Parties...?

[Ekonk]

I like parties, I go to parties, but the last time I went to one must have been a month ago or something? Sadly I missed one recently because I had some family dinner.

Jesus Christ, you guys aren't exactly social animals are you? I can get along with most strangers just fine. This wasn't always the case, but I've been forced to develop this skill and it's pretty awesome now. Talking to strangers can be tremendous fun.

 

[Reagus]

When you say parties, do you mean "Go round someones house who's having a party" or do you mean "Going out with group of people, mostly friends of friends, and party around town"?

The former i detest because I find it uncomfortable for the most part, and the latter I do do, but only when friends coerce me into doing so.

I prefer to either drink alone at home listening to awesome music and watching funny videos, or to go out with my best friend to the local pub and have a few drinks and chat about general humourous topics, which I usually do the night of a game midnight release.

 

[Auron225]

Na'h, I dont really like parties. I can see why other people would - it makes a lot of sense in theory to have about 50 'friends' (more like aqaintances really) around at once and get pissed if you like that too - but,

1. I dont drink - and have little respect for those who enjoy getting drunk, and
2. Like what a lot of people have said so far - I'd rather be with a few close friends than a lot of people I barely know.

I dont get invited much anyhow so it doesnt bother me at all =)

 

[SaunaKalja]

The OP pretty much summarized my thoughts and experiences with parties.

I went to like two parties in high school and it was just about drinking beer and shouting, just as I expected back then and I didn't like it. When I started in the university, I thought it'd be better than that, but no. The first evening and the first party, drinking beer, shouting and being an idiot. Well I was certain it'd get better after that, but no. Second day, a pub crawl, drinking beer and being loud. Okay, third day, maybe I could get to actually know someone already so that they'd remember it the next day. No, drinking beer and booze, and making lots of noise.

I had 'legitimate' reasons for not going on the fourth day and when the fifth day was going to be more of the same I decided not to go at all after that. For some time after that I felt guilty for not taking part in these activities, but that feeling faded in the few weeks to come.

 

[Ekonk]

Jesus Christ, you guys aren't exactly social animals are you? I can get along with most strangers just fine. This wasn't always the case, but I've been forced to develop this skill and it's pretty awesome now. Talking to strangers can be tremendous fun.

When you creep people out as much as I tend to, talking to strangers is not fun.

At all.

You poor thing! How do you go about creeping them out, if I may ask?

 

[Auron225]

One thing I just remembered which I must add! Some people say "Oh you only live once", "You'll regret it if you don't", "Live life", yadda yadda yadda,

What the hell kinda life is that exactly!? You want to look back on your life and see nothing but you getting pissed every weekend? Are you freaking kidding me? Hell, I'll take almost anything over that! That is far from what I would call time/life well spent!!

 

[ZeroDotZero]

Last party I went to, there were lots of crying people. There was only one person who I didn't know, but I was blind drunk and apparently got on with him a lot. I ended up bumming off this girl all night, who is just a friend now and before that night, whilst two friends engaged in almost sexual activities upstairs.

I love parties, by the way.

 

[DustyDrB]

I've met some great friends at parties and had a bunch of crazy nights to remember. I'm a shy guy by nature but can will myself to enjoy parties. You just have to make yourself try whatever people are into there and you may find yourself learning something new and enjoying it. I don't always drink, either. Not because I'm against alcohol or anything, I just tend to like more high-end stuff and not the "Bud Nasties" (as I call them). It's not even necessarily impersonal. People are generally so relaxed you can start up a conversation with anyone and end up having any sort of random discussion.

You don't have to drink at parties. People aren't going to have a problem with you drinking. If they act like they have a problem with you, it's probably because you're acting sketchy. Damn people, you think everytime anyone has alcohol they have to get drunk? Grow up.

*of note: I'm 23, and the parties I go to are generally with other college graduates or current college students. I can see how high school parties would suck, but I never went to any then because I'm from a small ass country town and don't share much in common with most of the rednecks there.

 

[ZakCanard]

Dude, your uni peers obviously like you enough to include you in their social groups. Just go with the flow, attend the parties, let your guard down just enough to have a good time and enjoy the ride. I wish I'd done that when it was me in that boat going on for 10 years+ ago. Hindsight's a pain in the rear believe me.

 

[Reagus]

One thing I just remembered which I must add! Some people say "Oh you only live once", "You'll regret it if you don't", "Live life", yadda yadda yadda,

What the hell kinda life is that exactly!? You want to look back on your life and see nothing but you getting pissed every weekend? Are you freaking kidding me? Hell, I'll take almost anything over that! That is far from what I would call time/life well spent!!

Probably preferable to majority who will look back and think "Man that was boring" after they have spent 70% of their lives stuck in a dead end job they hate where the only release was probably getting drunk and forgetting all about it.

But I know what you mean in a way that you could be enjoying life by bettering yourself and making others feel happy and making an impact on others lives in a positive way.

I ended up bumming off this girl all night, who is just a friend now and before that night

Errr "Bumming off"? Elaborate

 

[Mistermixmaster]

Last party? hmm... Think it was one meant to bring the Radiography students at my University closer together. Pretty boring as I didn't know anyone by then, I'm not really a party person, and I don't drink anything I haven't bought myself/gotten from someone I consider a close friend (which is about five or so of my friends). Also, I don't drink alcohol in public, only by myself (which a lot of people find wierd apparently).

I got nothing against parties, as long as my friends are there too. A party is supposed to be fun, right? And I find spending time with friends fun. (Oh, and then there's the whole social anxiety thing...)

 

[superbatranger]

I feel downright uncomfortable at parties. So many people, so much noise. Gah. I'd rather walk around with a few friends, or go to a concert with some people.

 

[senorfatso]

Errr "Bumming off"? Elaborate

British term, to ass-kiss/follow around and such like.

 

[Reagus]

Errr "Bumming off"? Elaborate

British term, to ass-kiss/follow around and such like.

I'm British. Bumming off is a British term? Perhaps I need to go to more parties....

Actually i'll ask workmates and customers tomorrow if they know what bumming off means, and just hope they don't think i'm making a pass at them

EDIT: How old is everyone? I would find it interesting to know if people who are older find parties more enjoyable than those who are younger. Btw i'm 22

 

[RabbidKuriboh]

I really despise parties for a number of reasons:
1 i hate alcohol and drunk people(bad family experiences)
2 if i'm in a crowd bigger than 6 or 7 i pretty much retreat and don't speak unless spoken to
3 how a party is even 'fun' seems bizarre to me
4 i really can't talk with strangers

and i know what people will say 'you should go to parties to increase your self-esteem and lighten up' despite the fact that most people are almost guranteed to do something they'll regret, me? i mostly regret going to the party in the first place

 

[Hobonicus]

What it really comes down to is that I'm guessing most users on The Escapist are introverts. For an introvert, missing parties and avoiding strangers are not things they will regret later in life. You can say that they'll look back on life and regret all the "fun" they never had, but really those types of loud parties are specifically not fun experiences for some people. It's not an issue of "Oh they're just too shy to try" or "They'd like it if they got used to the experience", it's that gregarious behavior can be exhausting for introverts.

Parties not intrinsically enjoyable for everyone, that notion is just carried by the louder majority of extroverts that dominate modern society.

 

[Kris015]

Yeah i do. Actually i was at a party last night. That's also usually how i meet new people and make new friends since it's much easier to talk people.

 

[supermariner]

i love parties
they are just the best place to meet people and are a one-time licence to do stupid shit and all will be agreed to be forgotten in the morning
it's a shame all my close friends have birthdays around the same time
it kinda means that all the parties are bunched together and round about christmas til May is a party free zone

although one thing is necessary to have a good party experience
MAKE SURE YOU NEVER HOST ONE
then you don't have to worry about either your own behaviour or to look after the venue

 

[Hoodsie]

I atuly signed up to post this.

Party's are great, hell im a geek but in real life i'm not, so when i was in mid teens i was going to more cooler parties with college students then most people ever will, and i love them, it's funny, you get pissed, forget about the daily crap of normal life.
I've been to good and bad and tbh they're all gd

It's not a thing that only the thick popular people do or anything like that, because i reguard myself as intelligent, but yet i cans still go to those things because i'm also inteligent enough to work out of to socially win (persay)

And it's a shame you missed fresher's week party's, it's meant to be one of the best weeks of a student's life :0

 

[Plastic Muscles]

I don't go to parties any more because of the people that go to them, for everyone of my friends that go there is always at least two people I don't like going as well. Things get awkward fast, so I decided to stop going, apart from the odd small one where it is just a few friends.

But when I go to Uni (and hopefully move to Canada) I will start going out to parties more as it can be a really good way to get to know people.