Natasha John
Guest
Jul 23, 2025
3:31 AM
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Okay, real talk throwing a party in university isn’t just about throwing some fairy lights around your dingy flat and calling it a night. Nah, it’s warfare. Between dodging nosy RA’s, keeping your flatmates from sabotaging the vibe, and figuring out how to feed like 30 broke students on a £20 Tesco run, it literally feels like managing a small country. Or at least like directing a low-budget action movie.
And honestly? I love it. Even when it’s chaos.
The Budget Game (aka: How to Be Broke but Still Party)
So, let's talk money or lack thereof. Most of us are out here living off instant noodles and splitting bills on Monzo. But somehow, when party season rolls around (especially after exams), we become creative geniuses. Like, who knew pasta salad could serve as both food and a conversation starter?
I remember once we had this "Dress Like Your Degree" theme night. I went as a nurse, purely because my flatmate is in nursing and had a spare uniform. We had a law student show up in a suit and someone from art school wrapped in bubble wrap. Budget costumes, big vibes.
Speaking of my flatmate she’s constantly juggling placements, exams, and this mountain of assignments. I don’t know how she does it, honestly. She was stressing hard last week and said she finally gave in and googled cheap nursing assignment writing service just something to get her through the madness. And I get it. Uni is a lot. If a little help means you can breathe and maybe make it to the party without crying in the bathroom do it.
The Guest List Struggle Is Real
Okay, back to party stuff.
Picking who to invite is harder than choosing a dissertation topic. There’s always that one guy who starts fights after two drinks. Or the couple who argue in the kitchen the entire night. Or people who bring plus-ones that nobody knows and suddenly your flat looks like a scene from Skins.
You kinda have to balance it out invite the chaos people, but make sure you’ve got enough chill humans to balance the energy. Also, invite at least two people who’ll stay behind to help clean up. Those are the real MVPs.
Food, Drinks, and the Sacred DJ Battle
Somehow, everyone becomes a DJ once they see the aux cable. It’s cute at first until three people try to play different versions of the same TikTok remix. I’ve learned to assign one person as DJ and just stick to it. No democracy. Just vibes.
Food? Keep it simple. Nachos, pizza, crisps. Once, we tried to do a full-on pasta bar and it was a disaster. Sauce everywhere, people dropping spaghetti on the floor. Stick to finger foods and your future self will thank you during the 2pm hangover cleanup.
Drinks BYOB always. You can throw in a punch bowl if you’re feeling fancy (or want to feel like a Sims character). Just… label it. No one needs to mistake tequila punch for apple juice.
Decorations on a Student Budget
Fairy lights = instant mood. Stolen “wet floor” signs = weirdly aesthetic? We’ve literally used bin bags as streamers (don’t judge us, it looked cool under black light). My tip is: hit up the £1 shop. Grab balloons, streamers, glow sticks go wild. If your room doesn’t look like a Pinterest fail by the end of it, did you even try?
Final Thoughts (No, Not an Essay Outro, Chill)
I guess what I’m saying is: planning a party in uni is half stress, half serotonin. It’s messy and loud and something will 100% go wrong but that’s what makes it so good. Some of my favourite memories aren’t even from the parties themselves, but from the panic of pulling them off.
Also, if you’re juggling a ton of uni work (especially if you’re in a heavy course like nursing or med), don’t feel guilty for asking for help. Whether it’s with your essays, your mental health, or just figuring out how to exist while everything’s going on it’s valid. There’s so much pressure to have everything together, but like… who actually does?
Anyway. If you’re planning a party soon good luck. Don’t forget the fairy lights. And maybe pre-clean your bathroom. You’ll thank me later.
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