So you’ve finally got your own place and you want to throw a party.

Yeah, you were on your own in the dorm, but now—*Angelic Singing*—you have a place to party and do whatever you want completely uncensored! Right? Well…kind of. Your city, your apartment complex and even the federal government have a say in how your party goes. Here’s a list of specific things to find out BEFORE you throw a party so you don’t have the Trusted Blue knocking on your door mid-party.

1. Cities often have noise ordinances, but how they measure a nuisance noise varies. A few of the methods used are decibel levels, a “quiet zone” of several hours a night or the audibility of noises pass a certain distance.

2. Most apartment complexes have their own noise ordinances and occupation limits—and they list those in the contract you signed before you moved in. If the apartment complex catches you violating either, it could be grounds for kicking you out.

3. This one’s pretty much a no-brainer: it is against the law to consume alcohol if you’re under 21 or to provide alcohol to those who are. Here’s a site that gives more detailed state-by-state alcohol laws.

4. Although you are not required to, letting your neighbors know about a party before it happens usually works in your favor. If you’ve considered their needs in planning your party (making sure NOT to plan it on a night before their test), they might be more lax on dealing with the noise another night.

Knowing and abiding by the limitations around you will help ensure that your party proceeds uninterrupted. Do a little research and find out what your apartment complex and city expects of you. Now that you’ve got your own place, you’ve got responsibilities along with it (UC Davis has a helpful page about host responsibilities). Know the laws, follow them and have the party you’ve been dreaming about for years!
Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

Movies about college life and its parties have created a stereotype most high schoolers can’t wait to experience.

When you finally get here and get invited to your first college party you find—it’s all a lie. You know nobody, the music is barely audible, and all that’s left to drink is the last of the Hunch Punch, which looks like it was ACTUALLY made in a used trash can.

But then you go to a few more parties and you realize some are indeed like the movies; you quickly learn which ones to go to and which ones to avoid. Now it’s your turn to host a party and you KNOW it’s going to be the stuff legends are made of—but you haven’t come up with a theme. No worries! Here’s a list of themes for a party, whether you want wild and crazy or laid-back and relaxed.

Holiday-Themed

• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• New Years
• Mardi Gras
• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Birthday
• Independence Day

College-Themed

• Toga
• Cops and Robbers
• GI Joes and Army Hoes
• Sports Events Pregame
• Cowboys and Indians
• Costume
• Lingerie
• Heaven and Hell
• Rubik’s Cube
• Pirates and Sailors
• Classy to Trashy
• Stoplight
• CEOs and Corporate Hoes
• Decade
• Luau
• Jungle

Other

• Wine and Cheese
• Dinner
• Fondue
• Game Night

*Having a party can be a lot fun, but it comes with responsibilities. Check out collegerentals.com’s other party tip blogs for need-to-know party info.*

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto

If you’ve decided to provide food at your party, you’re one of the brave few.

While providing food often ensures that more people will come—I know of no college student who would turn down free food—it also increases the cost of the party and can create more stress and work for you. However, there are a few tips and ideas that can help you throw a party with food that won’t cost too much or cause too much distress.

A Little Goes a Long Way

If you want to foot the bill yourself, look for items that feed a crowd. For example, pasta is relatively inexpensive and two boxes of pasta can easily and cheaply turn into two pounds of delicious pasta salad. Here’s a recipe for a pasta salad that feeds 50.

Share the Responsibility

Get your guests involved! You’re already providing the place to party and probably more, so get your guests to bring some food items. To avoid people bringing too much of the same thing, make a sign-up sheet. You can create a virtual sign-up sheet at MySignUp.com.

Think Big

Smaller portions often go farther and last longer, but buying things that are “mini,” pre-made or pre-cut costs you more money. Instead of buying the little sausages, buy regular ones and cut them yourself. Instead of buying potato salad, buy potatoes and make it yourself.

Look for Sales

If you know you’re having a party at least two or three weeks in advance, start looking out for sales at your local grocery store and stock up on supplies. BOGO sales come in handy when you plan on feeding a lot of people.

Want some recipe ideas? Visit these party food websites.

• http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/index.html

• http://partyfood.suite101.com/

• http://teriskitchen.com/appetizers.html

Written by: Laura R. Aiuto