a vacation experience free from the blinding fog of alcohol, providing guests with activities that induce a natural rush of adrenaline or generally more fulfilling and enriching experiences. An alcohol-free vacation offers an opportunity to travel and enjoy oneself without the side effects of drinking.
Sober consciousness is a growing trend, with younger adults like Gen Z drinking less than prior generations. Within the drinking culture of the college party scene, many young adults can forget or lose the ability to have fun without the influence of alcohol. Recently, I attended a designated sober party. Hosted by Fordham seniors Joshua Atlas, GSB ’25, Tyler Norrie, FCRH ’25, and Driss Zaim-Sassi, FCRH ’25, the “AMS Astro Adventure” was held to “have an out-of-this-world blast!” In the midst of midterms, this party was a much-needed respite. Upon entering the apartment, guests were greeted with decorations straight from outer space and a soundtrack consisting only of Interstellar’s main theme with a short break for “Can You Hear the Music” from “Oppenheimer.” Guests were divided into teams and competed in games such as “Pin the Rocket on the Moon,” “Bobbing for Jupiter’s Spots” (bobbing for apples) and “Eating Saturn’s Rings” (donut-eating contest). In the party’s otherworldly travels during “Martian Charades,” a Martian character invaded and had to be eliminated through the guests’ translation of the Martian’s phrases. However, upon the defeat of the Martian, the party’s astronaut hosts declared that “what the Martian didn’t want us to know is that you can have a great time while being sober!” The winning team got to hit a rocketship piñata, and I, like many other guests, had a great time.
The shift towards sober consciousness offers a healthy alternative and more intentional way of living. Individuals who subscribe to sober consciousness seek social connections not centered around drinking, but fostering genuine relationships, shared experiences and collective well-being. In encouraging such alternatives, individuals have spaces where they can feel safe and supported. This shift to sober consciousness with mindful consumption and social alternatives to drinking-centered interactions allows everyone to consider their relationship with alcohol and make an informed decision on how to approach socialization and celebrations.
Indira Kar, FCRH ’25, is an international studies major from St. Louis.
