As a freshman in college that has completed her first semester, I surprisingly learned a lot from attending parties during my fall semester. I want to share some tips that I learned, and that I’m still learning as time goes on here at ISU. Get your frat shoes on, and let’s dive in…
DO: Go with a group, leave with a group! This first tip should be a no-brainer. You had a great time getting ready with your friends, and you will have just as much fun leaving with them after the party as well! It’s alright if you leave with some other people joining you, but have it in your best intentions to leave with the same people you arrived with. If you are a girl, and I hate to say this but I speak from experience, do not stay the night where the party was thrown. It’s not a good look, and it can get you into some unnecessary drama if you aren’t careful.
DON’T: Break bank for the themes: Jersey nights, neon nights, white lies, blackouts and rave nights. I promise you these are the very common and reoccurring themes that all fraternities throw. I lost an unexplainable amount of money to dress to impress just to have all the clothes get filthy by the end of the night anyways. Lots of hard work for a few compliments; trust me, skip the hassle and wear whatever you feel comfortable in!
DO: Be aware of your surroundings. It is incredibly easy to become wrapped up in the fun times, the dancing, the drinks and the carefree moments. Before going out, fully charge your phone. It is very important to make sure you are staying in contact with friends or whomever you had gone out with prior to arriving. Keep your eye on the time, and keep track of how much you are consuming (alcohol-wise). REMEMBER: You must be 21 years old to be drinking legally … this means if cops show up to a party, you better have a plan prepared!
DON’T: Go to the same fraternity/place every weekend. Trust me on this one, it does eventually get old. Expand your options for places to go to! Party hopping with a group of friends is very fun, and it cuts back the chances of being stuck in one place and bad things happening. Just be careful when walking to other places at night, carry a form of protection on you at all times.
DO: Pay attention to how often you are going out. ISU is well known for parties which can be a very awesome concept. However, if you find yourself being out more than being in during the weeks, you should consider cutting back on saying yes to going out. The truth is, partying starts usually on Wednesdays and doesn’t finish until late Saturday nights. A word of advice, do NOT go out on Wednesdays. It is going to throw off your schedule without you even realizing it …”I’ll do that homework later,” until you go out Wednesday and oversleep on Thursday, resulting in putting off that homework for another day. I personally go out on Thursdays, Fridays, and occasionally Saturdays. Allowing your body to rest is a necessity too! Too cold to go out? Not feeling up to it? Don’t force yourself to party, have a comfy indoor movie night.
DON’T: Feel pressured to drink. Everyone has different tolerances when it comes to alcohol. You might feel intimidated seeing people drink three times more than you can, but that is not an excuse to drink yourself to the point of not waking up. Try one drink per hour, with some water in between, and you’ll be just fine. Or even better, there’s no need to drink at all if you don’t feel up to it.
I could write a book on tips like these, and when I tell you these are all learning lessons … need I say more? Partying is very fun, it’s a great chance to meet new people and make lifelong memories. I hope these tips (experiences) help you as a reader have a safe and fun semester! :)