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The Four Years of College Defined by Drinks: The Michigan Edition

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mich chapter.

With every school comes a diverse set of features, whether it’s your stadium (ours is bigger), your campus (ours is prettier), or your academics (ours are better). But when it comes to college, one thing is the same almost everywhere: the drinking. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, odds are you’ve had your fair share of drinks in college. But we all know that there’s a big difference between what you drank at fraternities freshmen year versus Rick’s American Café senior year. 

Freshman Year: Kamchatka

For those of us who were lucky enough to get here a couple years ago, we were blessed with the borderline mediocrity that was Crystal Palace. However, since last fall, the fraternity drink of choice has been Kamchatka (they’re pretty similar, but the latter tastes considerably more like lighter fluid). Paired with some off-brand version of orange Fanta, this is basically what all freshmen live off of from Thursday to Saturday. Pro tip: you can buy a handle of it at Meijer for $11.49 #rage. 

Sophomore Year: Fishbowls at Charley’s

Whether it’s 80 degrees on the patio or you have your North Face parka shoved next to you in the corner booth, it’s always a good time to have a fishbowl at Good Time Charley’s. With so many different flavor variations and silly names (like Blue Balls), they’re perfect for a sophomore who doesn’t quite know what they like yet. P.S. this is a great spot to run into everyone from that girl from your finance class you never wanted to see again to your psych professor. 

Junior Year: Skeeps $1 Long Islands

Once you’ve been around for a couple years, Skeeps on Thursday nights should absolutely be a staple for your social calendar. With a too-packed dance floor and creepy townies, there’s literally nothing that could be better, right? Wrong. On Thursday nights Skeeps serves $1 Long Islands, and while they’re small, spill easily, and are served in a plastic see-through cup, they also make it super easy to enjoy your night, drink in hand, without breaking your bank account (we know that spring break trip to PV is expensive).

Senior Year: Mind Probe at Rick’s

This is the one you have all been waiting for. You’ve heard about it since you were a freshman: the sweet, hangover-inducing drink that tastes a lot like orange juice despite the fact it’s hiding who knows how many shots. It’s Rick’s claim to fame and something every Michigan student should try at least once. Because when you look back at your four years here, while you will remember the late nights at the UGLI and the cheering crowds at the Big House, some things are just too-Michigan to miss out on.

 

Images Courtesy of: Bars in Ann Arbor, Giphy, College Bar Scene, and The Black Sheep

Jaclyn Nagel is the Campus Correspondent of Her Campus at the University of Michigan. She is a senior studying English and Creative Writing and earning a certificate in Sales. She enjoys eating copious amounts of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and reading the Harry Potter books over and over again. Follow her on instagram as @manisandmojitos! And make sure to follow our chapter's Twitter and Instagram at @hercampusumich!