So here we are, hurtling towards the end of January, the month of self-flagellation and resolutions to do things better.  How many of us declared that this year – no, honestly! –  this year will be the one in which we finally lose the extra weight and save some money? 

But what about the academy itself?  Universities could certainly benefit from a health check and a good look at their finances, but they should also consider a third popular resolution: to drink less.  We know the damaging effect that booze can have on our students, but what about us faculty members? 

It’s no secret that academics drink a lot.  Evening seminars, book launches, special lectures – all are invariably accompanied by booze; normally after the event, often beforehand and sometimes even during the proceedings.  At the richer universities, one can easily get by without ever getting a round in, thanks to the near-endless stream of free wine (it always seems to be wine) during the week. 

Other workplaces – and I write as someone who took several years out to work in those famously restrained industries, media and publishing – generally save it for the Christmas party, closing a deal, or an occasion of note, such as a good financial quarter or payday. 

But in academia, alcohol is ever-present.  We don’t just partake at night: I’ve been to many seminars starting at 5pm, offering wine from the start.  If you want to take part fully in the research culture of a university – talks, seminars, events, panels – it’s hard to avoid drinking while doing so. 

There are plenty of benefits to having drinks at these events, of course.  As a PhD student, I find it much easier to approach big-name professors during relaxed wine receptions than in front of hostile audiences at conferences.  Striking up a conversation seems far less intimidating when each of us has a glass in hand, seemingly on a level playing field despite the difference in our career progress.  Without this psychological prop, I worry that I might fall into the category of “pushy PhD” rather than “genuinely curious new entrant to the field”. 

Booze is the reward at the end of a long day of papers – you can feel the prickle of anticipation as the caterers clatter and jingle in the background of a mediocre presentation.  For some this is a social pleasure, but others seem desperately in need of a fix, like smokers just off a train, cigarette in hand before they get to the ticket barriers. 

We know that young people, including students, are drinking less than they used to.  But at the same time older, middle-class drinkers are accidentally consuming too much, one relaxing glass of wine at a time. 

I’m not suggesting that academia forces people into alcoholism.  But since starting my graduate studies at a Russell Group institution, I’ve been struck by the effects of the regular small amounts that add up to more than I’d like to think.  I actually lost weight during the early days of my PhD, thanks to the “two glasses of wine and a handful of crisps” menu offered at these functions. 

There are many problems in academia, including stress, long hours, isolation, bullying and a variety of mental health issues.  Drinking too much can exacerbate these and have lasting negative effects. 



Then there’s the personal and professional fallout.  When drink plays a prominent role in departmental socialising, there’s a clear risk of favouritism among those who share a tipple on a regular basis. 

Early career researchers who wish to drink less often – maybe for personal reasons, maybe because socialising is one of the first things to go in the publish-or-perish culture of many universities – can find themselves out of the loop, socially and otherwise, as the lines between personal and professional become blurred. 

Most of us drink at manageable levels, just a couple of glasses at a time.  The problem is that we do it so often.  But why is there so much alcohol in academia?  And why isn’t there the same amount in other, similarly stressful sectors? 

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