Your college days are when you can let loose when it comes to partying. It’s also when people find out what their go to drink or alcohol is. And it’s when you figure out your limits/tolerance levels.
For your first college party, which usually occurs on the first weekend of the semester, you might feel excited and nervous at the same time. Excited to enter into this new party world without having your parents there to worry about. Nervous because you don’t know what to expect or if it’s going to live up to your expectations. And probably because you’ve heard stories about people getting roofied, sexually assaulted, and harassed at college parties.
While it’s good to be cautious when you’re first exploring new environments, you should also be able to enjoy these new experiences. I remember making a “Fun Weekend Safety Sheet” after feeling overwhelmed at my first college party. In fact, I still follow those same guidelines I set for my freshman self when I, now, go out to bars with friends. It took a couple of “oh, last night could’ve ended so badly” moments to help with updating my guidelines, but you learn from your mistakes.
1. Never go to a party alone
Always try to go with a couple of friends or at least one friend that you can trust. Having someone that you know at a party can be helpful with not feeling isolated or awkward. But, most importantly, you’ll be more at ease knowing that you have someone you can count on if you end up getting in an unfortunate situation.
2. Make a plan/set rules
Before you head to the party, make sure that you and your friends communicate to each other what your limits will be for that night. This includes: how much do you plan on drinking, how long do you want to stay, do you plan on hooking up with someone, will you be comfortable with smoking or trying new things etc…
It goes without saying that you should agree on whether the group will be waiting for everyone to go back home at the end of the night or if it’s okay for people to leave on their own. If you decide on the latter, make sure that you guys communicate to one another when you’re leaving. And check in when you get to your next destination.
3. Never go alone to the restroom
It’s best if you go in pairs or as a group to the restroom. This is not just because someone might follow into the bathroom. But other accidents can happen. You could slip and fall or pass out. Plus, what if the stall you’re in doesn’t have any toilet paper and you need someone to get you some from the adjacent one.
4. It’s okay to say “No”
Sometimes, when you’re partying in a group, there is a pressure to keep up with the drinking habits of others. Just remember that everyone’s tolerance is different, and you know your body better than anyone else. So if all you friends are going in for their fifth shot but you’re not sure if you can handle it, just say “no”.
In fact, you don’t have to drink at all to have as much fun as someone who is drinking. Parties are a social aspect of college life, but they don’t require drinking alcohol. It’s true that some people feel more social while drinking, you just have to remember it doesn’t translate to binge drinking.
Sometimes you might cave in when multiple people keep on offering you drinks. You can fill up a cup with water and when someone offers you a drink, just say “Thanks but I’m good for now”. Having a cup of water or juice in my hand did the trick for me when it came to not feeling like the odd one out.
5. Having a designated driver
If you know that your entire group will be drinking, do not drive to the party. You could just leave your car at the party and pick it up the next day, but that would be a hassle. If you’re in a small campus, you can just walk to your destinations. If not, use a public means of transportation.
6. Keep your drink with you at all times
If you do decide to drink at a party, then you should be conscious of where your drink is at all times. The best way to do this is by never leaving it unattended, as in don’t put it down to walk away and come back for it later. It’s also best if you keep it in front of you so that you’re aware if someone tries to slip something into it. This is not to scare you into not going, but it’s best to be safe.
7. Pregaming
Pregaming seems to be an essential step when it comes to college parties. This is when you get to have fun with just your group, it might also save you money on drinks if your college parties charge students, and for some it’s a safety precaution against possible roofied drinks at parties. Whatever your reason might be for pregaming, just make sure that you don’t binge drink.
Some people try to take as many shots or drinks as they can before going out. But this might lead to you blacking out, since your body’s response to several drinks in a short span of time will differ than that of several drinks throughout the night. You should also make sure that you’re not skipping meals that day, carbs will help with slowing down the absorption of alcohol by binding to it. Most importantly, drink water throughout the day and while you’re consuming alcohol, especially with strong drinks. It’s never fun being dehydrated while you’re trying to enjoy a party.
8. Set your alarm
If you have to wake up at a certain time the next morning, make sure that you set up your alarm prior to starting your night. Your drunk or tipsy self may not remember to do this.
9. Sleepovers/Sober Monitor
Sometimes you or a friend might end up more drunk than you were planning. When this happens, it’s a good idea to spend the night together. Make sure that whoever is drunk does not end up sleeping on their back. And if one of you is vomiting too much, don’t hesitate to call for help.
10. Set your own guidelines and have fun
Your boundaries and limits might be different than mine. So make sure that you’re clear with what you want out of these new experiences. You can be aware and cautious of your surroundings while still having fun. My personal guidelines changed over time and they’ll probably keep on evolving. The more parties I attended, the more I learned and was able to figure out what I’m okay with and what I’m not okay with.
Images by Tobias Tullius and Curology from Unsplash.
