Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Like a Pro: UNH Party Scene

As promised I have returned to only encouraging underage drinking, partying and drugs... you know things that won't grab the attention of the conduct board... Also, I had this link sent to me by a reader and I think it is highly appropriate for today's post and the for the blog overall. It is the  nomination form for Playboy's Top Part Schools list (NSFW, derh). So, if you really want to piss off the UNH administration I highly encourage you all to nominate UNH. I think it would be a great "Fuck You" moment if UNH got a nomination because of how hard the administration, Greek Life and local police have been cracking down lately. So do your part and nominate UNH!  UNH is probably a long shot for that list, but don't forget just a few years ago we were ranked number 7 and then 11 on the Princeton Review's list.

Partying has always been a big part of UNH culture. Whether students just like to dance, drink or relax for a few hours, going out can be a nice way to relieve the stress of school, but it is important to know what you like. Everyone has a different taste in types of parties. Some people prefer huge “ragers” that are thrown by our university’s fine fraternities, and other people prefer a small social gathering of friends at the Gables. Therefore I believe it is unfair to rate one as better than the other; it is like saying what is better: rap or heavy metal? They are two different genres so it becomes difficult to compare them against one another. The easiest way to breakdown the UNH party scene is to discuss each type of party individually. So let’s begin with the most commonly stereotyped college party: a frat party.

Frat parties are very interesting and you can never be sure what to expect. There are always a lot of people and a lot to do, from dancing to playing beirut and other drinking games. Fraternities definitely have way more space than any other than other parties so it is easy to spread out and find something that you like. One bad thing about frat parties is that they can be tough to get into. Unless you are a half-naked girl, or you show up with four half-naked girls, you better know a few brothers or you are not getting in. Another disadvantage to a frat party is that brothers stick together so if you make one angry, by accident or not, you might want to clear out. Let’s face it, as bad as some stereotypes are, they all exist for a reason. It is also important to include that each frat is different with their parties. Some fraternities like to keep their parties pretty low key and limit attendees to friends, while others just want to have the rowdiest party ever.

Next up we have parties at campus-owned apartments: at UNH we have the Gables. Parties at the Gables usually tend to be quieter with most attendees being friends of the residents. That being said, parties at the Gables can also be pretty rowdy, but it really depends on the people who are hosting. Partying at the Gables can be a lot of fun, but quiet hours kick in at 1 a.m. so things usually have to wrap up a bit earlier than most other options.

Another type of party is the kind located at an off-campus house or apartment. Simply because they are off campus, you can usually expect a rowdier atmosphere. A party off campus is nice because they are usually in between the size of a frat party and something at the Gables. If you are hosting an off-campus party, make sure you are aware of the town’s noise policies because the last thing you want is a cop to shut it down early. That happened at a Halloween party I was at and it resulted in everyone walking a few miles back to campus because we all had to leave at once and couldn’t wait for safe rides or the designated drivers to make rounds.

When you are preparing to go out for the night, be sure you know and understand the conditions of the party. If it is a theme party dress up, you don’t want to be “that guy” who was too cool to gel your hair or pop your collar. Even worse, don’t be that guy who over does it. Another tip is to find out what type of room the party will be located; there is a big difference between a Gables’ living room and a dirty frat basement. It is probably a bad idea to wear white shoes to the latter.

If you plan drinking, it is always a good idea to bring your own alcohol. It is much safer to backpack it across campus than to be drinking out of a party bowl. Even if you are friends with the host, you never know what someone else might slip in it. Lastly, always plan a head of time on how to deal with police. Refusing a search does not give them probable cause. If you are the host, make sure nothing is visible from outside or through the front door. Never answer the door with alcohol in your hand, and always step outside and shut the door behind you. This will prevent an officer from seeing, or smelling, anything that could lead to a search. Many college arrests occur either because students do not know their rights or they fall for a cop’s tricky wording. Know your rights, and have fun out there.

Stay Classy, Not UMassy.

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