(bottom): Jasmine Yamanaka, SSW
Jimmy Lai/HIGHLANDER
Parties can refer to a broad spectrum of events, whether it be a birthday, banquet or even baby shower. However, when placed in the context of a college campus, it could only bring up one image: Shots of hard liquor, filthy and reused red Solo cups, booming music making the walls vibrate, sweaty bodies bouncing off of each other within the furniture-barren rooms of frat houses, no thoughts of tomorrow or, if you’re really wasted, even the present. That being said, partying is interpreted by the individual — it’s been known to be one of those things that you either hate or love — and it could have both its ups and downs. Let’s see what these two Highlander writers look forward to when it comes to parties and what they remember the most about those of their past.
| Evan Ismail, SSW | Jasmine Yamanaka, SSW | |
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Not that often, usually only on major events like Winter Soulstice, etc. | Usually I party by myself, but when I’m lucky, a friend will bring me along to a frat house or kickback, once or twice a month I’d say. |
| 2. What is usually the reason for going? | My friends are going or hosting it — either way, I don’t go alone. | To forget the reason why I went there in the first place. |
| 3. Do you actually dance at parties? And if so, for how long? | Not usually — I feel weird standing in one place and just moving my arms. | If it is early enough in the evening then I do. But since I’m not a natural-born dancer, I usually get tired of doing the same two moves over and over and stop within three minutes. |
| 4. Have you ever blacked out at one? | Nope, that’s too overboard for me. | Yeah, and to anyone who thinks getting to that point sounds fun, it’s pretty embarrassing. |
| 5. Top three party songs? | All my party songs are from country music:
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“Wonderful” by Travis Scott, “1Night” by Lil Yachty, “All the Time” by Young Thug |
| 6. Have you ever entered a party with your friends and left with an entirely different group of people? | That’s happened to someone before? | Yeah — all of my friends turned into their alter egos. |
| 7. Parties: Better or worse for bad days? | It depends on how I’m feeling. It’s lame but I would almost rather see a movie. | Better in the moment, and usually indifferent the next day since I have never gotten to the hangover point. |
| 8. Has any college party lived up to the ones you see in the movies? | Nope, I guess I haven’t gotten out that much. | Yeah, but not at frat parties like you would think based on the movies; they’ve always been kickbacks with only a few good friends. |
| 9. Describe the most hilarious picture or video of you or that you’ve taken during a party. | I never take my phone for exactly that reason. | I’m in a bathroom, for some reason holding the house owner’s chihuahua, who looks scared out of its bulgy, black-eyed mind. |
| 10. How do you usually feel in the morning? | Usually fine. I have a cup of coffee and go on about my day. | Considering the fact that I have never gotten a hangover, pretty relieved and impressed that I am still alive. |
| 11. Have you ever met someone special at a party? Or someone who you are close with today? | Nope, I don’t even think that’s happened to any of my friends. | That happens? |
| 12. You have a time machine and go back to the night of your very first college party: What would you tell yourself? | I personally haven’t done anything I’ve regretted but I would advise anyone to make sure to go with people that you can trust to have your back. | Either drink or don’t go. Because being sober at a college party just doesn’t make sense. It sounds bad but if you don’t need alcohol to have fun, you have much better things to do. |
| 13. Best thing to wear at a party? | I have a palm tree-print button-up shirt I always wear. | Closed-toe shoes. |
| 14. How long do you usually stay at a party? | I usually stay for about two or three hours and then go home. | Like twenty minutes. And then it’s into an Uber and off to another party that’s exactly like the one before it. |
| 15. What about parties do you enjoy the most? | It’s fun to unwind after a stressful week for a couple of hours and have some fun with your friends. | To take one day out of the stressful week to be silly and stupid and carefree and just have a good time with my friends. |
