How To Throw A Sick Rager, Bro
Last weekend my friends threw me a party for my birthday. It was epic. Here's what I learned.
We're college students. Most of us have all gone out at some point. Besides that, most of us have probably also thrown our own party. It can be stressful. Do you have enough for everyone to eat? Do you have enough drinks? Do you have enough room for everyone? Is there good music? The list never ends. Here are things to keep in mind when you want to "throw a sick rager."
The location doesn't matter. You just need four walls.
I was originally stressed about the size of the tiny apartment my friends chose as the venue.
Music is essential.
A rager without music is just a tea party. The louder the music, the better. You want it to be so loud that people nearby come to the party just to see what's going on. We had three huge speakers and a DJ. You could hear it a block away. It was enough.
Alcohol is the fuel a rager burns on.
Accept ample quantities only. Everyone needs to be intoxicated. This is not a drill. Quantity over quality. Kegs of beer and bottles of cheap vodka will do. The moment you run out is the moment your rager dies. It is crucial to have more than enough alcohol.
Props.
This is often overlooked. Stupid glasses, water guns, beer bongs, banners for people to take pictures with, ice sculptures, a pool: all of these provide entertainment away from music and alcohol that partygoers can interact with. The most memorable parts of the party will come from interaction with the props.
Lights ... or the lack of
There are many other, smaller things that can add to the party experience. Lighting is one such thing. The less light the better, but no light is bad. If you can get black lights, those are ideal.
Designated potty areas
You also need at least one bathroom. The more bathrooms the better, as mid-party everyone's small bladders will hit them at once and the bathrooms will get crowded.
Fill to capacity
Invite everyone you want and tell them to invite everyone too. Send out the address as if its one of those forwarded texts from middle school. Send out the address like it holds the cure for cancer. Facebook pages are effective for spreading the word.
Party peak
When will the most people be there? When will it be craziest? Then, set the time of arrival 90 minutes before. If you expect it to really get going at 11:30, tell people the party starts at 10.
Make friends
Say hi to everyone you see. You need to make friends with everyone. These people need to feel comfortable getting loose at your party, and those good vibes will spread. Compliment everyone, introduce people to each other, and dance hard. Others will see you have an amazing time and will feel encouraged to do the same.
Relax.
If you've done the work of putting it together, there's really not a whole lot you have to do the night of except enjoy it. Focus on making sure others are comfortable and having a good time.
Designate someone to take pictures.
You'll notice how hard it is to remember to take pictures when you're so busy having a good time
In the end, you'll notice that no one cares about how small the venue is. Everyone will end up having fun and you'll have worried about every small thing for no reason.
Tara Shultz and Lauren Hernandez
Lauren Hernandez and Tara Shultz
Lauren Hernandez and Tara Shultz
Lauren Hernandez and Tara Shultz
Lauren Hernandez and Tara Shultz
Lauren Hernandez and Tara Shultz
Lauren Hernandez and Tara Shultz
