Back to Uni – Surviving Freshers Week and Partying like a Pro!
Revision done, exams nailed, results day has been safely navigated, your university place has been secured, you’ve successfully survived the clearing process, sorted your loans, found your digs and begged your parents / friends to lug your stuff halfway across the country to your new home for the next 3 years. What next? Well once you’re all settled in it’s party time!
Fresher’s week is often the defining week of your university life. You’ll meet hundreds of new people, attend numerous parties and freshers fairs, wake up in strange houses with stranger people, see cool new bands and sign up for loads of stuff you’ll never use or need and that’s just the first day!
It’s easy to get caught up in the week-long party that is Freshers Week but the most important thing to do is relax. This week will see you introduced to lots of new people, you’ll have course inductions, tutor introductions and mountains of paperwork to sign. But don’t let it daunt you. This week is merely to get you settled in before the real work starts so make the most of it!
No doubt you will at some point venture out to join the numerous parties that are laid on over the week. Make sure you keep your wits about you and drink responsibly. Drinking isn’t about getting so drunk you don’t recognise your own reflection! It’s about having fun and socialising. Always keep an eye on your drink; spiking is not unheard of and getting rushed to A&E is the last thing you want on your first week, never leave your drink unattended, don’t accept drinks from strangers and take a pocket full of anti-spike drink stoppers with you when you go out to keep your bottle safe.
Party Plans
Whether you’re going out or staying in, it’s always good to be prepared. Do you have a few friends round? Make sure that cocktail shaker is in easy reach and have a few drinking games at hand to keep the party entertaining. A pack of cards is the most basic game accessory you will need and will provide hours of fun but if you’re feeling adventurous; a round of shot roulette or a beer pong table will make your parties the talk of the town.
Having access to a cocktail book and shaker will open up a whole new world of possibilities to liven up a party. Fish bowls and shot glasses are an essential for the social enthusiast who wants to throw a party with a twist and don’t forget disposable glasses , it will save you having to wash up every glass in the house (or have a mountain of washing-up that sits festering on the side for several weeks!).
If you’re going out, stock-up on anti-spike drink stoppers and don’t forget the fancy dress as this will undoubtedly become an essential part of your penultimate night out.
Games
Those of you that are fans of American teen comedies will be familiar with those red solo cups that pop up regularly in party scenes. These cups are a great party-piece that are designed for holding beer, cocktails and spirits but also make great beer pong or slap cup containers. For a giggle, introduce your friends to fuzzy duck, for the educated drinker we stock the glass chess shot set and for the gamblers amongst you there’s the shot shot roulette. All are fantastic accessories for throwing an entertaining and unique party.
1: American Red Party Cups 2: Ultimate Beer Bong Funnel 3: Anti-Spike Drink Stoppers 4: bar@drinkstuff Home Cocktail Set 5: Chillquiet Mini-Fridge 6: Beer Pong 7: Plastic Cocktail Fish Bowl 8: Neon Shot Glasses
Essentials
No room is complete without a mini fridge to keep your essential milk and beer supply chilled and out of the reach of light-fingered housemates and roomies! Make sure you have plenty of glassware, plates and bowls and stock up on your food essentials and missing furniture. If you’re planning a party have a look at our student deals as well as our student starter set which contains everything you need to get your party started.
If you’ve just moved into halls, keep your door open, have your stereo on with your favourite band playing and make sure you have the kettle on and a few mugs of tea ready to hand out as this is your chance to get to make new friends and you never know who’ll be coming past your dorm so be ready to meet interesting and varied people who will be the centre of your social life for the next 3 years.
Last but not least, relax and enjoy your first week, you won’t get another one! Party hard, make friends, enjoy the independence but most importantly; drink responsibly. But in case you don’t, have your new address written down and at hand and don’t lose sight of your friends or your house keys and phone!
Here’s to Oktoberfest – The World’s Biggest Beer Festival!
If you love beer, sausages, yodelling and lederhosen, then it’s that time of year again! September 22nd sees the start of Germany’s (and possibly the World’s) most famous Beer Festival: Oktoberfest.
Every year over 6 million people flock to Munich to join in the annual Oktoberfest, the world’s largest fair and most renowned beer festival. Oktoberfest has a rich history, dating back to the wedding celebrations of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Bavaria in 1810 and have remained an important event ever since.
The modern Oktoberfest is a grand event with people from all corners of the globe attending and consuming over 7 million litres of beer in 16 days! The fair also boasts a funfair, live music from various cultures and genres and a huge selection of stalls and tents serving traditional Bavarian Fayre such as Schweinebraken (Roast Pork), Hendl (Roast Chicken), Pretzels and of course the international favourite: Bratwursts, so you’ll never go hungry.
All of the beer at Oktoberfest is brewed within Munich city limits and must be at least 6% vol to qualify, so be prepared! Oktoberfest beer is not to be taken lightly; you don’t want to turn into a "Bierleichen" (German for "beer corpse")
It’s also customary to see the locals (and quite a few visitors too!) dressed traditionally in Lederhosen or Dirndls (for the ladies) and quaffing large quantities of beer from Steins. You might even get to experience the ’Beer Boot’ which makes a Yard of Ale seem like a walk in the park!
If you’re thinking of attending; plan ahead. Needless to say Munich gets very busy this time of year, despite being a European hub centre. Flights around the festival date can become unavailable very quickly and hotels few and far between due to the massive influx of international visitors. For bookings and more information on Oktoberfest go to: www.Oktoberfest.de/en
1: Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfest Stein Glass 35oz / 1ltr
2: Giant Glass Beer Boot 3.5 Pint
3: Hofbrauhaus Ceramic Beer Stein Lion Motif 35oz / 1ltr
4: Plastic Yard of Ale Glass with Lid 2.4 Pint
If you can’t make it to Oktoberfest in Munich then you can easily host your own version at home. Just stock-up on Steins, cook up some sausages, pour yourself a Lowenbrau and if you’re feeling daring; dust off the Beer Boot and dance the night away!