Anyone who has lived through WashU’s bi-annual concert, Walk In Lay Down, can tell you the name is very misleading. The only people walking in and laying down are likely doing so because they are too inebriated to function. The day is notorious for rampant binge drinking, and many people end the afternoon next to the toilet rather than at the concert. That being said, WILD can be one of the most fun days of the year when done correctly. Here are some tips on surviving WILD:
1) EAT BREAKFAST. There is nothing more dangerous than embarking on a day of drinking with nothing in your stomach. Do yourself a favor and start the day off with a hearty meal. Load up on the eggs, pile on the pancakes, and indulge in that Einstein’s cinnamon sugar bagel you’ve been eyeing all semester. You will be happy about it later.
2) WEAR LAYERS. St. Louis is well known for its wacky and unpredictable weather. It may be beautiful during the day, but when the sun sets you will regret only wearing daisy dukes and an American flag tank top. Bring a sweatshirt or jacket with you just in case. Also, side note: dresses are great, but no one wants to see your lady parts. You never know when you will be dancing on a table top or getting a piggy back ride. Wear underwear.
3) STICK WITH A FRIEND. WILD is one of the few events where Wash U comes out to play in full force, and it can be overwhelming. It is easy to lose track of your friends at a crowded pregame or at the concert, and very hard to describe your exact location at a packed party. Instead, make a meeting point and time at a prominent place on campus beforehand, like the library or the village, so if you get lost ,you know how to find everyone again.
4) WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES. Yes, those wedges may look great when you leave your dorm, but they probably won’t feel good 6 hours later. WILD is a long day, usually starting in the early afternoon and stretching past sun down. You want to be able to dance the night away pain-free. I recommend cheap sneakers that you won’t be afraid to ruin. Converse, Vans and Keds are all great options, and Urban Outfitters usually sells similar sneakers for about $20.
5) PACE YOURSELF. As the saying goes, WILD is a marathon, not a sprint. There is a lot of hype surrounding WILD, and an expectation that everyone is wasted. There is no need to pregame the pregame. Do not feel compelled to shot gun three beers when you get to an off campus party. And yes, I know that beer bong may look like an exciting challenge at 1 pm, but when you have to be put to bed by 2 pm, you will wish you had resisted. Take things slow, keep track of how many drinks you have, and instead of focusing on getting drunk, focus on having fun and talking to the people around you. Remember, you want to have funny stories from WILD rather than BE the funny story.
6) THINK BEFORE YOU ACCEPT ANY DRINK OR SUBSTANCE. At a big frat or off campus pregame, you will probably be offered a mysterious fruity drink. You may even be offered drugs. Before you yell “YOLO!” and down three bars of Xanax with a vodka chaser, consider how it will make you feel. Do you know what you are drinking or ingesting? Do you know its effects? Do you think it could have negative consequences? What other things have you ingested today? Will it result in you vomiting into a bush in 15 minutes? These are good things to think about BEFORE you put anything in your body, not after.
7) MAKE TIME FOR DINNER. It is very easy to get caught up in the day and forget to eat. This is the one day when drunk eating is a good thing. Make a pit stop at the village or BD on the way to the concert. You will feel much better at 10 pm when your hangover starts kicking in.
8) GO TO THE CONCERT. Seriously. I know late in the afternoon you are probably going to be getting a bit tired, sick of alcohol, and generally ready to take a nap. Resist the urge. All of my best WILD’s were ones where I actually made it to the main event. Otherwise you end up at home feeling like a lumpy loser, not knowing what to do with yourself because its 9 pm and you just took a 5 hour nap. The alternative is dancing with random freshmen at Wolfgang Gartner. The choice is clear.
Image courtesy of Team 31 Productions
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wash U chapter.