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How to Throw a Great Party |
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Written by the CollegeCodex.com Staff
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One of the easiest ways to raise a bit of money in college is through
the time-tested business plan of holding a party. Acquaintances adore
parties for a convenient way to escape sobriety, all on a tight budget.
Your landlord or roommates may not see eye-to-eye about the matter of loud noise at night and the possibility of damage. Fortunately for the courageous hosts, white duct tape does wonders to cover the gashes your house or apartment may endure. And honestly, what's better than a weekend worth of parties to pay your rent for the month?
This guide on CollegeCodex.com features some tips to maximizing the profit of your parties.
Finding Appropriate Space
Most of the time, apartments are not the optimal environments for large gatherings of people. Places with large rooms, public access to at least two bathrooms, an outdoor deck or balcony for the convenience of smokers, and a quiet area for people to take cell phone calls work the best. In the colder months, consider designating a place for people to leave their coats, such as the bed in a bedroom or laundry rack.
You may also consider setting up a flippy-cup or beer pong table. These tables should not be positioned in the center of the main room, but more off to the side. Participants and spectators will hover in a secluded area while socialites will be free to mingle with ease.
Maintain a regular schedule
Keep your marketing process simple: if you hold a party every Thursday, people will make an appearance without necessarily being told there is a party. Holding a party on a Friday or Saturday may cause you to lose the crowd of people that visit bars, unless you want to hold an after-hours party. Thursday is an optimal night for a party, and even Wednesday may occasionally work as well. The worst nights? Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Pick a day and stick with it.
Price Accordingly
Prices vary depending on the type of drinks served and the day of the week. On weekends with options like beer and perhaps a sugary drink like Jungle Juice, you can charge five dollars per cup. During the week, especially if options are limited to a keg, consider charging three dollars per cup.
Parties with plenty of female guests tend to attract more attendees. Consider charging one to two dollars less per cup for females. It's common for hosts to say, "Cups are $5 for guys and $3 for girls".
The cups provided by the host should be unique enough that guests cannot bring a used cup from a previous party to avoid paying. College parties are littered with the iconic red Solo cups we see at big box stores. Try going with a different color and type of cup. Try changing the type of cup every week. Have cups used for drinking games like flippy cup or beer pong be a different color than the cups that are sold to guests. Hosts use this technique to keep people from inadvertently (or inadvertently; most people are intoxicated) walking away from the table with a cup and drinking for free.
Keeping it fresh and unique
Another way to guaranteeing a large crowd (besides scheduling your parties the same day every week) is to offer something different. Recruit friends with DJ turntables. Change the music selection. Have different themes. In fact, CollegeCodex.com has entire guides dedicated to college party themes. Keep your party from being anything but expected.
Prepare the bathrooms
Put away your toothbrushes and anything else you'd rather not have people touching. Make sure you have plenty of toilet paper and hand soap on hand.
Dealing With the Authorities
Throwing parties may sometimes get too loud. This problem causes your neighbors to call the cops. And when they show up, you have a problem, especially if you were greedy enough to sell cups to people who are under the age of 21. Throwing a party means you run the risk of being caught by authorities, whether cops or your landlord.
To avoid some situations, don't throw a party during Homecoming weekend, or any other weekend when cops may be particularly interested in busting parties. If you go to school in a college town where cops are use to seeing college parties, they may give you a warning the first time. Just be careful.
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