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12 Key Items You Need For a Dorm Party
Throwing a dorm party in college can be a lot of fun when it’s done right. However, it can be a total bust if you’re not prepared. A dorm party is a fun way to connect with your peers, blow off steam, and create memorable experiences. But throwing a dorm party involves more than just playing music and inviting your friends over. It requires careful planning and organization.
Nowadays, a lot colleges offer different housing options besides just the small, traditional dorm. Having more of an apartment-style dorm is a lot easier to have a party at, but it can still be done in smaller dorms. There’s also the option of renting an apartment or house off campus, which would be an even more ideal party spot.
In order to have a successful dorm party that people will actually have fun at, you’re going to need a few key items. These items will turn your living space into a fun party atmosphere and will make it the new hangout spot for all your college friends.
From lights and decorations to snacks and fun games, these party essentials will help you create a fun, safe, and memorable event that everyone will be talking about.
Dorm Party Tips
Planning a dorm party can be both exciting and a bit daunting, but with the right tips, you can pull it off without a hitch. It’s all about creating a memorable night with your friends while being responsible and staying safe. To ensure your party is a hit, consider these tips.
1. Talk to Your RA and Neighbors
If you live in a residence hall, talk to your RA, and get to know them so they’ll allow to have a party at your dorm. Some can be really chill and not mind if you have a party, but others can be really strict. Your best chances of not getting your dorm party shut down by your RA is by talking to them beforehand and trying to get on their good side.
Also, tell your neighbors that you’re having a party. This might help limit any noise complaints you’ll receive. You could even invite them over to the party.
2. Have a Playlist Ready
This is a pretty obvious one, but you can’t have a successful party without music. You’ll want to compile a playlist that will appeal to most college students.
You won’t be able to please everyone’s musical tastes, but I recommend having a playlist with a mix of upbeat pop and hip hop songs. Depending on the demographics at your college, you can also throw in some songs from other genres, like rock or country.
3. Put Valuables Away
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. You probably don’t have to worry about this if you’re having a small get-together with a few close friends, but you should put away your valuables when you’re inviting people over you don’t know very well. It’s smart to do this whenever there’s a decent size party at your place, and there’s new faces coming and going throughout the night.
Dorm Party Items
JBL Charge 5
An essential for any party is a loud speaker. Without one, you won’t be able to play that awesome party playlist. I chose the JBL Charge 5 because it’s JBL’s latest and greatest portable bluetooth speaker. It’s built like a tank and has a IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating.
The audio quality on the Charge 5 is extremely loud and crisp. Thanks to the dual JBL bass radiators, it’ll easily blast music throughout your entire dorm. And with its 20 hours of battery life, you won’t have to worry about it dying in the middle of your party.
LED Light Strips
LED light strips are super popular amongst college students nowadays because they’re cheap, easy to put up, and look really cool. They’re also perfect for giving your dorm an awesome party environment.
Here’s a pack of two of 50-foot strips, which should be plenty for any college dorm. You can use the IR remote that comes with the lights to change the colors and different modes. Or you can use the smart app on your phone.
Glowing Party Cups
Instead of using basic Solo cups for drinks, you can upgrade to these 16 oz multi-colored cups. Combine these with some LED lights and you’ll have a really cool party atmosphere in your dorm. The cups are also disposable so you can just throw them out afterwards.
Snacks Care Package
Trying to find snacks for your party but not sure what to get? Just purchase a care package filled with tons of different snacks. This 120-piece gift box has a huge variety of pretty much everything from candy and sweet treats to granola bars and salty snacks.
Saucer Chair
If you need some extra seating in your dorm, saucer chairs are a perfect option. This corduroy saucer chair from Urban Shop has a very soft and comfortable plush padding with a strong metal base. It’s also easy to fold up and put away when you’re not using it.
Pong Table
One of the most fun games to play at a party is beer pong. It allows people to socialize and interact more at a party, which gives them a reason to stay longer. That’s why it’s crucial you have your own pong table at your dorm.
This table from PartyPongTables isn’t just any regular pong table; it has built in LED lights with 20 different colors, eight cup holes on each side, and comes with six pong balls. You can also check out over a dozen other table options if you’re not interested in this table.
Tipsy Tower
It’s smart to have another game at your party or small get-together that your friends will enjoy playing. That’s where Tipsy Tower comes in. Despite its name, drinking actually isn’t required to play the game either. It’s basically like Jenga but with a really fun twist. There’s 54 blocks in total and over 35 fun rules and challenges on all of them.
Cleaning Kit
Here’s a multipurpose cleaning kit that is essential to have in any dorm room, especially if you’re throwing a party. The 9-piece kit comes with pretty much everything you’ll need to keep your dorm clean, such as reusable wipes, multi-surface cleaner, a dustpan with brush, and more.
Custom Picture Backdrop
Get your own custom image on this picture backdrop so you can hang it up in dorm and take some cool party pictures with your friends. You could even get a few custom ones done to hang up throughout your dorm. The backdrop is made out of polyester and is available is several different sizes.
Beverage Dispenser
A beverage dispenser is perfect for a dorm party so you can conveniently offer people your own drinks and juicy punches. Just fill it up and you’re good to go. It beats having a punch bowl full of juice that people can easily spill all over the place.
This beverage dispenser looks like glass, but is actually made out of a shatterproof plastic material. It holds up to 3.5 gallons, comes with a special ice cone, and uses a no-drip faucet.
Ping Pong Balls
Even in a small dorm, it’s easy to lose pong balls. It’s just a pain trying to find one that fell on the floor with a bunch of people standing everywhere who might step on it and break it. That’s why you need to be prepared and get this pack of 36 ping pong balls so you never run out and won’t have to spend 10 minutes looking for one you lost.
Banner
Hanging up a banner in your dorm can act as a good conversation piece for people at your party, and it just looks cool hanging on your wall. If you don’t like the Step Brothers one, Amazon sells tons of different unique and funny banners that are perfect for any college living space.