College parties can range from crazy fraternity bashes to a low-key gatherings of friends. When you get your next invite to one, you can take steps to walk into the get together with all the cool of George Clooney.
Instructions
1. Make sure it's OK for you to show up. Just because a random girl shouted an invitation to everyone within earshot of the student center, doesn't mean the people throwing the party told her to. Ask around to see if anyone else is going and feel it out before showing up uninvited. If you've asked around and still aren't sure but have your heart set on going, come up with a Plan B just in case you get there and need to make a quick break.
2. Dress in theme, but only if everyone else is. If rumor has it that the party over on College and Main has a bikini theme in the middle of January, you might want to check your facts before showing up in next-to-nothing. You'll look positively uncool if everyone else is dressed normally.
3. Be yourself. Sure, it sounds cliched and vague, but it's still solid advice. If you don't normally smoke, don't use this opportunity to light up just to look cool. You won't. If you don't usually speak hip-hop, don't try passing yourself off as Kid Rock now.
4. Follow the rules. If a sign on a bedroom door says "Keep Out" then this is not the best spot for you and your new drunken soul mate to sneak off. The owner of that room is probably nearby and you can pretty much assume that the party will be over for you if he walks in to see a couple hooking up in his bedroom. Also, if you're underage and the host has posted signs that you must be 21 or over to drink, have the courtesy to respect that boundary.
5. Wait until someone invites you to drink before jumping in line at the keg or grabbing a can from the fridge. Toss this step if it's a huge party, and everyone else is doing it.
6. Respect house rules. This means your host the other residents of the party site can jump to the front of the keg line simply because they can.
7. Take it easy. You never want to be the out of control drunk at a party, any more than you want to be the one making out with someone who can barely stand.
Tags: everyone else, before showing, that party