University life is an incredible journey – a time of immense learning, growth, new friendships, and yes, a fair bit of navigating newfound freedoms and pressures. It’s a period where you are shaping not just your understanding of your chosen subject, but also the person you are becoming and the future you are building.
Part of that experience, for some, involves experimenting with or regularly using alcohol or other substances. I am not here to judge, but to share some observations and research that might be worth considering as you navigate these exciting and sometimes challenging years.
Performance under the influence
We all know that burning the midnight oil is sometimes part of the student experience. But when substance use becomes a regular feature, it can start to subtly (or not so subtly) chip away at the academic success you are working so hard for.
It is not just about feeling a bit rough the morning after. Consistent use of alcohol or drugs can genuinely impact your ability to learn and perform. Research consistently shows a link between substance misuse and poorer academic outcomes. This is not about a one-off night out, but more about patterns that can develop. For instance, studies indicate that students who regularly use substances may find themselves with lower grades and are more likely to miss classes. In the UK, a recent survey by SOS-UK found that around 1 in 5 students who use drugs reported missing a seminar, lecture, or class because of it.
Think about the core skills you need for your studies: concentration, memory, motivation, and sharp decision-making. Substances can cloud these cognitive functions. For example, heavy cannabis use has been linked to short-term impacts on memory and learning, and binge drinking can impair memory and contribute to academic decline. A UK-based longitudinal study found that students who drank at higher levels were more likely to report a negative impact on their studies. Another UK study pointed out that alcohol consumption showed negative associations with students’ motivation and their own view of their academic performance. Even the desire to cut down on drug use among students is often linked to concerns about its effect on academic performance, as highlighted in a Universities UK (UUK) report.
It’s a gentle slide sometimes – a missed lecture here, a forgotten reading there – but it can accumulate, potentially affecting not just individual module marks but overall degree attainment.
A foggy outlook
The impact doesn’t necessarily stop when you hand in your final dissertation. The patterns and consequences of substance use during University can sometimes cast a shadow on those first crucial steps into your chosen career.
Several studies suggest that students who regularly use substances might face a higher probability of unemployment after graduation. This is a concern echoed by higher education leaders in the UK, who worry about the effect of student drug use on future job prospects. While it’s a complex picture, a review which included UK data also found that substance use disorders are more prevalent among unemployed individuals.
Think about it from an employer’s perspective: they’re looking for graduates who are reliable, focused, and ready to contribute. If the habits formed at university lead to difficulties in maintaining those qualities, it can unfortunately create hurdles in the job market. It is not about being ‘labelled’, but more about ensuring you are in the best possible position to showcase your talents and secure the opportunities you deserve.
The aim here is not to scare anyone, but to encourage a bit of reflection. University is a unique time to explore, learn, and grow. Making informed choices about how you navigate all aspects of student life, including socialising and managing stress, can help ensure that the only hangover you’re dealing with is a metaphorical one from studying too hard for that exam you aced.
Take care, and remember there are always people around campus ready to offer support and a listening ear if you need it.
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No. This is not an official campaign but a very preliminary summary of my opinion and a bit of informal research I did. It is obvious that substance abuse (be this alcohol or drugs) severely impairs cognitive abilities and lowers your chances of success (whatever this means for you); it is obvious that having a healthy lifestyle lets you achieve your maximum potential in the long term.
But within these two extremes and beyond institutional policies, the law, or personal opinions, there is then a continuum of frequency or magnitude of use that each of us might classify differently, from personal choice, unharmful use, or problematic use.
When I was younger, between high school and University, I had quite a few friends who smoked cannabis. I had debated the use of cannabis, and I have always been against it. However, when I had a smart opponent in front of me, I often found myself without a definitive argument against, particularly when discussing individual freedoms and the legal use of alcohol, which I definitely consumed. My argument was mostly about culture. In Italy, wine and some spirits are part of our culture, while marijuana or other drugs are not. This is an argument that is nowadays so weak that is not worth discussing. It is therefore much more important to ensure each of us has a personal knowledge of risks associated with any drug, including alcohol, so that recreational use will remain in the confines of unharmful behaviour.
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Unharmful behaviour is key. If you drink a bit too much wine at a Christmas family dinner, you will be fine. If you, however, drove your family home soon after, you might risk your life, the lives of your partner and children, and those of others on the road. Compared to – let’s say – 50 years ago, you would have no excuse; you will certainly be informed about what might happen.
We cannot say any longer the same for cannabis or any THC derivatives. From that innocuous once-in-a-while smoke with low THC content, students now have access to highly concentrated THC products, or a synthetic version of them. Those issues that were once reserved to heavy smokers are now more likely to occur during casual recreational use, and certainly to people who get an habit.
I would not be surprised if parents who were occasional users in the 90s or earlier could be unaware of nowdays risk and therefore not inform their children properly. A single exposure to a highly concentrated THC product not only can induce much stronger intoxication, but greater impairment of attention and memory, increased risks for anxiety and panic reaction, higher likelihood of developping cannabis use disorder.
Academics across all Universities meet far too often students who experience anxiety disorders, depression, psychotic disorders induced by THC. Although most users will not experience these symptoms, students should be aware of the risk related to contemporary THC products either for a single or frequent use.
While here I focused on THC, simply because how under-estimated it’s effect is, of course the same arguments can be done for alcohol, and of course for illegal drugs.