Wild parties spell danger. If you don’t know the people hosting them, it’s best to avoid them. Why?

OK, you just heard about a party going on. You don’t know who’s holding it or who will be there. You just want to go check it out. Nothing else to do so why not? Beware! Parties like these can be filled with hidden dangers. And if you’re not so lucky, you can end up arrested, seriously injured, or dead. Believe me, it can happen! And it has!

Take note: I am not the voice of your parents lecturing you or trying to ruin your fun. NO! I am the voice of experience from a man who has partied a lot in his youth and knows how dangerous parties can be. Some parties are quite fun but others are nothing but trouble waiting to happen. There is so much that goes on at a party: more than meets the eye per se!

Should You Go to the Party?

As you’re driving, you may see a party already in session. You’ll see a large crowd of people outdoors, a few kegs of beer, and maybe a stage with live entertainment. You’ll hear the constant beat of loud music being played and people screaming. Maybe, there’s a big mansion where the party’s being held.

Are you going to pass it up? Hell no! And the last thing you want to hear is someone telling you that you shouldn’t go.

I Used to Love to Party Too

You’ll hear people constantly talking about wild parties in school. I did indeed! From all the ranting and raving your peers do, you will more likely want a piece of the action yourself. It sure beats staying at home. Summer parties are the best! Many are held outside and some are pool parties. You’re anticipating fresh cold beer, great music, and sexy women dressed in skimpy clothing.

Yes indeed, I was much envious of people who went to wild parties. I was like a wild animal in a cage. If there was a party I could walk or bike to, you bet I would go. I didn’t even care what kind of crowd was there.

Worst of all, I had no judgment, discipline, or discretion toward going to a party whatsoever. And, if I could get a ride home, AWESOME! I didn’t care who it was that drove me home nor questioned how impaired they may be.

Would the party I’d go to end in tragedy? Oh no! That won’t happen to me. That was my attitude. I was simply young and stupid. Little did I know the need to party safely.

Host Unknown: Can You Stay or Must You Leave?

So you hear your friends will be at the party. You don’t want to disappoint them by staying home. I can’t stop you from going. And if you’re still in high school, you’re not of drinking age, but everyone is doing it so why can’t you?

And so you go. Let’s say for the moment that you don’t know who’s hosting the party. Now what?

What’s the Party Environment Like?

Even if you don’t know anyone there, including the host, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be there. While some parties are calm and well controlled, others can be loud and boisterous.

Take a few minutes to observe what is going on there. Then ask yourself, “Am I going to enjoy being here?”

First, what are the people like there? Do they seem nice and easy to mingle with? Are they the kind of folks you’d be content hanging around with? If the answer is yes then you may be OK staying there. Perhaps, you can make new friends or even find romance. On the other hand, if they make you feel uncomfortable and seem to be too hard core or rowdy for your taste, then it’s best to leave ASAP. So, if you don’t consider yourself a redneck, biker, or burnout, but these people are, GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT AWAY!!!

Second, what’s the atmosphere like? Tame parties usually have people sitting around indoors or maybe outdoors, drinking casually. Usually, there will be a radio playing at a reasonably low volume. Though some people may be a little loud and chatty, others will remain quiet. Conversations will be usually mild and well controlled with some laughter. You just might enjoy being there the entire evening. But, if the music is blasting and the people are yelling and screaming and it’s hard to talk to anyone, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE!!!

Also, if you like classic rock from the 1970s, you ought to listen closely to a song entitled “Mama Told Me Not To Come” by Three Dog Night. Better yet, you may want to review its lyrics on Google. It’s about a teenager who couldn’t resist but to go to an underage drinking party despite a warning from his mother. He had to find out the hard way that she was right.

What’s Being Served There?

Third, what’s being served there? The more desirable parties have plenty of food, perhaps enough there to consider an entire meal. The food is usually neatly arranged in buffet style and looks like it’s warm and fresh. Hosts do this to ensure their guests eat plenty so they don’t become too intoxicated. However, if the food is very little, or just simply snacks like Doritos or the like and looks like it’s been spilled all over the place, either you want to leave just for dinner or just flat out LEAVE!!!

Fourth, what kinds of things do you see there? If this place looks like a normal household, then you may be fine staying there. Assuming liquor is served, you’re bound to see some wine glasses, beer cans, ash trays and booze bottles cluttering tables. But if there are a great excessive amount, especially many spilled on the floors, you best take precautions, especially if some people seem to act like they’re getting out of control. Just beware! If there are drugs, needles, bongs, and other drug paraphernalia cluttered everywhere, YOU BETTER SPLIT ON THE DOUBLE!!!

Parties Hosted By People You Know

The first question to ask yourself is: Who is hosting this party? It’s best if it is someone you’ve known for at least a few years and is one you’re comfortable spending time with one on one. If this person seems to be an innocent character, holds a decent job, has worthwhile hobbies, and has a constructive lifestyle, it may be OK to go to their party. If the host is a friend, ask them where their parents will be while the party is going on.

Second, what about their personal background? Do they have a good driving record? Have they been pulled over for driving drunk more than once? Have they ever been in jail? What type of characters do they hang out with? If the host drinks and does drugs heavily and their friends do too, then this is definitely one party to avoid.

Third, who’s being invited? If only a certain number of people will attend, this may be safe. On the other hand, if the party is being spread by word of mouth, social media, or through fliers at a bar, DON’T GO! You never can tell what kind of people will be there.

In a nutshell, I like to categorize parties as public or private. Public parties are the open invitation kind you hear about by word of mouth from a casual acquaintance. You’ll often hear about them shortly before they’re thrown or at the spur of the moment. A lot of hosts decide to throw a party at the last moment and they are usually held in people’s homes, especially those with big yards. Many are thrown by teens whose parents have left for the weekend, but of course, without their permission. Assess what’s going on at the party before you decide to stay. Private parties are those that you’re invited to by someone you know and usually for a specific occasion. These are usually safe, especially if your parents know the hosts.

Why High School Parties Are Dangerous

I’m not saying all open invitation parties are dangerous. Some have a purpose such as a pig roast and are held as a fund-raiser. Others may feature live entertainment or be based around a certain event as the fourth of July. Some landowners throw parties as a means of personal income they receive through charging each person who attends. They may or may not be safe. It depends on how the attendees behave. Just know that you’ll be among strangers unless you come with a group of friends.

However, the ones to avoid are high school parties. Usually, anyone is invited as the more the merrier. There is no purpose to them except to get their attendees drunk and high. You never can tell what type of people you’ll see there and what is being passed around there.

Why are high school parties the worst? We’re talking about minors indulging in any kind of drugs they can get their hands on such as opioids or even cannabis which is more harmful than it seems. Also, you know alcoholic beverages will be served there. These are young people acting recklessly and on impulse. Not only is there underage drinking, but it is done while smoking or ingesting random mood-altering drugs. All they care about is feeling good and have no sense of discipline, nor know their physical limit. Some black out or get behind the wheel of their cars and get into serious accidents.

People Can Be Reckless At These Parties

There are so many things that go on during an underage party, that young teens may not even be aware of. What goes on behind the scenes can sooner or later affect you, even if you’re not aware of it.

Many of the people there may have malicious intentions. Such people don’t care about your personal welfare, whether you live or die, or how badly the toxins affect you. They just want excitement and action and will do anything, no matter how hazardous it may be, just to see what will happen. Some even take advantage of you or other stoned or intoxicated people.

Minors Overdose On Drugs At Parties

We all hear stories of how people overdose on medicines, drive while drunk, engage in unsafe sex, and get high on illicit drugs such as marijuana or cocaine. They’re too busy having fun that safety never crosses their minds. They just want everyone there to think they’re cool. Most feel that getting high once won’t hurt them. Still, others do so and later do it again, just to try to repeat past desirable experiences.

The very first use of illicit drugs is the scariest. An inexperienced user doesn’t know the drug well enough to see how it will affect them. Also, inexperienced users may not be able to tell if the drug they ingest is laced with something poisonous. In a worst-case scenario, that drug may knock them out, kill them, or adversely affect them for years to come. Maybe for the rest of his/her life.

How Innocent Victims Are Poisoned At Wild Parties

Dropping or pouring poisons into other people’s drinks when they’re not looking happens frequently at these parties. Before long, the poisoned victim passes out, becomes defenseless, and is sexually assaulted. Once they awaken, they have no idea what happened to them. At the same time, the attacker may have stolen their purse or wallet and any accessories they were wearing as jewelry or watches. This type of thing happens every day and a majority of such cases go unreported.

Prepare Yourself Before Arriving At a Party

If you must drink, by all means, take some precautions:

• Be well-rested, get plenty to eat, and be in a positive mood before you begin drinking. Fatigue and anger can lead to dangerous and faster intoxication.

• Never let anyone pressure you into drinking. You never can tell what a person can do when they see you’re too drunk to defend yourself. You can even rinse out a beer can and put a non-alcoholic beverage into it to fool this person.

• Don’t leave your drink unattended. Bring it with you when you use the bathroom. You can never tell if someone slipped something into it.

• If you mistakenly walk away from your drink, pour it out.

• Drink only a beverage you poured – yourself from a sealed container.

• Drink a glass of water between drinks.
• Set a drink limit and stick to it.

• Eat, eat, and eat! Avoid salty foods as they entice you to drink more. The more you consume, the less alcohol will affect you.

Adverse Behavior of Party-Goers

While high or intoxicated, people are affected in different ways. Most lose their sense of judgment and coordination while intoxicated. Those who smoke marijuana have slowed thinking and thus are less alert. Drugs and alcohol affect people differently according to their size, weight, how much they had to smoke or drink, and how much they eat. Hence, you can never tell how a person is affected, especially if you haven’t spent much time around them.

Furthermore, you are in the company of strangers who use cell phones. Some go as far as taking pictures of lewd activities, especially nudity and posting them online. This can seriously hurt the victim causing them to lose their job or lessen their chances of obtaining a scholarship. Overall, this can hurt one’s reputation and possibly lead to cyberbullying.

Games involving physical activities are often played for the sake of arousing screaming and amusement. People attempt to pull of dangerous stunts and the drunker guests become, the worse their judgement becomes. This encourages people to consumer more alcohol than they would if not playing.

And the possibilities of tragedy are endless. All it takes is an argument to start a fight. Rather than argue, turn the other cheek. Some parties end in violence and attendees may go as far as using weapons. If you sense danger, leave immediately! Wild parties that get out of hand are often broken up by the police. Once they arrive, anyone still there is considered an accomplice including you. There are no ifs, ands, or buts. And you know what? If you’re still there, you may end up in jail.

Let’s Recap…Party Safely

Never go to a party hungry, tired, or angry. These negative feelings will wear you out quickly. Eat plenty before and during the party.

Go to parties held by people you know and feel at ease with. Avoid parties hosted by people who use alcohol and drugs regularly.

Make a plan to get home safely. You can bring money for cab fare, arrange someone to pick you up, or appoint a designated driver. If your parents will bring and pick you up, that’s best.

Give your parents the party host’s name and number.

Communicate among your friends what you and they intend to do while you’re all there. Offer to look out for them if they’ll look out for you. Remember the saying: “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”

Never go to a public party alone. Go with a group of people you feel comfortable hanging around.

Stick to parties that are based on special occasions such as stag, birthday, or holiday parties.

If you feel you are being pressured to drink, leave right away. You can always drink somewhere else at your own pace. It’s OK to say “no”.

Spend as much time outdoors at the party as possible. You definitely don’t want to be trapped in a crowded house if things get out of control. If you suspect malicious activity about to happen, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY! Listen to your gut instincts.

Remember, underage parties can be deadly. All it takes is one tragic activity to adversely affect you for the rest of your life.

And if you really want to know how detrimental a party that was thrown by minors can be, just talk to someone in recovery. Nobody makes the choice of becoming a drug addict. It happens through reckless drug use. Talk to as many older people as you possibly can. They’re a great source of advice.

After all, you don’t want to end up seriously injured or dead, just by an evening of reckless activity, do you? Of course not! And all it takes is a matter of seconds for something bad to occur when attending wild parties.

So whether you go or not, that is your personal decision. But if your parents become upset, don’t put up a fight! Try to understand what they’re telling you. Apparently, they have seen or heard about wild parties that have ended in tragedy. And most of all, they care for you more than anyone else in the world and don’t want to see you make the same mistakes other people they knew have. Your mom and dad would like to see you in good health 30 or 40 years from now, but as far as your peers go, they couldn’t care less.

You can also find additional tips emergency help numbers, check out the Better Health Channel. Feel free to comment and please subscribe. What advice would you give to teens who want to go to a party?