Hey collegiettes, ever gone with a group to a party and been left to fend for yourself? Weekends are for us hard workers to let loose and de-stress from all the week’s happenings. Don’t be the girl that worries about how her night will end up before it even begins. Friends are supposed to go out and have a good time together. So, here are some tips to avoid that frustrating and potentially dangerous situation while still having fun!
1. Have a game plan. Before the drinks are poured, set up a “game plan” with your group. Figure out who is in your group, where the group is going and how you plan on getting there. Attempt to set an approximate time frame of when you are planning to leave. When it gets close to the time you agreed you wanted to leave, get a feel for how the rest of the group is doing and go from there.
2. Communication is key. You don’t want to be the one to break up a friend’s good time…but if you end up wanting to leave the party, don’t leave alone. Make sure you tell at least one person, even if just with a text message, what your plan is if you do decide to leave. This ensures your safety as well as the sanity of others when everyone has cleared out and you are nowhere to be found. Plans are bound to change sometimes but just always remember to communicate the changes with your group.
3.Try to pay attention to who is around you. Even if you aren’t keeping tabs on where everyone is at the party, if you haven’t seen someone in a while, it’s probably wise to check in on her to make sure she is doing okay. If you don’t hear back, keep trying! It’s never good to be worried a friend’s whereabouts at a questionable hour.
4.Use the buddy system. If you come with a group, leave with that group. In all honestly, you should never go to a party by yourself even if you plan to meet up with people there. Go with at least one person, and if you know you’re going to be “third-wheeling” by the end of the night — go ahead and go with at least one extra person so you aren’t feeling left out. By doing this, you won’t be worried about having to get home on your own or being left alone at the party.
5.Go out with an open mind. Seriously, no one likes a killjoy at a party if everyone else is trying to have fun. Sure, you could run into an ex-fling…and things can get awkward fast, buttry to make the best of it. You don’t want to be the person who everyone comes up to and asks, “What’s wrong?” If this does end up being you (it happens to the best of us), tell a friend and she will be able to help you find a sober and safe way to get you home that won’t end up taking away from the rest of the night. Always remembering to communicate; the people you arrived with that night will want to know that you are OK should you choose not to leave with them.