Love it or hate it, going out at night is a big part of Tulane’s culture. For the vast majority of students, including myself, academics come first; but for many, going out is a close second. I’m here to help Tulane collegiettes sort out many of the problems we face when going out for the night.
DO: Dress cute
You know that cute shirt you bought a few weeks ago that’s still sitting in your closet? Wear it! A night out is your chance to get out of those sweatpants you’ve been wearing at Howie-T all week, do your hair and makeup, and have a fun time with your friends. But it’s still a little hot out at night, so be careful not to put on an outfit that’s too tight – you don’t want to be sticky and sweaty before you even get off campus.
DON’T: Wear uncomfortable shoes
I have this dilemma EVERY week. I’ll put on an outfit, try it on with a pair of heels and flats, and ultimately end up going with the heels. I’ll convince myself that this week will be different, and they won’t absolutely kill my feet… they will. Take it from me (I have enough blisters to prove it), you’ll be doing a lot of walking when you’re out, and the last thing you want to be worrying about is how much your feet hurt. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.
DO: Go out in a big group
No matter how much you’ve been told never to leave anybody behind, the group you go out with will inevitably end up splitting up at some point in the night. It’s better to initially go out in a big group, so that when this does happen, you’ll at least have one person to walk around with you.
DON’T: Walk by yourself at night. Ever.
We received some pretty scary crime reports this summer, but thankfully, they seem to have gone down since we’ve been back in New Orleans. Still, it is never a good idea to walk by yourself after going out, even if you’re just walking back from the Boot. Be a good friend and go back with your friend if she’s over the scene for the night; you know you’d want the same if it was the other way around.
DO: Bring money with you
It’s always a good idea to have a little cash with you, just incase you need to hop in a cab, want a drink, or you absolutely 100% need a crepe.
DON’T: Take your credit card
Taking a credit card is never a good idea when you go out. It could easily fall out of your bag, someone could take it, or you can leave it behind and forget about it until the next morning. Always make sure that your bag is zipped and only easily accessible to you. You want to know where you, and all of your belongings are, at all times.
DO: Let yourself unwind
Going out is an opportunity for you to blow off steam and let yourself have some fun. College is, after all, the best four years of your life and you should make the most of it.
DON’T: Get too crazy
I can’t stress this enough: know your limits. Yes, it’s fun to go out, but if you’re going to 50 Cent Night, Penny Pitchers, F&M’s, Jax, Happy Hour, and all of the frat parties every week, you should probably slow down a little bit. Don’t do anything that you think would embarrass yourself or your friends when you’re talking about your night the next morning. The beauty of college is that there will always be another party. Remind yourself that it’s more than okay to stay in to do schoolwork, catch up on sleep, or even just chill out with friends and go for a nice dinner.