By Aaron Swartz
College is, for many people, freedom. It’s a space away from family, from home, from the expectations they were raised with. This means, of course, that once the semester has started back up it’s time to PARTY! College parties are wild, raucous, and a lot of fun, especially when you move off-campus into your own apartment. There’s a lot you need to do to truly make your welcome back bash out of this world, though, so to help all you party planners here are our top six tips for hosting a back-to-school party in your off-campus home.
1. Theme, Theme, Theme
Whether it’s costumes or neon, a good themed party is one all your guests will remember and talk about for ages. Picking a good theme for your party is a great way to get people involved and having fun, and it can be a big help for people to start conversations and mingle easily. Here are some ideas for themes you might want to try:
● Blacklight Party: Easy to set up and looks incredible, a blacklight party will have everyone on the dance floor glowing (literally). You can find sets of UV lights easily online, then all you have to do is have your guests show up wearing clothes that’ll really pop.
● Throwback Party: Nostalgia is all the rage these days and you should get in on the action! A throwback party picks a certain era (the ‘90s, 2000s, etc) and invites guests to dress in their favorite fashion of that decade.
● Anything But Clothes Party: A college classic, guests wear anything that isn’t clothes, whether that’s bedsheets, duct tape, or a cardboard box.
● Graffiti Party: All you need for a graffiti party is paper, white clothes, and a LOT of colored markers. Have your guests dress in white (or provide some plain t-shirts) and give everyone access to markers so they can draw on each other. Everyone will leave looking like a walking piece of art and loving the whole experience.
2. Music is Everything
Ever been to a party with no music? Chances are if you have, you don’t remember it because it was just that boring! The right music will really bring the energy you want to your party. You can play stuff to fit your theme (such as blasting all the 70s hits), just go with today’s chart toppers, or even give your guests a way to request specific songs. Music is a great way to bring people together and keep things moving, so make sure you’ve got a playlist ready and some kind of sound system you can use to really get your party into full swing.
3. Make Sure There’s Food
It is a truth universally acknowledged that college students love food, and their favorite kind of food is free food! Your guests are going to get hungry, and when they do they’re going to look to you as their host to have something for them to munch on. Chips and salsa are an easy classic and you can’t go wrong with college staples like pizza. Just make sure you’ve got something around to keep the party going when people start to flag.
4. Drinks Are On You
Bring your own bottle may work in some places, but at your back-to-school party, it’ll definitely be a flop. College students love to drink, as attested by the thousands of drinking games out there, which means you’ll probably want to include it at your party. Ensure you’ve got drinks for your guests, both alcoholic and not in case anyone you invite doesn’t drink alcohol. If you’re not comfortable with having alcohol at your party (or are underage) then make sure your guests know that in advance, or you might run into some trouble.
5. Game On
When we were kids we loved playing games at parties. Pin the tail on the donkey, tag, hide and seek, all of them were a ton of fun. Nowadays, we still play games at parties, though probably a few different ones. Have some games on hand you can start up if things start dying down or getting uncomfortable. College staples like Beer Pong and Flip Cup are great options, and there are always classics like King’s Cup and Quarters too. Keep a few in mind, you won’t regret it.
6. Prepare for Accidents
When you put a bunch of (probably intoxicated) people into a small space together and have them go wild, things are going to happen, and some of them won’t be great. Accidents happen, and that’s just part of the territory of hosting a party. Prepare ahead of time to mitigate any disasters. Put away anything breakable, lock up any spaces you don’t want people using, and make sure you’ve got cleaning supplies and paper towels to handle any messes (either during the event or after). Trust us, you’ll be glad you took the time after everyone’s left and you’ve got to put your home back in order.
College is a wild time, and college parties are a lot of fun! Hosting your own at your off-campus apartment can present some unique challenges if you’ve never done it, but with these tips, you’re ready to throw the best bash of the semester.
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