20 Things NOT To Do At Your First College Party

Freshman year of college can be scary sometimes, and one of the most terrifying yet exciting things is the parties. So many questions ran through my head last year, like “What do I wear? Who’s gonna be there? How drunk do I really need to get?” So now I’m here to help YOU, with 20 things NOT to do at your first college party.

1. Don’t wear anything you care deeply about.

By this, I mean don’t wear that brand new white crop top you got a week before the semester started because it will be gross. Between spilled drinks, sweat and potential vomit anything your wear will need to be washed the next day, so go for cheap crop tops that are easily replaceable. Don’t be the girl who shows up to her first college party dressed to the nines, looking like an idiot.

2. Don’t wear sandals.

Sure, they look good with jeans and a cute shirt, but as mentioned above, random liquids will end up between your toes and I promise you people will step on your feet. My going out shoes consist of Converse and combat boots; they protect my little piggies and match with everything!

3. Don’t leave your friends.

The struggle of one friend wanting to leave before all the others is real, but don’t do it! Walking around alone at night isn’t the safest, and mix that with six beers and that’s a recipe for disaster. If your friend wants to leave, go with her and if you want to leave, your friends need to come with you.

4. Don’t be that girl who is taking videos of the party from start to finish.

Personally, I’m not a fan of taking tons of pictures when I go out, but if you and your girlfriends absolutely need to document this night then so be, but please do most picture taking during the pregame! Nobody wants to be near the girl who constantly has her flash on, but once or twice is okay for throwback songs or pictures with cute boys.

5. Don’t be sloppy.

Ladies, respect yourself and the well-being of everyone else at the party. Pretty much don’t go knocking into every single body around you and spilling your drink everywhere. A red flag for sloppiness is also making out with anyone who looks at you.

6. Don’t drink too much.

Everyone slips up occasionally, and you probably will at your first college party. And that’s okay! Just don’t make “occasionally” every single weekend. Know your limit and stick to it. Remember people, alcohol is a drug and too much of it too often can cause serious damage physically, mentally and socially.

7. Don’t show up with a huge crowd.

Yes, we know you freshmen like to stick together, but I can guarantee that not only will you and your 15 friends not get into the party, your large group will draw the cops to the party. Cops aren’t stupid and know that a huge group of young adults aren’t wearing crop tops in 20-degree weather to have a chill night at a friend’s place. You will lead them right to the party with tons of underage college kids inside, so keep groups to five people or less. The hosts will appreciate it.

8. Don’t bring drugs (only alcohol).

Almost all parties are BYOB, so don’t ruin a good thing by bringing weed or any other drug of choice. The hosts won’t be happy and nobody wants to have to be in a smoke-filled room all night when it’s already gross enough in there.

9. Don’t try to sneak in.

Come on, that would just be stupid and so not worth it. If you didn’t get in, there’s a reason for it. It might be capped, invite only, or maybe they just don’t feel like letting you in. Whatever the case, don’t sweat it, it’s not the end of the world and there’s always more than one party happening, so go find another one.

10. Don’t drink anything except what you brought.

Unfortunately, some people are terrible, and sometimes might try to slip you something in a drink. This is even more likely if they catch wind of this being your first college party. Although you might think it’s silly to not take a free drink, who knows what’s in that, so simply decline and drink what you have. Also, it’s a bad idea to take an unfinished drink from a table or whatever and start drinking it. People like to get lit different ways, so you could be taking a risk that you really don’t want to take.

11. Don’t go sober.

Oh my god, nothing is worse than going to a college party sober. Everybody will piss you off and no doubt, you will have a terrible time. If you don’t feel like getting drunk, then maybe stay in and eat cookies and watch movies, or go to a friend’s dorm to relax and hang out rather than party.

12. Don’t go to a stranger’s party.

Well, let me rephrase, at least know the name of the person(s) who owns the house. You will get asked, “Who do you know here?” and you will need to get it right to get in. It wouldn’t hurt to maybe say hey to them either, so they recognize you when you show up in the future and they won’t even need to ask you who you know (which makes you feel pretty good, not gonna lie).

13. Don’t pick fights.

I’m begging you, don’t start fights at parties. Not only are they annoying as hell, they could be dangerous. People throwing punches and kicks in a crowded, small room equals disaster, so let’s all keep the peace and party freely.

14. Don’t steal.

This one is actually harder than it seems, especially when there’s perfectly good air freshener in the bathroom that you desperately need for your own bathroom. But, try to fight the urge because if the hosts find out or see you, you will probably be banned from their parties.

15. Don’t go overboard with themed outfits.

Not including mixers (frat and sorority parties), if there’s a themed party, you really don’t need to dress up at all. But if you do, something simple will do because odds are, the party will get shut down and then where are you supposed to go in your coconut bra and grass skirt? Keep it simple so if you go to another party, you don’t look like a sore thumb.

16. Don’t be anti-social.

Parties are all about having fun and meeting new people, so don’t be shy! It’s totally not weird to start conversations or dance with people you haven’t met, it’s like an unspoken rule of college parties. Put yourself out there because chances are, you’ll meet some pretty cool people at parties.

17. Don’t bring anything unnecessary.

This seems simple enough but sometimes people don’t see the obvious the first time around. Instead of bringing your entire wallet, just stick your school ID and some cash in your pocket. That plus a few beers in your small purse or a mixed drink in a Starbucks cup will be fine, I promise you.

18. Don’t drink the punch.

This should sound familiar to you, considering every adult on the planet has probably told you this already. But this is very important to remember for your first college party. On the rare occasion the party is not BYOB, refer to number 10 for reasoning.

19. Don’t go without a jacket.

This obviously isn’t an issue when it’s warm out, but when it’s frigid outside, don’t bail on your jacket! People can and have gotten seriously sick from walking to parties in summer clothes, so think ahead! Most hosts will leave a room or closet for coats and 9 out of 10 times they are all perfectly fine, but maybe don’t wear your biggest, most expensive coat. If you really don’t have one you would want to risk losing, take a cab to the party!

20. Don’t force yourself to go to parties.

Hey, this isn’t for everyone, and that’s totally fine! If you absolutely hate your first college party, try other things during the weekend. Just because you don’t go to parties doesn’t mean anything and I promise, there are other fun things to do Friday and Saturday nights.

*If you or anyone you know struggles with substance abuse or mental illness, call 1-800-821-HELP or visit the campus health center*