Hints, Tips, and Other Options

Throwing a Safe Party
Tips For Party Guests
Food Ideas
Mocktail Recipies
Other Entertainment Options

Throwing a Safe Party

Being a host or organizer is an awesome responsibility. You can be successful by being aware of the risks and taking precautions to minimize your risk level. Here are some helpful suggestions to get you started:

• Before the event, develop a clean-up plan. Keep your house and property well maintained. Delegate responsibility to specified individuals to look after the location of the event.
  
• Develop a guest parking plan so cars are not towed or cited.
  
• Establish an emergency contact list with the numbers of designated “neighborhood contact” individuals as well as specified attendees. Make sure they keep their cell phones on their body at all times with the loud ringer and vibrate setting on so that they can be reached if they need to be contacted.
  
• Check everyone's identification and create a designation for those over 21 attending a function where drinking may occur.
  

Consider hiring professional security staff to assist with:

• overseeing the function
  
• managing uninvited guests
  
• collecting car keys/call taxis or STRIPES for people who need rides
  
• checking the identification of invited guests
  

Never promote or sponsor a function where you/your organization may be interpreted as selling alcohol by:

• selling drink tickets
  
• selling empty cups
  
• charging for “all you can drink”
  
• hosting an event in conjunction with a local bar or alcohol distributor
  

Other tips:

• Serve non-alcoholic beverages (We have provided some recipes for you on the website.) and provide food (Again, refer to this website for suggestions.) for guests.
  
• Do not promote alcohol as the center of the event or encourage guests to engasge in drinking games.
  
• Serve alcohol in closed containers instead of large open "punch bowls", so it is more difficult for someone to slip a drug into the container.
  
• If you notice someone appearing very drunk early on, call 9-1-1, as s/he may have been slipped a predator drug (e.g., roofie, GHB).
  
• Limit the number of drinks your guests are drinking: alcohol is still the #1 date rape drug.
  
• Avoid glass bottles. Don’t risk someone getting cut by broken glass and make your clean up easier.
  
• Provide transportation or taxis for guests who have been drinking. Take care of your guests. Call STRIPES, the FREE safe rides program.
  
• Prevent access to swimming pools and close bedrooms to guests. Protect your personal belongings and property. Keep the event in the specific areas.
  
• Remember over-indulgence of alcohol or any drug can lead to risky situation (read our information about serving alcohol and the signs of alcohol poisoning).
  
• Establish a time limit for the event with a set end time. Four hours is a good estimate.
  
• Discourage “road trips” emphasizing the use of alcohol while driving.
  
• Close all access to your roof. Eliminate the risk of someone falling.

This section above is a modified excerpt from The True Gentleman Initiative “Steps for Responsible Social Planning” handout.
*The information above was taken from UC Davis’s website on Smart Party Initiative.

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Tips for Party Guests

No. 1: Avoid any party that you haven't specifically been invited to. Even with the best of intentions by hosts and guest alike, an "open house" kegger is a high risk situation. If you decide to ignore this advice, here are some suggestions to reduce the chances you'll be hurt, arrested, or wildly embarrassed.

Protect your health and safety:

• Obey laws.
  
• If you're over 21 and choose to drink alcoholic beverages, keep your consumption moderate. (0 drinks if you're driving, 1 per hour sets the pace,no more than 3 per day.)
  
• If you're drinking, also eat food.
  
• Attend with a friend and look out for each other
  
• Leave your valuables at home. Carry only the ID and money you'll need that night.
  
• If you choose to be sexually active, bring and use condoms and other latex barriers.
  
• Stay off all roofs and any balcony that's crowded.
  
• Don't play with fire.
  
• Don't argue with cops.
  
• Remember drugs and alcohol don't mix--even over-the-counter and prescription drugs can be very dangerous when combined with alcohol.
  

Protect your reputation, be invited back, catch the eye of possible love interest:

• Avoid behavior that might get your hosts in big trouble -such as sneaking an underage drink, carrying alcoholic drinks onto public property, throwing bottles, etc.
  
• Treat your hosts, their home and their other guests with respect.
  
• Clean up after yourself.
  
• Obey requests from hosts to quiet down, leave, or stop drinking.
  
• Bring a snack to share. Everyone appreciates an extra bag of chips.
  
• Mingle, talk to new people-especially that shy one in the corner.

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Food Ideas

Although food preparation is probably low your party list, it is still important. A responsible host will not only offer a mix of non-alcoholic drinks, he/she will offer food as well. Here are some food ideas that are cheap and easy to serve at your parties:

Hogs in a Sleeping Bag

• 1 (16-ounce) package polska kielbasa
  
• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed and lightly rolled out
  
• 1 egg
• Honey mustard, barbeque sauce or apricot jam, for serving, optional
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut kielbasa into 6 (4-inch) pieces. Cut puff pastry sheets into thirds (6 strips).Roll each piece of kielbasa in puff pastry and place on a baking sheet. Beat egg in a small dish and brush generously over pastry. Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, about 20 minutes. Serve with mustard, barbeque sauce, or jam, if desired.

Finger Foods

Create various cheese and cracker, vegetables, and fruit trays to serve at your party. If you don’t have time to do it yourself, these trays can also be purchased at your local grocery store.

Easy Salsa Dip (no cooking)

• Two 8-oz packages of cream cheese
  
• 1 medium jar of salsa (hot, medium or mild-your choice)
  

Let cream cheese come to room temperature. Put in bowl and beat with mixer or spoon until it's fluffy. Stir in salsa. Serve with chips or veggies.

Food Trays

Cut up vegetables, fruit, arrange up cheese and cracker platter and serve them at your party.

Puppy Chow

• 6 cups Crispix cereal
  
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  
• 1/2 cup margarine
  
• 12 oz chocolate chips
  
• 2 cups powdered sugar
  

Melt peanut butter, margarine and chocolate chips together in the microwave or on the stove. Put powdered sugar in a paper sack. Put cereal mixture in and shake until well coated.
http://www.recipecottage.com/microwave/puppy-chow.html

Caramel Corn

• 12 cups popped popcorn
  
• 2 cups roasted peanuts
  
• 3/4 cup butter
  
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
  
• 1 generous cup brown sugar, packed
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  

Place the popped popcorn in a very large bowl. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the corn syrup and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue cooking for another 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the baking soda and vanilla. Pour half the syrup over the popcorn and stir gently. Stir in the nuts and the remaining syrup. Spread the caramel corn onto waxed paper, cool, and break into pieces.
http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/caramel-popcorn-recipe.html

If guests ask offer to bring anything, say YES!

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Mocktail Recipes

Courtesy of WESELL, the Office of Health Education Wesleyan University

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Other Entertainment Options

Trying to think of something to do besides going to a party?! Then try of these other entertainment options Columbia offers!!!!

• The Blue Note
• Campus Events and Activities
• Late Night Programming/Mizzou After Dark
• Explore Columbia
• Columbia Convention and Visitors’ Bureau
• MU Athletics
• Missouri Theatre for the Arts
• MizzouRec
• Parks and Recreation
• Bored? Stuff To Do
• Movie and show times for Hollywood, Goodrich Forum 8, and Rag Tag Cinemas

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