House Parties Vs. Clubs
Ah, turning 21. There’s just no feeling like it. The excitement, the commotion… the alcohol.
You’ve been waiting for years to venture out of house parties and into the party clubbing scene. You’ve invited everyone over for pre-drinks and you’re all chugging down in preparation for a wild night. You’ve got your mind set on going out clubbing and now, you’re ready to make your way into the city for an evening of overpriced drinks and sweaty dancing. You’re having the best night of your life, but before you know it, 4 am rolls around and you stagger out of the club, grab a bite to eat, and take a blurry uber ride home. Thus meaning, you have successfully completed your first big night out. Hooray!
To many people out there, clubbing is very much like a McDonalds Happy Meal – it’s absolutely great occasionally, but when you’re a college student and you live on it, you eventually come to realize that there are many other options that could potentially be a lot better.
People find that by the time they reach their mid 20’s, it’s just not the same. There’s a huge reduction in mojo’s, and they come to crave going to a house party, ultimately finding themselves begging for house parties to worm their way back in.
Not everybody feels like this though! A lot of people around love going out clubbing, actually, they so much as live for it. And why wouldn’t they? Clubbing is exciting! It’s a way to meet new people, it’s a way to get absolutely wasted and be around hundreds of other people who are on your level, and it’s a way to dress to impress, let loose, and dance the night away with your favorite people to your favorite songs.
Still confused about what’s better? Well, so are we. Why don’t we find out which one is king together with some fun comparisons, some of the best partying tips around, and see which scores the most points? Coming up – house parties vs. clubs!
Round 1 – The Host:
The House Party: First up, we have the host. So you’re all glammed up and you’re going to a house party that you just heard about from your friends, sisters, brothers, nephews girlfriend. More often than not, it can be a tiny bit awkward when you first walk through the door. If you don’t know the host on a personal level, you may be feeling a bit anxious beforehand, and when you walk in, you’ll feel like all eyes are on you which makes it just so much worse. On top of that, the host can be pretty hard to locate if you don’t know them that well, or if they’re just too busy mixing and mingling with other party-goers.
The Club: At a club, however, if you have the cash, you have the pass. You’re always welcome! Your bartender is the host for the night, and you’ll always know where to find them. What’s more? Their hosting skills are out of this world! Always readily available to open up that liquor cabinet and provide you with some sweet firewater to get you through your night.
1 point goes to: The Club
Round 2 – The Cost:
The House Party: When you think about it, going to a house party is super cheap! A house parties costs can be split into two categories: the cost of the alcoholic beverage you bring yourself, or $5 a cup inside the party itself. Either way, it’s not going to leave a hole in your wallet. How much you pay also really depends on the size of the party. If it’s just a get together with a few friends then the cost isn’t likely to be an issue, however, if it’s a big soiree, then you might have to fork out a little more than initially intended, especially if you’re close friends with the host.
The Club: Going out clubbing on the other hand may be a teeny tiny bit more expensive. And by teeny tiny, we mean a hell of a lot more expensive. That is of course unless it’s a club for college students and they’re offering some sort of special offer. In general, though, two or three drinks when you’re party clubbing is likely to cost you more than a whole bottle at a liquor store. Besides, when you’re drunk, you’re always going to spend more than intended anyway. Two drinks magically turn into three, four, or five. We know the feeling! You can try to say no to vodka, but it’s 40% stronger than you!
1 point goes to: The House Party
Round 3 – The Security:
The House Party: Partying 101 states that house parties should usually be filled to the brim with people. So, what happens when you can’t find your coat, your phone, or the bag that you came with? A good host will make sure that all of this stuff is locked away in one room that nobody can access. But, let’s face it, it’s still not good enough. On top of that, what happens if a drunk fight breaks out between jealous girlfriends or drunk boys with way too much testosterone? No house party security will ever be as good as professional security at a bar. No matter how many drunk guys automatically assume they can serve as bouncers if trouble was to erupt.
The Club: Just as house parties are usually filled to the brim with people, clubs have twice the people, but twice the security. When going out clubbing, you’ll find that many clubs have coat checks so you’re able to leave whatever items necessary with the person at the door, and if a fight does break out, you better believe the security will be on it.
1 point goes to: The Club
Round 4 – The Activities
The House Party: An extremely vital rule in the partying 101 rulebook, any house party that is even relatively decent HAS to have some sort of drinking game, and in every room! From beer pong in the basement to Edward 40 hands in the living room, It’s actually an insult to us if there aren’t. You have so many options when it comes to entertainment and getting to know new people through laughter and fun, so why not make use of drinking games? If you’re looking for ideas, make sure to check out our list of drinking games, directly from the experts.
The Club: Party clubbing usually only consists of no more than two types of activities: the drinking, and the dancing. No room for drinking games, and no room for social interaction. But, definitely more room to show off your slick dance moves!
1 point goes to: The House Party
Round 5 – The Potential
The House Party: House parties really do have so much potential. They’re the perfect opportunity to have fun with your friends and get involved in complete craziness. You’re able to throw yourself into some of the weirdest drunk conversations with relative strangers, if you’re the one hosting you can lap up all of the attention, and once the cleaning is all over the next day, you’re able to enjoy the smugness of attending, or having thrown the best freaking house party your friends have ever seen!
The Club: If you and your friends are out on the prowl and are looking to find some fresh meat, going to a club is probably your best bet. Club’s also really do have so much potential for fun, and there’s never the same guestlist twice which means even if you’re not looking for ‘a bit of fun’, it’s still a great way to meet new people.
1 point goes to: Draw? I guess both house parties and clubs equally have the same potential. If you disagree, nobody cares! It’s my article.
Round 6 – The Bathroom
The House Party: When going to a house party you’ll most likely find that the bathroom will probably have a line, just like clubs do. The only difference is, you’re unlikely to find girls crying in the toilet, five girls going together as if it’s some sort of adventure, and chances are, the host probably (or hopefully) tidied up the bathroom before the party began. We like to assume that during house parties, people have enough respect for the owner of the house to not pee all over the seat. Another thing is, you’re always able to head to the woods in a residential neighborhood if you’re just unable to hold it in anymore. You don’t want to try and do this in the parking lot of a club or behind a car, trust me, it could allow you to encounter some problems.
The Club: Ahh, club bathrooms. A place I wouldn’t wish on even my worst enemies. The mess, the line, the utter shame of it all. As soon as the clock hits 1am, you’ll walk out of the bathroom probably in need of a Tetanus shot. Want the ultimate partying tip? Don’t use them!
1 point goes to: The House Party
Round 7 – The Crowd
The House Party: We don’t want to be mean, but if a party peaks at 10 guests, it’s definitely got no chance of going down in history as Party of the Year. DrinkUp’s partying 101 rulebook states that the crowd at a house party creates the whole atmosphere. Actually, the crowd of the RIGHT people does. Depending on what type of people show up at the house party, you might find that they cause more commotion rather than create a fun and inviting vibe. On the other hand though, more people = more opportunities for fun. And, more options for drinking games to play! When it comes to house parties, you have the freedom to roam, choose the basement, wander upstairs, if that’s too crowded, go to the porch or the backyard. There’s plenty of variety to choose from.
The Club: If you’re the type of person that enjoys going party clubbing, you’re likely to find that it’s usually so crammed up to the point that you feel like you’re in a tin of sardines. You’re not even able to lift your glass without elbowing a complete stranger. This can eventually lead up to the night being ruined. On the other hand though, if a club is empty, where’s the fun? It’s hard to find the right amount of people to club ratio, but when done it can lead to an amazing experience.
1 point goes to: Due to the lack of sweaty people rubbing up against you, and the variety involved, the house party wins this one by a mile!
So, Who’s the Winner?
House parties win 5-3! But really, do you care? You’re surely not going to listen to a bunch of alcoholic geniuses who came up with a drinking game application for people to specifically use at house parties, right? This article isn’t rigged at all!
Seriously though, we believe that laughing makes everything easier, funnier, and in general, just makes you happier; especially when done with your best friends and the people you love. It really doesn’t matter where you are, and, at the end of the day, it’s each to their own. If you go to house parties too much, you’re going to get bored. It works vice versa if you go clubbing too much. Spread out your time wisely, with the right people, and you’ll end up realizing that you enjoy one just as much as the other.
You can have fun and make memories wherever you go. Just make sure that you drink responsibly. And, by ‘drink responsibly’, no we don’t mean just ‘don’t tip your drink over’. We mean that moderation is the key to everything in life, and it’s honestly the way forward. Too much of one thing isn’t good for anybody, and overconsumption of alcohol can lead to serious medical issues. And with that, we leave you with our ultimate partying tip.
On that boring note, go ahead and take your pick in order for your next night out to be your best! You’re only young once, so why not make it count?