Of course you’re going to party in college. Anyone that tells you not to party in college is either a virgin or just wasn’t invited to any parties. Anyone that tells you to party and not do your work is a bad friend. I’m a great friend and I’m here to show you how to succeed in college while still having a blast.
I’ve been diving into entrepreneurship (you can too start a business with no money) and higher level subjects for the longest time. Today I wanted to take a few steps back and put the stud back in Studenomics. At the beginning of the year I wrote about how thousands of people partying in Cancun don’t care about economic issues facing this globe. Today I wanted to help you get to the point where you can go on trips after college.
I’m only 24, so I’m not your Uncle Richard reminiscing about how cool he was back in the 80s with his mullet.
How can you party like a rockstar in college without ruining your life?
Don’t fight.
A few days ago I was out with my girlfriend at the bar (always a fun time). She was dancing with her friends and having fun. I was laughing at the nervous and drunk dudes trying to make a move before getting turned down. As you can imagine, some drunk guys like to get confrontational. When you’re spending every single night alone, I see how you can get frustrated.
My advice is simple…
Don’t fight!
I have a lawyer friend who told me that the worst thing you can do is get into a fight. If you win, you go to jail. If you lose, you go to the hospital. Fighting is obviously hazardous to your health and can cost you thousands of dollars in medical/legal bills.
I understand that we all have aggression. Do what I do. Join an MMA-style gym and get it out of your system in a controlled environment.
Meet girls somewhere else.
You don’t have to go out to the clubs to meet girls. You don’t have to wait until they get drunk to introduce yourself. College is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself socially. Learn how to meet new people and approach others with confidence here. It will help you in your future carer and life overall. Don’t be afraid to join groups on campus and meet people there.
Drink before you get in.
Many years and beers ago, I wrote about the art of pre-drinking. As you can tell from the article, my writing style has changed a lot since then and my license now holds an older date. The one key factor that hasn’t changed is that I still believe in having a few drinks before you get in to save yourself some money.
The only caveat here is that you have a few drinks and don’t get inebriated to the point that you can’t even get in. That’s no fun.
Night clubs aren’t the only option.
A common college party idea is to hit the clubs. This makes sense. The clubs arrange everything and provide the space for a disaster of a great time. However, you don’t always have to hit clubs. You can benefit from other options. Other party options include:
- A backyard barbecue.
- House party.
- Other venues.
Get your work done.
Time to nag: do you homework!
Before you plan any college party ideas, get your work done. You’ll feel much better going out know that you finished that lingering assignment. Why would you want to think about that project due the next day while you’re out enjoying yourself?
Save some money.
I have no idea how I managed to graduate from college with money saved up in the bank. I always blogger about personal finance in college, so I’m guessing that’s what kept me focused. I recommend that everyone reading this do their best to save some money in college.
Now I know what you’re thinking. How can I save money when I have so many expenses?
I understand that. My advice here is simple: save $20 a week. That’s all. Get into the habit of putting $20 away and you’ll have over a grand in the bank every year of school. Not bad!
Completely everything you finish.
Get your stuff done. Partying is a privilege, not a right. You can use your free time in college to start a side business (check out my post on why college is the best time to start a business). You can find a part-time job to crush those student loans. I highly urge you to constantly start new things and then finish them. Don’t be a spectator while life passes you by.
That’s how you can survive partying in college without messing up your life. Get out there and enjoy yourself. I can’t stop you from doing stupid things. However, I can help you keep everything else on track while you get through college.
And of course, enjoy the parties in college.
I would also advise to know your limits. I was an RA to a freshman hall during my senior year and I saw a lot of kids who were great students and responsible people end up doing something completely stupid because they pushed themselves over the limit. This would either cost them money if they damaged something or get them in trouble if they were that stupid that there was no other choice for someone to bust them. I told them day one, it happens and if you’re smart about it, you’ll be fine.
Ouch. College can be the best thing for you. It can also ruin your life if you don’t get your work done and get caught doing stupid things.
“Anyone that tells you not to party in college is either a virgin or just wasn’t invited to any parties.” Umm, that was me! But the only time I grumbled about people partying is when I lived on a ground-floor dorm and I had loud, drunk students walking by my windows at 3am or, worse, knocking on my window asking me to open the emergency exit so they could by-pass security.
That could get pretty annoying man. You never drank in college?
Not that much. My first roommate and I didn’t get along well, and I wound up doing a roommate swap with someone who was getting kicked out of the wellness floor. And I just stuck around after that.