Party Essentials: Other

By Lev Novak

You don’t need any reason to throw a party. But, for optimal results, you should know what your party purpose is.

If you just want to have a good time, do not throw a party.

Throwing a party is a complicated endeavor. If you decide to throw a party, you need two days to figure everything out. It’s not two days straight but it’s still time you need to take to tell people, let your party sink in, etc. If you decide that morning to throw a party, trust me: that’s asking for trouble. Only the most absurd of us have that sort of pull to pull a party out of air. The rest of us need some planning.

If you just want a good time, have one. Go to a party. Go to a bar. Go get hamburgers with your friends and then see a movie. All of those things are fun and none of them will drive you stressed out.

If you’re doing this so you can invite someone specific is a pretty round-about idea. You’d be better off just asking them out. It’s quicker, easier, and more impressive. It also leaves less room for a Sophomore to throw up on your couch.

The best purpose for throwing a party is because you want to. You need to. Throwing a party, with no ulterior motives beyond partying, is the recipe for party-success.

Here are some “other” tips.

1. Keep Themes Simple, Creative

If you have a theme, keep it fun and in the middle-ground: not easy enough to ignore, not too difficult to do. Ideally ones with a choice are good: we threw a “Turtlenecks and 2 Chains” party which was a success because it gave people two equally plausible options for an outfit. While turtlenecks were obviously the better call, some people (myself included) simply wore “2 chains” of plastic beads we had. That way, everyone participates and has fun on their own level.

2. Don’t Stop the Party For Some Toast at Midnight

If it’s someone’s birthday, let word go around the party. Stopping something at midnight ruins the flow and momentum you worked so hard to build. C’mon, dude. Let the party live.

3. Have Gatorade for the Next Day By Your Bed

You’ll be very, very happy.

4. No One Is Going to Pay

Come on, dude: asking people to pay for a party is totally wack. Parties are a karmatic thing- you’ll be paid back in alcohol by all the other parties you’ll end up going to. Throwing a party is a tax that you pay for all the parties you’ve gone to yourself.

BYOB is also totally lame. It takes the air out of your party before it even starts. Never do it.

5. If You Order Pizza, You’ll Be a Legend

You don’t have to order pizza to your party, but if you did and paid for it, you’d become a hero of your campus.

I’m not telling you to do this, but if you win $100 on a scratch ticket, that’s a good combination of karma, reputation, good will and pizza gained by such a gesture.

6. Play Some Lil’ Jon.

Everyone loves Lil Jon.

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