Lately, I’ve been pondering which is more ideal for the average university alcohol connoisseur, bars or parties? Though both have their pros and cons, I definitely have been leaning towards one more than the other personally. Let’s compare!
Bars:
Many individuals have a love-hate relationship with bars. Although it’s obviously subjective, I think your opinion will be dependent on what chapter of your university experience you’re in. Feelings for bars can change depending on whether you have a job, are in a relationship, what friend group you’re in or many other situations. Let’s start with the pros of bars, with the obvious first one being the music. If a bar has good music or a DJ playing, the atmosphere is incomparable. Bars are the best in my opinion when they have a DJ that’s playing the best throwback set that slides one song into the other. Bars also create a great atmosphere for meeting new people that you wouldn’t have met anywhere else. I don’t know about you, but one of my favourite things about going out, in general, is meeting new people and listening to their stories or problems. Bars also have something that most house parties never do, and that’s unique drinks! Even normal cocktails are never at house parties unless you make it yourself. It’s quite refreshing to have a tasty alcoholic drink rather than a cooler from LCBO. Now for the cons of bars, starting with money. Everyone knows that bars can have ridiculous prices for drinks. Even on nights where they have specials, alcohol is either lacking or prices skyrocket. This doesn’t even take into account Ubers, outfits, cover charge, coat check or any other expenses that involve going to the bar. Bars are almost always overcrowded, squishy and sweaty. The aroma of B.O. and the bumping of bodies can be pretty overwhelming to some. The loudness of bars can also make it impossible to have conversations at times. However, the biggest con of bars is the creeps and/or people who think they can grind up on you and say inappropriate things to you. Overall, the bar is what you make of it, and external factors really have a say in how the night will play out.
House parties:
House parties are the best bet for people who are struggling financially and still want to have a fun night. They don’t cost as much as bars and also offer a really nice atmosphere for drinking. While bars may have DJs, house parties have aux cords. If no one is vibing with the music, you can simply kick them off aux. When you offer a song suggestion, the probability of it actually being played is more likely than it would be at bars. House parties are mostly made up of people you know or friends of friends, so it’s definitely more of a tight-knit environment. It’s way easier to get to know people at a house party. I think ultimately the biggest pro that a house party has over a bar is the ability to play games. Whether that be pong games or card games, house parties are more than just standing around and dancing the whole night. Another big pro of house parties is the fact that you don’t have to wait in lines. I once waited TWO HOURS IN LINE in the winter for The Drink and was severely disappointed dancing with semi-frost bite. A con for house parties is the fact that a knock at the door could mean the police are shutting you down. Also, if you’re hosting the party, your house may be completely destroyed. Your place will get trashed, your valuables will get broken, people you don’t know will most likely show up and you’ll have a lotttt of cleaning to do the next day. I think for me, the reason why house parties have been in my number one spot lately is because of the games. Beer pong, speed ball, flip cup, stack cup, kings cup, drunk Jenga, flong, chandelier, piccolo and so many more games make the night ten times more fun.
University is all about studying hard…and getting drunk. Whether it be at a bar or a house party, letting loose on the weekends (or weekdays) is ideal for student success.