Fraternity parties are an important piece of the college experience. And there’s no denying how much fun they are, but they can also get really crazy. For those of you who might be starting college in the fall, or maybe you’ve never been to a Frat party yet for other reasons, here are 10 things you should NEVER do at one of these parties…you’ll thank me in the end, trust me.
1. NEVER Take a Drink From Someone You Didn’t Watch Them Pour
This one should be pretty obvious, and yet a lot of newbies are totally unaware of this golden rule. You can’t trust everyone you meet at a Frat party, no matter how nice they may seem. Unfortunately, there have been hundreds of cases of people spiking drinks at parties with drugs like Rohypnol (or Roofies, as you probably know them) or other unsavory substances that could lead to incredibly dangerous situations. Even if this didn’t happen, pranksters have been known to add other unsavory things to people’s drinks as a joke, like spit, pee, or other worse concoctions you don’t even want to think about. Just pour your own drink, and keep it with you at all times.
2. NEVER Dip Your Whole Arm Into The Jungle Juice
If this one confuses you, then it’s obvious you have not been to a typical Fraternity event. Jungle Juice is the slang name for a mixture of whatever alcohol (typically vodka) and some sort of juice (fruit punch, kool-aid…basically, whatever’s cheap). Due to the large number of attendees at these parties, enormous quantities of Jungle Juice are served via trashcan, cooler, bucket, or other large container. No, I’m not kidding. Partygoers are expected to dip their cups into the trash can to fill their drink. Yes, it’s pretty disgusting to think about, but it’s even more disgusting when you witness that one drunk guy dipping his entire hairy forearm into the drink, instead of just his cup. Plaid button-up, fake Rolex, and all.
3. DON’T Start Fights
While this should be a general rule everywhere you go, starting a fight at a Frat party is an especially bad idea. Why, you ask? Because if you start a fight with one of the brothers of the house, you’d best believe that the rest of his brothers will come to his aid and you will be 100% outnumbered. In a Fraternity house, the brothers are in charge, so it’s best not to go picking any fights with any one of them if you can avoid it.
4. NEVER Steal Anything
This piggybacks right off of the last point. Definitely do not try and steal anything from the Fraternity House. This is especially important when it comes to items like plaques, paddles, trophies, letters, pictures, and all other Fraternity related items. You might not understand what they are, but anyone who has pledged a Fraternity knows how important these items are, and knows how hard they had to work to have them there. If you do steal something and you are caught, you will once again have an entire squad of brothers there to stop you, and probably to make you pay for what you’ve done.
5. DON’T Wear Your Favorite Outfit
This goes for guys and girls wanting to look their best to pick each other up at the party. I’m not saying don’t try to look hot, by all means, that’s kind of the point. However, it’s best to leave your favorite expensive button up or dress at home, because there is a very good chance of that article of clothing leaving the party a different color. There is no lack of spills, regurgitation, food fights, and other forms of flying messes at a Fraternity party. Expect to incur some material damage while your there.
6. DON’T Wear Open Shoes
If you think your clothes will get messed up, wait until you find out what will happen to your feet. The floor of a Fraternity basement is quite possibly the most disgusting surface on the planet. So many questionable, wet, brown, mysteries are on that floor, you wouldn’t even know where to begin. That’s why I recommend wearing closed-toed shoes that you don’t particularly care about. It will protect your feet from the nasty floor, from newer spills, and from getting stepped on constantly. If you must wear those heels with that outfit, you’re going to have to SCRUB your feet for a good while before getting into bed that night, I promise you.
7. NEVER Sit Down On The Toilet
This one is more for the girls, unless you are planning on a number 2 during the party, which I don’t recommend for other reasons (there is NEVER toilet paper…never). If you don’t have the proper equipment to take a standing pee, get ready for a leg workout because you will need to squat. You don’t want to even imagine what is on the surface of that toilet seat (although you can probably see it if you just look), and it’s not worth touching. Squat over the bowl, and don’t let your skin brush. Ever.
8. DON’T Lose Your Friends
It’s really difficult trying to keep track of a big group of people in a packed Frat party. Sometimes these things get so crowded that walking across the room can take 10 minutes after you’ve pushed away all the dancing, drinking, making-out people in your path. That being said, try your best to look after your friends and stay together. Sometimes bad things happen at these parties, and you don’t want to get stuck there all alone, nor would you want that for your friends. If you can, try and have a buddy to keep your eye on the whole time. Most likely you will have to hold hands to move together, but so be it. It’s better to stay safe.
9. DON’T Make Fun Of Fraternity Chants
If you’re at a Frat house, there’s a good chance that at some point during the night the brothers will start a drinking chant. While you might have the urge to laugh and mock the whole thing, keep it in your head. These chants are a symbol of their brotherhood, and they learn them from the beginning; they are very important. So, even if you can’t understand it, just let them do the chant, cheer with them if you wish, and move on. Because if they see you laughing at them, you can expect to be going home with a black eye or two.
10. NEVER Leave Your Jacket Or Bag On The Couch
Yes, it’s very cold outside, and yes you wanted to wear that skimpy outfit. But you should never take your coat and bag off and just leave them on the couch. Firstly, there’s a good chance they will get stolen. You don’t know everyone at these things, they are completely unruly. A purse or wallet just sitting on the couch unguarded makes for an excellent target for theft. Second, there’s an even better chance of someone spilling, puking, or ashing a cigarette onto your things. Unless you happen to know some of the brothers and they let you put your stuff in their room (which is still not a guarantee of safe-keeping), you should leave whatever you can at home. Yes, you’ll be freezing for a few minutes on the way, but you’ll start warming up as soon as you get that first beer. And your stuff will still be the same color!
