The ultimate guide to UA frat parties

Frat parties are all fun and games if you adequately prepared for the night ahead of you. If you are a freshman especially, there are some things you should know what you’re getting yourself into.

The outfit

Learning from syllabus week, I saw that girls actually dressed up for frat parties. It is not like a high school going out outfit where you wear shorts and some Brandy Melville top that will show some cleavage. None of that. Girls wear more formal skirts and a nice top or more dressed up shorts. A lot of them are also wearing heels, which I do not recommend whatsoever. Heels make you look good, but won’t feel good an hour into your night out.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had a drink spilled on my feet or how brutal the walk home was. I really recommend wearing something nice like a skirt and a cute top, but also making it more casual by wearing converse or vans. You will thank me later when someone spills a drink or when you’re walking home at two a.m. Also, no one cares what you look like but yourself. The frat guys do not pay attention and really the only competition is between you and other girls, but really no one cares.

The drinks

Don’t expect the frats to have high-grade alcohol, I mean, they’re college students too. They only have so much money to work with and give to those 50+ people that go to their house. So suck it up and deal with the cheap vodka and beer. Either way, your night will end the same if you had more expensive alcohol. It is also important to watch your drink and watch the person pouring your drink, you’d much rather be safe than sorry. Never take a drink from someone if you did not watch them pour it in front of you. Remember, not all frats are those type, but you should always be careful.

Group system

This should be common sense for everyone that will go out at anytime and anyplace. Always go out with a group. I cannot stress that enough, please find a group of people that will take care of you and vice versa. Being left alone at a frat party (or anywhere else) can be pretty scary and nothing good can come out of that.

Make sure the group you go out with are people you trust and know will look out for you no matter what happens. If you are being the mom of the group for the night, please take care of your friends and make sure they don’t go off with sketchy guys or black out in the bathroom of your dorm. If you expect your friends to take care of you, you better do the same for them.

The house

I am just gonna say it right now, the frat houses are disgusting during a party. The floors are wet and dirty because so many drinks are being spilled, it is crowded of people, and it is hotter than Tucson in June. If you need to use the restroom, you need to squat on that toilet because you do not know what happened in there. Regardless, they are fun but do not expect a clean, classy house. It will most likely be trashed due to the amount of intoxicated people not being to keep themselves together and that is fine. Although some houses will be a lot nicer than others, but keep in mind to respect that house at all times because it is indeed a house that some of these boys live in. 

The Boys

Every frat boy will be different – they will either be really cool or complete douchebags. Every house has their own personality but there will always be different types of guys you encounter. If you hang out with a guy during the party, cool, but if he starts to do things you don’t want to do, not cool. Come up with a signal to give to your friends when you’re in need of help. I have heard that a lot of them can be very aggressive and pushy, but those are not as common as you think. And I know that a lot of frats do not tolerate their members making girls uncomfortable, they especially enforce that with their pledges. A lot of the frat guys I have met are really cool and sweet. Again, not all frat guys are the same so don’t judge every one the same as the other.

Photo courtesy of Sam Cooper. Delta Tau Delta fraternity at the University of Arizona.

Everyone goes to a frat party at least once in their life, Some people love them and some people hate them. Some houses are honestly a hit and miss. One night you will go to some new ones and discover a new favorite or one that you will never go to again. You honestly have to go around and see which house is your go-to. It is good to have fun and party with the frats but also know the guidelines to make sure your night ends just as good as it was when it started.