(image from http://www.musicnfilms.org)
The school year has just started, which means the social scene is in full swing. There’s not too much nightlife to find in town, nor are there fraternities or sororities, so it’s important to know what you’re up against if you want to party at a school like Williams.
1. School-sanctioned shindigs
For us at Williams, these are First Fridays: dances held every first Friday of the month, or any of the motley crew of dance parties held across campus thrown by the school. Some days you just want to put on your freakum dress and pretend you’re Beyoncé, and these are the perfect opportunities to do so. Characterized by incredibly loud music, tons of awkward dancing, and a combination of body heat and sweat that is lethal to any unprepared hairstyle or non-waterproof makeup, you know it’s not going to be legendary…but you go anyway since you know exactly what to expect, and they CAN be fun.
2. House Parties
You have probably crashed one, if not many of these. Word of mouth spreads that so-and-so is having a party in X place, and of course, curiosity makes you gravitate towards it. It may be hosted by students or a friend group. You might know people there, or you might not…but the fun here is in the unpredictability! It could be super lame, and if so, according to campus party etiquette, you have the obligation to send your friends who have yet to show up a “Don’t bother” text…Alright, so there’s no rule that says you have to, but those of us still in sweatpants debating whether or not to go out would really appreciate it. On the other hand, sometimes they’re home to the greatest nights of your college life. You never really know with these ones.
3. Darties/Daygers
These were words I had to add to my vocabulary once I got to college. The “Darty” (day party) and the “Dayger” (Day Rager) are events that take place, well, during the day! Usually these have food (which is awesome), or some kind of fun theme to go along with. The good thing about these is it provides you a cool, new flexibility: you can manage to party and still be able to get work done and go to bed early. Or alternatively, after the dayger/darty, you have time to relax and chill out, before nighttime comes and you’re ready to have more fun.
4. Student groups
Whether hosted by a sports team or a student organization, these tend to be parties for everyone involved in them. Somehow, people manage to find out about it and show up anyway. Signs you are at a group or team party include: feeling out of the loop, minute awkwardness, and seeking out the friends you have involved in said organization and clinging to them for dear life until they introduce you to other people and you can latch onto them instead. If you don’t already have a bunch of friends in the group, these are cool for meeting new people.
5. The Intimate Get-Together
It sounds like a party alright: there is music, people, and maybe dancing. People may be drifting in and out, but you tend to find out about these by invite (or through being the +1). The smaller setting makes these parties not as rowdy as the others. The fun here centers on socializing. These are the kinds of parties where you can mingle and spend time with friends. These tend to be held in someone’s ridiculously large room or sweet common spaces and are ultimately my favorite.