It’s Thursday night, first night of the weekend, and you’re getting ready to go out. You’ve finished doing your hair and makeup, and now all that’s left to do is to start pregaming. First thing’s first: it’s called a PREgame for a reason. This isn’t high school anymore; no longer do we have to force shots down our throat in a confined period of time before going to a party that doesn’t provide alcohol. This is college, more specifically, this is Indiana, so make sure you’re prepared to continue drinking until the early hours of the morning. Now don’t get me wrong, pregaming is an essential part of the night. Nobody wants to be the awkward sober person standing in the corner, but you also don’t want to be the person who shows up too wasted to drink any more.
If you want to be the life of the party, your goal for the night should always be to talk to as many people as possible. Whether you’re at the same frat you go to every week or somewhere you’ve never been before, the best way to work the party is to make small talk with everyone. How, you might ask? One word: SHOTS! There is no easier icebreaker than the simple question, “want to take a shot?” If you have a low tolerance, take half shots. No one will ever know if you drank the entire thing or just a little bit of it, but the act of doing so is a bonding moment like no other. The more people you take shots with, the more friends you’ll make, and the more you’ll come to be known as the life of the party.
There are certain things that are no-nos if you are looking to be the life of the party. It’s easy to find yourself in these situations, and we’re all guilty of doing these things once in a while. The first thing to avoid: long and intense conversations in the corner of the room. This is a party, not a therapy session. The second thing to avoid: standing alone with your best friends and not dancing or socializing with anyone else. If you’re going to do this, then why bother coming out? All you’re doing is wasting precious space for those of us who are trying to have fun. The third and final thing to avoid: PDA. Of course dancing, flirting, and a little DFMO (dance floor make-out) action are all in good fun, but you have to be careful how far you take it. Nobody wants to watch two people grinding up and down the wall as they eat each other’s faces off; that’s what a bedroom is for.
The final but most important thing to do if you’re trying to be the life of the party is an obvious one: HAVE FUN! Dance all night and go absolutely crazy. Find an elevated surface, (stage, bar, table), jump on it and go wild. Who do you think everyone’s going to want to party with? The girl standing in the corner with a pout on her face or the girl chugging a Karkov handle on top of the bar? No matter who you are, you’re never too cool to go crazy. If you think you’re too sophisticated to take shots out of Dixie cups and swigs straight from the five dollar handle, then you’re probably at the wrong school. Everyone who goes to Indiana knows how to party, so why not stand out while doing it?