If anything, University parties are like nothing you have seen before. You will have to develop special skills to survive these university parties, and you better be prepared. So let us tell you our tips for surviving university parties and what types you will find. We will also share some fun anecdotes so that you get a real taste of what it will be!
Types of university parties:
- University-organized parties: These are not the favorite ones, but sometimes attendance is compulsory.
- Student association parties: They are actually very nice! They are organized by students or ex-students, who understand how to have fun and enjoy your time. You would be surprised of how well organized they can be (some even have rules). But more about that later.
- Smaller groups of friends also organize parties in private buildings. These are great to stay safe and meet new people closely.
- Erasmus parties – Understanding who organizes these parties is a mystery, but whoever does, he or she knows what fun is. These can be the wildest, funniest parties of all.
- Galas and Balls – Just like the prom dance in high school, these are more ceremonial, but still, they never end well.
Many things happen in university parties, and unfortunately (or not), most people just forget about what happened, due to the side effects of spirituous beverages. And you want to make sure you follow the Uni party etiquette, don´t you? Follow this tutorial to not look like a rookie.
Drinking
No wine in uni parties. No wine. These parties are a celebration of fun and youth, not a celebration of style and class. So do distribute yourself between the “shot” community and the “beer” community, or even better: gravitate from one to the other. Some mixes are allowed, however. Just make sure to never drink them alone, and especially not while wearing a fedora or colorful socks.
Social Aspect
These parties are not about drinking, but about making friends and having fun. They are very social. Be nice and joyful and seek refuge in the community if something does not look right. You will find that these groups are organized in very funny ways, like Facebook groups and boards (where the most stupid quotes of the month are posted) or Informers, where a list of “who hooked up with who/m” is posted every Monday.
Theme parties and dress up
Students are constantly looking for excuses to celebrate, and they have some experience in doing so. From St. Patrick to Noche de Muertos, Oktoberfest to New Year´s Eve, every special event requires a dress up, a special attitude and songs. Also, many parties are held related to sports events (normally, when this or that team has won). Always be prepared, and never turn up with the wrong dress up: you will lose all your cool points.
Pranks
Although student parties are all about respect, pranks are also played in certain situations. For examples, first graders or freshmen go through pranks organized by the older students as a preparation of what is to come. In other cases, is the organizers that go through tests to make sure they can withstand the stress and responsibility.
Games
Leisure is also structured through various games to keep no one bored. These have also evolved over time: Pool and ping pong soon gave way to Beer-Pong and Challenges. Truth or dare (a rather old game by now) gave way to “Never have I ever”. And some card or dice game might still be played, but with the internet world, challenges have become more popular. Be aware that some of these challenges can be dangerous: always be rational and never be the first one trying something!
Wondering if you can survive university parties? Read on…
University parties will require preparation and training, but it is also O.K. to be a bit of a noob in first year: you will gain experience and, as much as you will become a professional after studying in uni, you will also excel in parties by that time. Just remember these basic No-nos:
- Never drink more than you know you can´t handle. A friend was duct taped to a pole once because he couldn´t stand still after drinking… And there he was left until next morning!
- Never ignore the Student Association’s Rules, like “never turn your back to the bartender, or never drink alone”. You will find that they all have a practical or social meaning.
- Long live Rock n´ Roll… but do not destroy property.
- Never drink and drive. You might have your keys removed by the bartender! One of our friends was taken home in a shopping cart because he couldn´t even stand.
- Do not steal drinks from people: it is very not nice.
- Do not drink alone, do not sing alone!
Finally, let´s close this blog with some anecdotes to remember. Check out our Recommended Online Open Days to study abroad and be able to attend these crazy parties. And check out our other blogs on how to survive university (parties, exams, classes…).
Party Stories
- First graders have a private party and ask to close one of the floors of the pub. However, the waiter had to go up and down and cannot attend the bar the whole time and relies on the security cameras. One of the students realizes that there is a dead angle and that he can steal a bottle from behind the bar and drink for free, but when he tries to jump over the bar, being tipsy and nervous, he falls and faints on impact. When the bartender finds him asleep inside the bar, he carries him outside. He wakes up outside the back entrance with no coat and no way back in.
- The last bar of the village is closed but the third-year students are not done, and they are very hungry. It is 5 am and nothing is open. No gas station or 24h place to buy food. But they realize that the train has a cafeteria service, and there is one leaving the train in half an hour. So they buy tickets and wait for the half an hour until they can get in the train and rush to the cafeteria wagon. Then they buy literally everything, and when they arrive at the next village and get down, they realize they do not have enough money to buy the tickets back. They just sit there in the station, still tipsy, and with one of them playing a piano that was sitting there in the middle of the train station.
