When most people think about a night out, they may envision heading to a bar or club, grabbing a drink with friends and dancing the night away. However, for those who prefer to skip the alcohol and explore more active ways to spend an evening, rock climbing offers an exciting and rewarding alternative.
The sport has been a fun, playful way for my friends and I to spend a night out. Celebrating progress and supporting each other through our many, many falls. For university students looking for a sober, fun and fulfilling way to spend their evenings, a trip to the climbing gym might just be the perfect activity.
An alternative night out
As a group of relatively sober university students, my friends and I have found great community and enjoyment in rock climbing. The sport has rapidly consumed our nightly pass times and daily discourse, as we endeavour to gain proficiency in this newfound hobby.
Being relatively close to the University and open most nights till 10pm, Red Goat Climbing Gym has been an almost nightly playground for us. It’s a space where we throw ourselves onto walls, try and figure out climbing problems, and occasionally treat ourselves to a cheeky pizza or banana bread.
With a community of friendly climbers willing to share climbing tips or just talk, it’s a great place to make friends and develop one’s strength and self-confidence. The sport has strengthened my friendships, enabling us to come together and share things we have learned, read and just experiment – enjoying the process of falling and getting back up again (quite literally). Whether you’re looking for a new hobby or just a different way to spend a night out, sans alcohol, rock climbing might be for you.
Society rock climbing events
It can be daunting trying out a new hobby or pastime, but with the plethora of societies that York offers. Whether you’re sober or like a drink there is definitely an event for you!
York has two societies that regularly engage in rock climbing: York University Mountaineering Club (YUMC) and Ben Lairig Mountaineering.
Along with hosting your typical pub crawl socials, these societies also hold some more alcohol-free events, lending themselves as a way to meet new people, engage with the sport, or just have some fun.
YUMC holds Red Goat Wednesdays, where society members and curious students meet and have a climb. Often bustling with students, this event can be relaxing, sharing beta (climbers’ vernacular for advice to ascend the climb), and supporting one another. It’s a chill way to spend a Wednesday and meet some really great people in the process.
Personally, I found Ben Lairig Rope Skills sessions to be an engaging way to spend my evening. The sessions entail us being taught different lead and top rope climbing skills. Utilising the stairs and space in a lecture hall we have learned how to do a double figure eight knot, belay and safety protocol, among other things. The sessions are well run and often followed by an optional trip to Big Depo Leeds, to put your knowledge to the test and have a go at some top rope climbing.
As someone with limited climbing experience, I have found that both societies have been overwhelmingly welcoming and a great way to meet some exceptional people and learn something new in the process. Though I have only mentioned two socials here, both societies have weekly events with something for everyone to get involved with. If you want to avoid alcohol, choosing a physical activity with an element of risk may be the thing for you; sorry to be clichéd, but rock climbing is a different kind of high!
Over the last term, I have found that there are a diverse range of activities that York has to offer. Whether you enjoy table top role playing games, sports, or arts (to name but a few), there are plenty of events that will make you want to put the pint down and pick up something new.
And if I haven’t quite sold you on the rock climbing, I’d still recommend heading to Red Goat for a banana bread or two!
Like what you see? Explore what else is on offer at York in our students’ city life articles.
Leave a Reply