Alcohol
Please be aware that alcohol is served at most social occasions and is part of student social life.
However, many bars and clubs serve non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails, and there are lots of venues where alcohol is not served at all.
The legal age to buy alcohol in the UK is 18.
You should never drink and drive, if you are over the legal limit and stopped by the police you could be fined or prosecuted and the University could take disciplinary action against you. If you have concerns about alcohol speak to one of the Student Wellbeing team.
Drugs
You must not bring drugs into the U.K.
All controlled drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy are illegal and if you are caught with a controlled substance, you are liable to be arrested and prosecuted. This will result in the University taking disciplinary action and you may be expelled.
If you would like to find out more about the risks associated with taking drugs, check out sites such as Talk to Frank and Student Health, or speak to a member of the Student Wellbeing team.
Food
You may be missing all of those dishes from home and find our local food a bit different.
Try new foods and share a meal with friends, it’s all part of the cultural experience and there are lots of places to eat in Belfast, Coleraine and Derry~Londonderry. There are a wide range of good quality restaurants catering to all budgets and tastes.
The quality of locally produced food is of a high standard and is available at most large supermarkets and/or farmers’ markets.
There are a number of Asian and European food shops in Belfast and Derry-Londonderry.
Halal Butchers
There are several Halal butchers in Belfast – further information on where in Northern Ireland you can buy Halal products or speak to the International Student Advisory Service.
Resources
To help you get started, why not have a look at this student food guide where you’ll find information on equipment, shopping and loads of recipes for snacks, main courses, and desserts.
The Student Room website has lots of recipes from all over the world, hopefully you'll find some dishes from home that you can share with new friends.
Another good site for tips on food budgeting, recipes and helpful hints on saving money is Love Food Hate Waste.