How to nail a girls’ night out in Belfast

New to Belfast’s student scene? Perhaps you’re a fresher about to begin your journey through the wonderful world of university and all that comes with it, which most importantly includes parties, and lots of them.

So here’s a scenario you’re a single girl about to embark on the fabulous adventure that is BOX Tuesday’s. Apparently the “craic’s ninety” and drinks are 99p. Sounds good to me. So, how can I ensure the craic is ninety and maximise enjoyment not just tonight, but every night?

Pre-drinks are ESSENTIAL

Pre-drinks are extremely important as they not only provide a head start to your messy night but also remain quite handy in budget terms. Although student nights tend to be cheaper than the regular night out, (because of handy drinks promotions) they can prove expensive considering you have a student budget and let’s face it, it’s not great , plus you NEED to leave money for your food on the way home because, you will be drunk and probably hella hungry.

Head to the big Tesco’s on Lisburn or hit up DR:INK on your way home to nail this bit – do not not leave it too late and end up being the leech, stealing Blossom Hill in someone’s mouldy Holylands living room, drinking from a cup that says mum (inexplicably).

Spice up your pre-drinks with drinking games so you’re comfortably drunk by the time you screech that you “NEED TO LEAVE THE TAXIS HERE”. Skip never have I ever, Ring of Fire is your best bet here. Stick to a Beyonce-esque playlist and ignore any of your annoying male housemates trying desperately to put Wagon Wheel on repeat.

Stick with your squad

If you have been out in Belfast before you will know there is nothing worse than losing your friends and having to wonder around the sweaty jungle looking for them and inevitably dancing on your own , probably like an idiot until someone comes to rescue you. My advice would be to stick together from the get go, that way you maximise chances of getting some great squad pics, and make some amazing memories with the people you’ll be spending your days with throughout uni life.

This means chains of hand holding. Chains of hand holding can be precarious and dangerous at the best of times – but there’s nothing funnier than a line of you and your nine girlfriends, tottering in platform heels through Katy Daly’s, then Spring and Airbrake, then Limelight, then back again. You’ll finally reach the dancefloor – already sticky with Kool Aid shots – and it’ll be so worth it.

Avoid the fuckboys

They usually usually come in packs: these are the guys who are going to waste your time and make uni even more stressful than it potentially should be. Here is where your choice of club comes in – Filthy’s has plenty of dark corners to either hide with potential suitors or hide from potential fuckboys. They don’t call it the secret garden for nothing. Tell him to fuck off and get a cocktail in the Cath Kidston inspired beer garden – you’ll feel aloof, unavailable, and classy.

Perfect.

DANCE

OK, so you’ve ditched the fuckboys, you’ve got the drinks in, you’ve found your mate who went off “for a smoke” 20 minutes ago and was found shivering outside Box. Now is the time to dance.

Whether it’s jumping up and down shouting to the cheesy pop in Limelight, grooving to some sexy R’n’B in Thompsons or gurning your face off at Shine, this will be the best part of your night (and at Shine, you’ll probably be telling everyone how much it is gonna be the best part of your night). So enjoy it.

Refuel

So you have a 9am lecture , it’s 3am and you’re feeling a little anxious, the best way to avoid the hangover? Soak all the drink up with the dirtiest, greasiest kebab or other food product known to man. Do yourself a favour and get yourself to Monte Carlo beside Cuckoo – these chips are the best kept secret in South Belfast. And even if they’re never going to taste as magical when you’re sober, at least they’ll tide you over until you make the hungover-leggings-flip-flops-and-O’Neills-hoody trip to queue outside Boojum tomorrow morning.

 

Take loads of selfies

Because were you even there if you don’t have a Snapchat story and a gazillion pics to prove it? Nope. No you were not.