Tips For A Great Night Out

Everyone is excited to get to college, and for some of you this means a whole new level of freedom. While freedom is pretty much the best thing ever invented, learning how to manage it and maximize all of its benefits without letting it turn you into a hot freshman mess is as important as any midterm or research paper. I’m of course speaking of a big night out.

Brushing their teeth with a bottle of jack turned out to be a bad idea

Maybe you already have all of this figured out, if so I say cheers to you! Though if you have found yourself waking up in strange places, wearing other peoples clothes, or have half of your dormitory is suddenly calling you Ke$ha, I have a few tips for you. I can assure you one of the most important parts of growing up is learning how to have a good night out. Many factors obviously contribute to this, but there are some simple steps to take so that your night has the best chance of going according to plan.

Don't Ride Dirty

First, make a conscious effort to leave all illegal party favors at home. If you are underage, don’t travel with alcohol or drugs. Avoid hefty fines, jail time, and that awkward call home explaining to your dad why you can't follow in his footsteps with a career in criminal justice by following this simple but often overlooked tip. This way if you or someone in your group find themselves face to face with the police, you don’t have to worry about anything else than the matter at hand.

"I swear officer, I don't know where that 8-ball came from!"

Know How You'll Go

Try to have a ride set up. Does everyone have their student ID’s? Many Colleges offer a discounted or free transit pass to it’s students. Also, make sure you know what bus or train routes to take, and how long they run. Nothing says "awesome Friday night!" like shivering at a lonely bus stop, only to find out the route stops running at midnight. Does your college offer a discounted taxi sticker? You can usually get this from the student government office.

"Wait! Ladies only drink free till midnight!"

We Have The Technology 

Try out one of the many apps available that help you keep track of your alcohol consumption. I personally use Alchodroid, For iphone users there is DrinkTracker. Ladies! Another more low-tech marvel of our society are foldable shoes that you can keep in your purse. This way, if you do miss the bus you won’t have to donkey clomp 11 blocks in your fly clubbin' heels.

Hopefully this doesn't match your GPA

Obviously, the best way to make sure nothing in your night goes horribly wrong is to consume all substances with moderation in mind. Lame, I know, but it's better than waking up in jail or the ally behind a drag-queen bar.

Enjoy your night out! Just remember it's up to you to keep yourself safe. Never go anywhere or do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Peer-pressure is overrated, and nobody knows what's better for you than you. 

Make sure you leave room for the unknown or the unseen, but try not to follow too stringent of a plan, it can really stress out your fellow partiers, and ruin your night out before you even leave.

Stay safe, and happy partying!