CrunchGear

Sorry mom and dad, but your kid is going to drink. He/she finally has some freedom and it’s what the cool kids do. If you led a sheltered life then we’ll go over a few basic drinking games that you will surely encounter in your first few months of college. These games will stick with you forever, so pay attention. We’ll also cover a few really neat gadgets to help you along the way.

The most popular game seems to be Flipper aka Flip cup and/or Beer Pong aka Beirut. You really don’t need a whole lot to play either except for some 16-ounce red Solo cups. Make sure you buy Solo cups because they work the best and they’re extremely durable so you can reuse them later. If they’re too trashed then make sure you recycle them. Flipper is a drinking contest between two teams on opposing sides of a flat surface with plastic cups and lots of beer. Players on each team successively drink and then flip their empty cup upside down. You’ll want your best drinker/flipper as your anchor because it usually comes down to the very end. As the anchor you have a lot of responsibility so don’t screw it up. Show the ladies of Tri-Delta how cool you really are.

If you want to stand out and be the guy everyone remembers then pick up a PortOPong. It’s an inflatable Beer Pong table that’s regulation size and goes virtually anywhere. Just keep your fingers crossed that someone has a bike pump or you’ll be blowing it up for a while. Grab one now while there’s a discount. Some girls like to play this game and it’s the perfect opportunity to partner up with a hottie or challenge the hottie across from you. It’s a win-win situation. It’s also pretty easy to play.

This is what you’ll need to play: a ping-pong table, at least 33 Solo cups, ping-pong balls, beer and a competitive spirit. So partner up with said hottie or challenge her to a game. There are a lot of variations to the game depending on where you go to school in what part of the country, but I usually set up 15 cups into a pyramid or when playing doubles opt for nine cups each. Place said pyramid of cups at the edge of the ping-pong table in the middle if you’re solo are on the sides when playing doubles. Make sure you have at least one cup with water to clean off the ping-pong ball because it gets dirty. Now fill said cups with beer up to the first crease. To decide who gets to throw first, I tend to go with roshambo.

The object of the game is to get said ping-pong ball into the other team’s cups before they get all of yours. If you are the winner than the opposing team has to drink the rest of your beer. As I said before there are variations to the way the game is played. I play winners, which means if I get a ball into your cup then I get that ball back and keep going until you’re done. If the ball I throw ends up bouncing back to my side of the table before you have a chance to pick it up then tough luck. It’s a fairly simple game to play and it allows you to get creative at the same time. Implement your own rules and spice it up. My friends and I thought of a new addition to beer pong over the summer. Each team adds an extra cup in the middle of the table. Once you’ve eliminated the pyramid then you switch to a game of quarters to finish the fight. That’s easy enough, right? Make sure your partner is decent or you’ll be drinking a lot and she’ll be completely sober.

If you don’t have enough people for pong or flipper then whip out the Beer Checkers set. Be careful not to use tequila or vodka in this game. Take it from a veteran. Stick to beer because that will still get you plenty drunk. It’s cheap and fun, but heavy. Leave it at someone’s apartment or be ready to lug it around. It’s also a wise choice to invest in a deck of plastic playing cards. You’ll end up playing presidents & assholes, ring of fire, smoke or fire, or some other asinine card game. Again, girls like card games so play it smooth. You don’t want to hit up your parents and ask them to go to Costco and buy a jumbo pack of cards since yours are ruined from all the beer. I usually drank vodka in college because it was cheap and copiously available, but it was terrible. It was either Busch Lite or HRD (Hood River Distillery). I wish I had known about the Gray Kangaroo Personal Liquor Filter. I might have gotten up to go to class more often.

A beer bong is also essential in college. It’s super easy to make and it’s cheap. Head to your local hardware store and pick up a funnel that’s big enough for one or two beers, a clear tube, valve, and a pipe clamp. Make sure the funnel fits into the tube snug and then put the pipe clamp on to ensure a proper seal. Just make sure you’re getting the appropriate size diameters for everything. Attach the valve at the other end and you’re good to go. The more creative you get here the better. Try making a three-way beer bong. You’re a geek so you should be able to figure out how. If this is too intimidating then opt for a Jellyfish beer bong. It’s cheap and easy to transport.

There are a ton of other things you can do, but there isn’t enough time in the day to make an all-encompassing guide. This isn’t a bad place to look for rules and other games you may not have heard of. Here are a few other must haves to impress the ladies when you’re partaking in the enjoyment of a frosty beverage. For some odd reason, girls like straws. So it’s not a bad idea to have some in your bag. Get the kind with loops or ones that glow in the dark. Chicks will love you. What should you do if no one has a bottle opener? There are various ways to get around this. A lighter or the edge of a table or desk work just fine, but if your aim is to impress then pick up a belt buckle bottle opener. Just be sure to practice before hand so you don’t spill beer all over your crotch and end up being that guy.

A theme party, even in your dorm room, can be a blast. There are tons of party themes out there and some of my favorites are: golf pros and tennis hoes, red light/green light, what would you do for a dollar?, heaven & hell and more than I can remember. I really miss college now that I’ve been reminiscing. Just remember to be safe while partying hard.