party, agyness deyn

To party

  • Know where you’re going and assess the situation; dress accordingly (seemingly straightforward, but not.) Six inch heels might not be the best choice for dancing the night away but could look cute for a lounge bar kind of atmosphere. It would also be useful to estimate your chances of drinking one too many Margaritas and tripping over those shoes…trust me on that one.
  • Coat-check before you run to the bar to make sure your valuables are safe.
  • Hydrate in between drinks. Be wary of sneaky cocktails whose sugary taste conceals the effectsof alcohol.
  • Stay classy ladies. If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, make sure it doesn’t ride up! Same with tops that could potentially slip down…
  • For winter: layers. For summer: keep a cardigan or thin jacket around.
  • If you are a smoker, please watch where you’re pointing your cigarette as you’re squeezing through the crowd; cigarette burns have ruined many a pair of tights, and their scars are not pretty either.
  • Sing as loud as you want, even if you can’t sing. If you don’t know the lyrics it might be OK to just dance instead ;)
  • For dancing on tables or chairs, get a group of friends to go for it for optimal fun.
  • If the place is so packed that you can barely move, it might be safer to stick to the sides (as opposed to the middle of the dancefloor) just in case. Call me paranoid, but if there’s a reason to run, I’ll be the first one out!

In your bag

  • Makeup/hand wipes for runny makeup.
  • Mascara & eyeliner to touch up; don’t bother with eyeshadow.
  • Mint gum for any lingering alcohol breath.
  • Flats to replace heels in case of unbearable pain.
  • Extra coins for the metro/bus so you don’t have to take your pass/card/ticket everywhere.
  • Cocolate just in case you get the munchies on your way home. Candy works too.

If you wait ’til the metro opens to go home

  • Keep a cardigan or sweater to wear over (of course there’s no need to worry about this in winter as you’ll have a coat to hide your party wear.)
  • Wear your flats and put your heels away.
  • Attend to your face; wipe away any runny makeup or get rid of it altogether with those makeup wipes.
  • More gum for alcohol breath.
  • Add a pair of sunglasses and tie your hair up.
  • In Spanish we have a saying that goes: He who goes to bed drunk has water for breakfast. Get ahead and buy a water bottle somewhere to drink on your way home.

Once you’re home

  • Take a shower and rinse out all the cigarette smell from your hair. I used to do this for a while but found it more annoying each time; if you can’t be bothered to shower, make sure you wash off all your makeup. Wash your face and brush your teeth.
  • Have some more water.
  • If you’re still tipsy from those Margaritas and your head is spinning, keep a foot flat on the floor as you sleep.

If your head is throbbing the morning after

  • Unfortunately there is no cure for hangovers, only ways to minimize their awful effects.
  • Don’t go to class/work, it will prove utterly useless.
  • Stay away from coffee; have a banana shake instead.
  • More water.
  • Don’t try to eat until your body is hungry.
  • Don’t go for fried goodies. Start with some bread, then move on to sugary foods to restore blood sugar.
  • Vegetable soup for lunch.
  • Painkillers will work for headaches, antacids for upset stomachs.
  • Read this.
  • Don’t look at last night’s photos. Call your best friend to fill in each other’s blackouts, lament the state you are both in. If you discover something ridiculous might have happened, turn to Facebook for proof. If it’s not there, it didn’t happen.

My weekend starts tonight! Any other tips for partying right?