How to nail your UEA halls pre-drinks
At least until your senior resident shows up
If pre-drinks are done properly, they are undoubtedly the best part of a night out. Everybody knows that a lit Spotify playlist and an ample amount of own-brand mixer ensures the highlight of the night won’t be downing VKs in Blue Bar.
However, as well as a sound playlist, there are several other things to consider to make sure your UEA pre-drinks is the bomb.
The location
Sure, the Ziggurats are a bit scummy, and the walk from Nelson Court to the LCR queue isn’t anywhere near long enough to smoke a cigarette, but these are generally regarded as the best buildings for a massive, dirty pre-drinks. If you want something a bit smaller then you can’t beat the en-suite accommodation, although there’s bound to be a couple of bores in each flat that won’t appreciate blaring out Africa by Toto at 23:45.
The guest-list
Do you invite every person you with whom you shared a half-glance (and a Facebook friend request) in Freshers’, or keep it down to your flatmates and their hot course friends? A mixture of the two is key; make sure you invite some people from your sports team for their #boozy #laddy #antics, but not too many – just in case somebody chucks a rock through your kitchen window.
The red cups
Because American drinking culture is obviously supreme to ours.
The seats
Don’t bother using that grim food waste bin that Norwich County Council will leave in your kitchen, it makes a great seat for the person you don’t really like. Aside from that, ask your guests to bring a couple seats themselves, as your cleaner will enjoy solving the mystery of where they came from.
The music
Two options: your cringe mate either brings down his decks and microphone and encourages everybody to “make some noise for Paston Flat 2”, or you make a Spotify playlist and blast it through the iPod dock your nan got you for Christmas. Naughties classics are absolutely essential, as is Feed ‘Em To The Lions by Solo 45, just to appease your mate. Volume-wise, louder the better – yes your flatmate has a 9am seminar, will get a First, and her parents will be prouder of her than yours are of you, but you can deal with that problem tomorrow.
What time to get to the LCR
This is the singularly most important part of pre-drinks, as the LCR is so fucking empty before midnight. There is no logic to this, as it wastes half of the night you’ve paid a whole £3.80 for, but it really is tragic being amongst the first people in there. Whilst your halls are probably only a minute walk away if you decide to abandon the LCR, the pre-drinks are officially over, so pls time it right.