If it currently feels as though every other conversation you’re having these days revolves around the slightly depressing, discussion of how you or your friends are “entering your granny era” – you’re not alone. Long gone are the days when my Wednesday morning Instagram feed felt like a 360° virtual tour of Subway, now instead becoming worryingly like my mum’s Facebook; full of hikes up the Pentlands, cosy movie nights in, and the recent reads of people well and truly entering their granny era.
This new trend of being in your Granny Era owes its creation to TikTok (of course!), initially a joke referring to the seeming increase in students living a more quiet, chill lifestyle that would be associated with older generations. The aptly named Granny Era promotes comforting and homely activities; movie nights, baking, knitting, going on walks or even doing the crossword (the trending New York Times Games.) It’s no secret that the price of drinks is rising, and when coupled with the entry fee, Uber and cloakroom fee (this is Edinburgh, after all) – the cost of a night out begins to add up! A study by the Natwest Student Living Index found that Edinburgh students spend on average £25.90 on a night out with 26 per cent saying money spent on alcohol is their “biggest regret”. Due to the cost of living crisis, many students are undoubtedly seeking to cut down on their night-out spending and instead opting for more low-key pub nights or fully embracing the Granny Era and being in bed by 10 pm. Furthermore, social media seems to be curating a much wider acceptance of non-alcoholic social events; run-clubs, movie nights and themed dinner parties all dominate my TikTok feed, making texts to friends to arrange plans sound a lot more like “does anyone fancy some pottery painting soon?” and a lot less like “look who’s playing at Sneaky Pete’s this week.” Furthermore, many students have emphasised the repetitive nature of clubbing, specifically within Edinburgh, with many venues – such as Atik, Ballie Ballerson, Milk and, albeit momentarily, Jazz Bar, shutting down: perhaps the Edinburgh clubbing scene itself is also partially to blame for students’ aversion.
Another major reason I’ve noticed many of my peers entering their Granny Era is leaving first year. In first year, going out was regarded as the easiest and most popular way to socialise and make friends – one only needs to think of the hell that was Freshers’ Week when it felt like every other flat was hosting pres or begging you to join them as they ventured onto Cowgate. I’ve found the transition from friend groups spread throughout accommodations in first year to then living together in second year renders nights out obsolete. In first year, going out was our main opportunity to socialise, now, coupled with the rising cost of living, the idea of a sweet-treat run and binge-watching Sex and the City sounds like a much more appealing evening!
Furthermore, as the semesters and years ride on and the workload and pressure ramp up, the ability to balance regular nights out with the demanding lifestyle university entails becomes something of an art form that the majority of people do not have the time nor effort to curate. Students convey that when going out they prioritise the once-a-week sports-socials or celebratory nights out as opposed to the numerous nights of clubbing that would have been possible during the stress-free weeks of first year.
Undoubtedly there is nothing wrong with entering your Granny Era as a way to continue to socialise whilst maintaining a more low-key, budget-friendly, domesticated lifestyle. If you’re, like me, realising that being a “WhyNotWarrior” is not your life’s calling may not be such a bad thing.
Illustration by Neve Healy