How to Organize a Great Student Party

So, you want to throw a party. A great party for the student crowd can be fun, memorable, and a great way for you and your fellow students to bond with one another. Unfortunately there are a few risks you face if you decide to throw a party. These risks include potential safety issues, boredom, and guests who don’t feel welcome. As host, it is your job to plan your party, and ensure that all of your guests have a good time. If you aren’t sure how to make that happen, follow these steps to college party success.

It may seem as if a them or planned activity is more appropriate for a child’s birthday party than a college party, but having a theme can really help your party take off. A theme or activity gives people something to do, and it gives them a reason to interact with one another. Remember that your theme or activity can be one that is suited for the 18 and older crowd, and it doesn’t have to something that you stick to the whole night. If you aren’t sure of ideas, here are a few:

● Netflix Marathon

● Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament

● Cards Against Humanity Night

● Cosplay Ball

● Board or Video Games

● Dance Party

● Spa or Nightclub night

Remember that the worst thing that can happen is to have a bunch of people who have no idea what to say to one another. By having a theme or central activity, you create an instant ice breaker. You also make your party less attractive to people who just want to get drunk and get rowdy.

Chance are, your party will go perfectly smoothly without any serious issues. However, you should take steps to make sure you have a plan in place to deal with anything that goes wrong. Think about how you will deal with things such as unwanted guests, underage drinking, fighting, or property damage.

Here are few steps that you can take to keep everybody safe:

● Have the number to the local police department or campus security on hand

● Check IDs and pass out wristbands

● Encourage every group to have a designated driver

● Enforce the guest list strictly

Don’t rely on word of mouth or social media to get the word out. First, if the word spreads too far, you will have more people than you can accommodate, unless you have plans to rent out a large space. You also risk hurting someone’s feelings if they do not receive an invitation, and they do not assume your open call includes them.

Think about what you would like to happen during your party. Do you picture EDM, lights, and lots of dancing in a dark open space? Maybe you’re thinking about a bonfire, lawn chairs, and some music piped through some speakers on a back porch. Your idea of a great college party might simply be some friends shooting pool in a basement and playing video games.

There is no wrong party to have. However, there are wrong venues. Remember to consider the size of your group and what you will be doing.

As host, you will want to make sure that your guests have access to snacks and nonalcoholic beverages. You do not need to offer a huge variety, and you do not need to provide large amounts of food drink. However, you should you provide food and drinks that accommodate a variety of dietary needs and preferences. You can accomplish this fairly easily by providing water, diet drinks, and full sugar beverages, and by providing a vegetable tray along with the standard chips and dips.

Parties are like conversations. They evolve on their own. Don’t worry if your Xbox live tournament turns into a group of interesting people having great conversations until early morning. Just focus on everybody having a good time, and go with the flow!

Think of logistics as the little things that you need to consider in order for everybody to have a good time. For example, have you considered where everybody will park? Do you have enough chairs for everybody? What if people need to sleep over? If you are having a party where people are bringing their own food, do you have enough outlets for crockpots and warmers? This is a lot to consider, but it is absolutely necessary to make sure that everything goes off as planned.

Planning ahead, will benefit everybody. Take these 7 steps into consideration, and you will be the host of a party that is both fun and memorable for your friends, and yourself.