Any ideas for a room-to-room party?

September 16, 2008 10:41 PM

The co-op I currently live in while attending University is having a room-to-room party. This basically entails that all of the members of the co-op go to each room for about 15-20 minutes to listen to some good music, drink a bit, and otherwise have a good time. Each room has a different theme so as to give the party a bit of variety. I am new to the co-op, so I am not familiar with themes that have been used in the past. Moreover, my roommates and I are at a loss for ideas. We need your help!

For more reference, the following is a co-op wide email we received:

"We encourage you not only to open your rooms, but to have fun with the theme, decorations, and drinks. Past notable room themes have included: Bowling with humans, fishing for drinks, freaky bondage room, and even Tree-sitters in the loft of room 15, who lowered "urine" buckets down to their guests.

Here's the skinny; sign up, and tell us what alcohol (if any) you would like to serve. Think simple, and not too expensive (Margaritas, Gin and Tonics, Beer, Slippery nipples, or non-alchoholic drinks).

Decorating, mixologizing, all the rest... it's up to you."

Basically, although the co-op covers the alcohol, my roommates and I need to cover the decorations, etc.

So what is the best party theme possible that is both fun and cheap to setup?

You've never failed me before hivemind, so I come to you again after having exhausted all other options!

posted by mahoganyslide to society & culture (15 comments total)

I've always been partial to "Cinco de Mustache". Serve margaritas and wear/make fake mustaches or have one drawn on with a marker (nontoxic, non-fumey, etc. Don't want a hangover more ferocious than you've already agreed to..)! Always a good time.
posted by ThomThomThomThom at 11:08 PM on September 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

Sounds fun! Here are a few ideas off the top of my head:

- Beach party - decorate with coconuts and pictures of palm trees and have beach-activities like beach balls and buckets and spades. Play beach party music. You could even set up a small sandpit, although that could get messy. Oh, and wear a bikini/bathing shorts :-) Drinks are easy - Pina Coladas!

- Spooky party - make it pitch black so people have to sit and talk in the dark. Play spooky music, and place weird feeling things around the room. Gunge optional!

- Kids' party - do everything that you would for a party for 4 year olds - balloons galore, cupcakes, cheesy music, and kiddy party games - pass the parcel, musical chairs etc (not sure what games you played at a kid where you are, but those were my favourites here in the UK!) Not sure about drink...something fruity and fizzy that tastes like coke or fanta!
posted by schmoo at 11:11 PM on September 16, 2008

Highlighter parties can be funt, give out cheap white t-shirts, have the whole room lit in black light (make sure you have no, uh, stains), and hand out highlighters for people to write on other people's shirts. You could go sophisticated and serve wine and cheese and have some jazz playing or something. Karaoke is always fun at a party. Can't go wrong with beer pong or flippy cup.
posted by BrnP84 at 11:16 PM on September 16, 2008

The classic room-to-room arty is around the world, where every room is a different country. You could co-opt the idea and be a place or country. I was once Jamaica with reggae, cheap rum and Stones ginger wine.

Taking this one step further, you could be the moon (or somewhere else off world). Blow up aliens, a fake moon lander, silver suits and moon-juice to drink.

Or you could be Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole. Fake snow, fuzzy clothes, rugs to snuggle under and alcoholic hot chocolate. Oh and the south pole propped up in the corner of your room of course.
posted by shelleycat at 11:37 PM on September 16, 2008

The Prisoner. NOBODY will do a theme around The Prisoner!

No man is a number (your grades); University is supposed to be idyllic but often feels like a prison; there are tests, and paranoia... it's heavily referenced in Lost for you young folk.

It's a great allegory, you'll stand out and be cool, and um also ohpleaseohpleaseohplease?
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 12:18 AM on September 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Picture this:
People are allowed in one at a time (keep everyone else entertained in the hallway with low quality domestic beer served in plastic cups)as each person is admitted into the room, the door slams shut behind them, and a hood is forced over their head, a strange smell permeates the frabric. When they come to several minutes later, they find themselves to now be wearing an orange jumpsuit, and shackled to the floor in the centre of an entirely empty room, windows and walls painted a uniform shade of dirty grey. A single uncovered lightbulb swinging from an overhead fixture. A voice crackles out of a speaker mounted high on the wall "what'll it be?" they ask for their drink, whatever they say they want, you serve a large shot of jager. When they finally come to again (you'll need to put a strong dose of rope or GHB in each drink) they're back in their normal clothes and have been moved to the next room, which is themed "recovery from the trauma of being punished for the excesses of our corrupt Western cvilisation aided by the consumption of tasty alcoholic beverages".

It'll be great.
posted by The Monkey at 12:55 AM on September 17, 2008 [2 favorites]

Hehe, I love the ideas so far. Please keep em' coming!

Also, any ideas on how we can make a beach party interactive? We thought about a match of beach volleyball, but unfortunately our room is too small for such an event.
posted by mahoganyslide at 1:07 AM on September 17, 2008

Also, any ideas on how we can make a beach party interactive?
Kiddie. Pool.
posted by whatzit at 3:37 AM on September 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Your in college and this is co-op (chicks and dudes right?) Have a PJ theme.
posted by Mastercheddaar at 5:54 AM on September 17, 2008

Color everything white. Drape white sheets as needed. Hide anything/everything with color. Dress in all white.

Get a massive blacklight.

Make everything glow.
posted by grateful at 7:26 AM on September 17, 2008

If you do have a blacklight party, be sure to serve gin and tonics (or vodka and tonics): they glow in the dark because of the quinine.

Prohibition-era speakeasy would be an easy theme to do: serve drinks in coffee cups and play 1920s jazz (or recreations of same a la Squirrel Nut Zippers).
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:24 AM on September 17, 2008

I've been to many a room-to-room in my day, there have been tropical rooms with fake hammocks, bright lights, and beachy music- calypso, steel drums, whatever. They were pretty fun and usually served sex on the beach.

Another good room was a lemonade stand that had a fake stand and the two people behind it like kids on the street. They served hard lemonade, of course.

You could have a space themed room with "Buzz Aldrins" (or as I liked to call them "Tang Drivers"), which is just vodka and Tang.

I've seen ski chalet type rooms with spiced wine and people in sweaters.

Maybe a James Bond/Casino room with martinis and poker?

The best/worst room I can remember was a BBQ room. The guy got an industrial sized bottle of BBQ sauce from the kitchen and poured it into a couple of cups. He also added Winner's Cup Gin. I think only one person tried it- it smelled terrible- but the guy ended up with most of a handle of gin. I think that was his plan all along.
posted by kendrak at 9:43 AM on September 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Are you in Berkeley?

This isn't at Cloyne Court, the rooms were numbered differently. Is it Loth, CZ, Wilde?

You're best off sectioning off part of your room by the door as the common party space and only letting known (i.e., friends, potential make-out types, etc) folks behind that part.

As for themes, my favorite (for good drink and decoration) was Ski Cabin: serving Irish Hot Chocolates and a slope build of 4 blocks of ice with ah channel down the middle, you pour your liquor of choice down the channel and someone drinks from the bottom by kneeling at the base (the "slope" has to be high up enough that it can be reached it to top and not so low that someone can't get at it by kneeling). And then go crazy with decorations (skiing equipment, scarves, woven hats, fake fire with a fan and red, orange, and yellow tissue paper attached to it, fake snow (out side the windows means less mess), etc.
posted by unclezeb at 10:44 AM on September 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

As I'm writing from DC, I feel compelled to offer the cheap alternative of the "Election" theme. You can have two booths set up with two different boozes/beers, and people 'vote' by choosing either booth. You can add up red or blue solo cups at the end of your allotted time and announce a President of Alcohol. Make sure there's someone in a black suit with sunglasses that can over-react to any party fouls (a la Secret Service).

I don't know... I'm just throwing ideas out there, and trying to keep it
a)doable,
b) inexpensive,
c) not esoteric and
d) slightly timely.

Play "election" on your tv with the sound off... just spit-balling here... whatever you do: make sure you have some American flags prominently hung... or any flags, really. hehehehe... you could make a "third party" booze candidate that's just gross... or almost impossible to find...
posted by indiebass at 11:29 AM on September 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Might be pricey, but..... ball pool? You will almost certainly suffer ball-theft, but you would easily be my favourite room.
posted by knapah at 4:29 PM on September 17, 2008