From University Dreams to Nightmares, How Party Culture Led Scott McNicol to £25,000 Debt and Alcoholism
University often represents a new chapter where young people make new friends, live independently, and embrace adult life. For many, it can be a non-stop party, particularly in the first year. Scott McNicol was among those who chose this path, enrolling at the University of Central Lancashire to study graphic design. However, two years later, he found himself an alcoholic in £25,000 worth of debt, realizing it was one of the worst decisions of his life.
Scott, from Withington, had never touched alcohol before moving into his university halls. Yet, he quickly adapted to the party culture, drinking six days a week and skipping all his lectures. “It was really just to get away from where I was living,” he recalled. “To go away and have a party. I was left to my own devices”, told Yahoo.
Scott, now 36, recognized he had a drinking problem but didn’t fit the stereotypical image of an alcoholic. “I wasn’t waking up and having a drink and drinking all day,” he explained. “I would wake up at 2 o’clock in the afternoon and go out at night-time. Everyone thinks an alcoholic wakes up in the morning and goes straight to a bottle of vodka, and it’s not like that. It depends on the personal situation. It’s where something is affected in your life that’s personal to you.”
As his drinking spiraled out of control, Scott lost his driving license and stopped paying his university accommodation rent. His arrears quickly accumulated to £25,000, resulting in a county court judgment against his name. He dropped out of university in his second year at 20 and moved back home, working on a building site to make ends meet.
Seeking a fresh start, Scott relocated to Australia, but his drinking continued. “I was falling out with friends and family and kept drinking,” he admitted. “I thought a new country would benefit me and it would be easier to stop drinking. That was another bad decision. I took my problems over there with me, the drinking and the debt. As soon as I had one drink, drinking was my priority. You just bury your head in the sand and forget about real-life situations.”
Returning to the UK, Scott’s life hit rock bottom when he came back from Ibiza to find his fiancée had moved out. “It had been going on for years,” he said. “We were arguing every weekend. She couldn’t hack it anymore.” That night, he attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and committed to sobriety. “I found sobriety two days before my 27th birthday,” he said. “Once I stopped drinking, my life took off. I got my family and friends back and started earning more money. I was doing so well in sales.”
Scott cleared his debt and founded his own business, Sastech, a printer management service. He later co-founded an AI outreach service, Harper, with a family friend. Harper curates lists of ideal clients, initiates contact through targeted emails and LinkedIn, and engages with sales teams. The business has grown rapidly, making £20,000 a month within six months and expanding globally.
Reflecting on his journey, Scott believes university was never the right fit for him. “Obviously I understand that certain careers require going to university, but I really think there are other ways to succeed,” he said. “Especially if you want to be an entrepreneur. It just wasn’t for me. Sobriety has had a massive impact on me, such as clearer thinking and creating better decisions. It’s one of the hardest but best decisions I ever made. Eighteen-year-old me would never have dreamt I’d be in the position I am today, serving clients around the world, without even completing my university degree. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do in the future. This is just the start.”