Is an Oxford Bop better than your average club night in London? Who knows? After all, everyone thinks their university has the best night out to offer. However, in reality, wherever you end up you are bound to have a pretty similar experience of going out that begins with a pres and ends with some sort of an afters. Furthermore, whether you are down south or up north, you will definitely hear these ten songs at some point during your shenanigans.
Getting Ready With The Girls
It doesn’t matter if you are the high-maintenance friend who spends three hours beating her face or the one who just swipes on her eyeliner and then is ready to go, both parties agree that getting ready is the best part of the night out. No glow-up is complete without a bad bitch playlist that makes you feel sexy and divine, which, of course, has to be full of a cast of all-female artists and girl bands galore. You can expect the above two billboard hits served with a side of pink gin and Uber struggles.
Pres
Most people prefer pres to the actual main event and to an extent, I would agree. Not all parties or clubs live up to their hype and the electric buzz of anticipation is always hanging in the air. At this point, the alcohol begins to hit and people start veering into tipsy territory. You end up listening to life stories from strangers or oversharing in ‘Never Have I Ever’. Either way, the tunes are always top-tier (especially in the case of the above). They usually have a funky dance beat to them that gets everyone excited for whatever is coming next.
The Party
If none of the songs so far have been particularly appealing to you, I can guarantee that these two will be. Unless there is a distinct theme, such as Y2K or Christmas, house party playlists are full of golden oldies designed to cater to everyone’s taste. Whether you prefer the cheesy nostalgia of ‘Everybody in Love’ or the relentless indie guitar hook of ‘Mr Brightside’, you will be belting out all the lyrics to both anthems and jumping around in a sea of sloshed students on the makeshift dance floor of somebody’s living room.
The Club
Drum and Bass Father – Devilman, DJ Looney
Afterglow – Wilkinson, Becky Hill
The club is hit-and-miss in every aspect. It may be packed one night and empty the next. You may drain your bank account or save everything at someone else’s expense. Most crucially, the music is either right up your alley or down in the gutter. However, whichever rooms you happen to be passing through, there are the set club classics that never get old. DJs and clubbers alike can always look forward to the unbeatable beat drops of ‘Drum and Bass Father’ and ‘Afterglow’.
Afters
It’s hard to get around the wind – Alex Turner
Not everybody can make it to an afters. Honestly, sometimes your go-to McDonald’s order in bed with a Netflix sitcom streaming in the background is a lot more tempting. But, if you can, I strongly recommend you go. Aside from the intimacy of being in a smaller circle of friends and the surreal feeling of watching the sun come up whilst you walk back home with heels in hand, the music is unmatched. Perhaps it starts off as a head-banging rave. However, by the end it has shifted to pure nostalgia with people just vibing to tunes like the above two.
See also: What is it like living alone at university?
