Surviving your first college party
College is full of new experiences, including Friday nights
It’s welcome week, and everyone on your floor is getting ready to go out. You may feel kind of uneasy if you aren’t used to this type of Friday night. I definitely was. I had never been drunk in high school or really ever been to a party. While everyone else was excited, deep down I was panicking. I had so many questions and felt dramatically ill-prepared. For those of you who, like me, had a pretty vanilla high school experience, here is a guide to surviving your first college party (or your first party in general).
What to wear
You may be wondering “what the hell do I wear?” Well, wear whatever makes you feel confident and comfortable. If you don’t feel confident in what you’re wearing, your night is already starting off on the wrong foot. Remember any party you go to will be hot, sweaty, and packed with people. It’s just the nature of the beast.
How to pregame
Music is the key to a good pregame. Play whatever gets you and your friends excited for a night out. But please don’t listen to R-Kelly’s “Ignition”, because trust me, you’ll hear that at least ten more times before the night is over.
When the alcohol comes out make sure to take it slow, especially if you’ve never done this before. Don’t try to impress anyone with how much you can drink, and don’t let people pressure you to go past your limits. The goal is to make it to the party. If you don’t feel comfortable drinking, then just tag along for the experience. If your friends pressure you to drink, find new friends.
Finding a party
The key to finding a party is
to text everyone you’ve ever met in your entire life “any addresses?”.
In all seriousness, it isn’t very hard. Either you’ll be invited somewhere or one of your friends will. Don’t stress.
What to do at an actual party
When you get to a party, talk to people! You’ll see your friends everyday, but meeting new people is part of coming to college. If you’re anything like high-school me, this whole idea of “mingling” isn’t super appealing, but if I hadn’t talked to half of the strangers I did during my freshman year, I wouldn’t have the amazing friend group I do now.
Most parties will have drinks available, but always remember unopened drinks are the way to go. Don’t take drinks from random people. Roofies are real, and they’ve happened to many people on campus. Don’t leave your drink sitting somewhere for people to mess with, and always remember wop is a lot stronger than it tastes.
Dance to whatever crappy music is playing and just have a good time. Hell, even get on a table if there’s one available. Just remember to pace your alcohol intake. It’s all fun and games until you end up on the bathroom floor.
What to do after a party
Go get a slice of pizza from Ian’s, and congratulate yourself on surviving your first party as a Badger.