Dos and Don’ts of College Parties

Sabrina Runge on August 15, 2022

College students taking shots at a party

Having a little too much fun at college parties is a rite of passage, but if you don’t follow a few unwritten rules, your night of fun could easily turn into a nightmare. Here are 10 rules for following the college party scene.

Do Keep Your Wits About You

It's a party, so you obviously want to have fun – but you should set a reasonable drinking limit for yourself and stick to it. Otherwise, you could find yourself belligerently drunk, sick, or worse. You can still have a blast while only having a couple of beers (or none), so don’t get peer pressured into drinking more than three or four drinks.

Don't Go Out With People You Don't Trust

If you do end up drinking too much, you need to have at least one person you can trust to get you back home safely. It’s a good idea to go out with your squad anyway, so even if the party’s lame, you can still have a blast hanging out with your best buds.

Don't Be the First One There or the Last to Leave

It will be super lame and awkward if you arrive at 9 p.m. on the dot, and the party host will hate you if you’re the only one left at 3 a.m. Ideally, you want to arrive when the party is almost in full swing (about 11 pm), and you should never stay past two, because as we all know, nothing good happens after 2 a.m.

Do have a DD

No one wants to be DD, but you should never go to a party without one. You and your group of friends can take turns or start a rotation of who’s going to stay sober and drive, so each of you gets your fair share of letting loose, while also staying safe.

Do Keep Track of Your Drink at All Times

If you do drink at the party, always make sure you pour your drink yourself and don’t ever let it out of your sight until it’s gone. Someone can slip something in your drink in less than a second, so it’s important to keep your guard up. If you do have to go to the restroom, leave your drink with a trusted friend to watch.

Don't Act Like a Freshman

Even if you are a freshman, don’t act like one. Don’t wear a lanyard around your neck, don't bring a backpack filled with alcohol, don’t show up in a group of 15, and don’t break anything. The last thing you want is to get kicked out of the party and blacklisted for the rest of your college career, so at least somewhat keep your manners.

Do Pregame

Unless it’s a wine and cheese soiree, you never know what kind of alcohol you’re going to find at a party. There could only be a tub full of PGA punch or a fridge full of Keystone Light, so if those aren’t your style, you’re going to be out of luck if you don’t pregame. That way, you can have a nice buzz going in and not be dependent on whatever you find in someone else’s kitchen.

Do Charge Your Phone

Like it or not, your phone is a necessary part of your life now, so before you go anywhere, especially if you aren’t familiar with the area, you should charge your phone before you go. If you end up getting separated from your friends, you need a way to contact them to avoid any moments of drunken panic.

Don't Dress Inappropriately

I don’t mean “don’t wear a mini dress because it’s too revealing;” you should wear whatever you want. I mean, “don’t wear a mini dress in the dead of winter because you could literally end up freezing to death.” One girl in Wisconsin recently died walking home from a party because she wasn’t dressed warmly enough, and you don’t want that to be you.

Don't Leave With Someone You Don't Know

It may be tempting to go “hang out” with that cute guy you met at the party, but unless you’ve met him before this night, resist that temptation. You don’t want to land yourself in a potentially dangerous situation with a stranger while you’re inebriated, and if that guy really likes you, he’ll text you to hang out tomorrow.

Category: Education, Higher Education

Posted by Sabrina Runge

World traveler, amateur wine connoisseur, and budget fashionista. Lover and doer of all things creative.

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