If you make the most of it, student life can be great. Not only do you get your first taste of independence, but there's also an amazing opportunity to meet new people. The experiences you gain as a student stay with you for life and go towards shaping your future path.

Although many believe partying forms a large part of a student's curriculum, in reality you are expected to work hard and often have tight deadlines to meet. From the moment you arrive, demands are high, with many courses requiring you to spend any 'free' time conducting research in the library or completing assignments.

And, as you progress throughout your course, you will find that the opportunity to socialise becomes less frequent, whilst the workload rises. Of course, you are studying and therefore expectations are that you have to work hard to earn your qualifications.

However, all work and no play makes for a dull student. That's why it can be a good idea to make sure you take some time out and indulge in a bit of extra-curricular activity. This is especially important since a lot of studying requires individual effort and it's essential to interact with other people, not least to maintain your sanity!

While heading to the pub is a popular pastime, there are many other things you can do to create a bit of excitement, as well as making friends. For example, why not round a group of likeminded people together and find some student games to participate in? It may be hard in the beginning, but if you put your mind to it, there are loads of activities which don't involve downing mixed shots of alcohol.

Take ten pin bowling for instance. A fun way to wile away a few hours in the company of friends, bowling is a great student game. For the competitive spirited of you, you can challenge your fellow team mates to a bit of friendly competition, whilst at the same time saving money on gym membership by taking advantage of the calorie-burning exercise it induces!

If you look around, there are some attractive group deals available, which include things like shoe hire, food and drinks, meaning you don't have to blow the student budget. And, for those who cannot bear to be away from the pub for too long, most centres come with a bar.

The other advantage of going ten pin bowling is that there are usually a range of other games and activities for people to do. For instance, many offer such things as amusement arcades, pool tables and even laser gun arenas.

Ten pin bowling is just one example of the many student games http://www.tenpin.co.uk/home/party_packages/group_packages.stml you can play. So, why not use your imagination and give the pub a miss the next time you plan to go out?

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.