Imagine a completely dry party thrown by a group of approximately ten guys who are also roommates. Sounds lame, right? Well now add in a DJ, sculptures standing over two-stories tall, strobe lights and 300-500 of your soon to be closest friends. If you go to UGA, you might know where I'm going with this, but if you do not, then you are in for a treat.

Coming to UGA, everybody back home was wondering how I would keep up at a school known for its frat parties and the excessive number of bars downtown (80 to be exact) – at times even I did. The one thing I did not discover until I stepped foot on campus was Phi Sigma Lambda – more commonly known as Phi Slam. What exactly is this you may ask? Well, a group of guys who put on parties 1-2 times per month in addition to weekly swing dancing events. After typing that sentence I realized just how foolish I sound, yet have grown to know that my experience this past semester would not be the same without Phi Slam.

My favorite Friday nights have been spent with this group and their followers, meeting new people and catching up with the weekly regulars. It shows students that you can have a fun time without any alcohol, simply enjoying the company around oneself. Now I am certainly not an abolitionist but have met some of my closest friends at Phi Slam events. All of my fellow Phi Slammers love to party without a red solo cup in their hand – something I find not only amazing but admirable.

To set the record straight, I do not love Phi Slam solely due to their abstaining of alcohol. I love Phi Slam because of the people and outlook they have on life. These people are carefree, sociable and overall genuine students. Making friends is difficult; however, once you attend a single event hosted by Phi Slam, your social circle is destined to expand.

What Phi Slam has given to UGA is far more than a few successful parties. The group has given students an activity to do on their weekends. The group has given students an outlet to express themselves. The group has given students a home where they feel welcomed and wanted. The group has given students so much, yet does not get enough credit.

When people are talking about Phi Slam the first thing that comes to mind is a dry party, not just a party. Still, for the people who attend the events, we know just how much Phi Slam means for students. For me, from the moment I stepped into my first Phi Slam party and swing dance, I knew that Phi Slam was so much more than a group of guys who put on alcohol-free parties. At UGA, students may feel pressured to drink at times, but the only thing that students are pressured to do at Phi Slam is to have fun – and once you step into one of their events, the fun comes naturally.

To learn more about Phi Slam at UGA go to phislam.com or follow them on Instagram @phislamuga.