Danes are notorious binge drinkers

»Danes drink a lot, which does not surprise me, in the Czech Republic, where I come from, we even have a saying: ‘He or she drinks like a Dane!’ which means drinking a lot,« writes one exchange student.

The Danish relationship to alcohol has been an eye-opener for one French exchange student:

»Clearly, for me, there is a problem between Danes and alcohol. When I go out, it is normal to see drunken old people at 10 pm. I have been really shocked by this.«

Danes reserved when sober

»In France, drunken people in the street are mostly homeless people, and it’s not really socially accepted to drink in public places, like in the metro or the street. You are allowed to do it, but you don’t because you are seen as an alcoholic.«

Maybe the key to understanding Danish drinking habits lies in their reserved temperament, a different exchange student theorises.

»I feel that Danes drink so that they can ease social anxieties, open up a bit, and toss their reserved nature out the window. When Danes are not drunk or a bit intoxicated, they can be frustratingly reserved.«

luci@adm.ku.dk

Stay in the know about news and events happening in Copenhagen by signing up for the University Post’s weekly newsletter here.