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It's that time of year when universities and colleges get back into the swing of things and, while that means getting your head down, studying and creating and creating a better future for yourself, it also means indulging in the other iconic college moments, such as throwing a college party.

It’s part of the college experience, an area that’s been celebrated in Hollywood movies, regaled in hip-hop songs, and even been the focus of a few newspaper articles (the more insane ones anyway). Who knows, you might have managed to sneak into a couple prior to college thanks to your older brother being awesome.

But now you’re there, the focus is going to change because there comes a time in every college students social existence where they need to shoulder the responsibility and take on the burden of hosting a truly epic party.

So, without further ado, here are the basics you need to know before printing off flyers and doing your duty:

1. There’s A Time And A Place

This is one of those details you need to think about carefully because nothing’s worse than throwing a party at 11 pm on the Tuesday before Final’s Week. Your housemates might come, but that isn’t a party. It’s a much better idea to know what’s going down on campus, make the party convenient for people, give people plenty of warning and pick a Friday or a Saturday. And maybe think about hosting it somewhere that isn’t yours, such as your Frat or Sorority House. Trust us on that one.

2. Run With A Theme

When you leave college, you probably won’t attend another themed-party in your life, so make the most out of your chance now. People love dressing up and getting drunk. If you want to throw a classic party, get ready to chant TOGA! TOGA! But don’t think you have to throw a toga party. It could be Angels And Devils, Nerds & Geeks, Cops & Robbers - anything. The point is: themes are cool because people are immediately involved and on the right vibe.

3. Have Something For Everyone

The more you can organise in the way of attractions the better your party will be because, let’s be real for a moment, nothing beats options. It’s about adding a bit of diversity for people to get their fun on. Have a beer pong table set up, create cozy seating areas around the place for people to chinwag, have a dedicated area for dance-offs, make sure someone knows about the weed delivery, have a table for your kegs, set up different games (and lock all your valuables in a bathroom). You want to create things people will love to keep the momentum going.

4. Music Really, Really Matters

This is pretty much the most important part of the whole party because the music you blast out is gonna set the vibe. It’s gonna be the one thing that keeps your guests dancing, laughing, canoodling and vibing together all night long. So you've gotta do it right. If you know a DJ, or even a wannabe DJ, get him to do your party. If not, you're gonna have to take care of the tunes yourself, which means creating a Spotify playlist and letting it do its thing.