There are a million reasons to throw a party, birthdays, graduations, the fact it's a Saturday... but in the end it all comes down to one reason, getting members of the opposite sex to your house without sounding like a complete loser, and anyway, the lure of free alcohol is much better than an invitation to study together.

The normal shopping list for a well-crafted party usually consists of:

• Beer
• Plastic glasses for beer
• Vodka - to mix with beer and red stuff for punch
• Red stuff¹
• People

Once these basic items have been procured, throw open your doors, turn on the tunes and get out of the way. Usually your guests will have a friend tagging along with them, so the party should be a good male/female mix.

Begin the flow of alcohol and even the least sociable person will end up having a good time. The key, though, is to remember that you had a good time. A good suggestion is to take pictures and hope that the really crazy ones can at least be explained at a later date by one of your guests.

A few minor altercations can't be avoided, but by the time things really get going, nothing is going to stop you from having a good time. A good party can be expected to last until the small hours or at least until the effects of the alcohol start to wear off. By this time all you can think about is passing out anyway. As for the next day, whether you wake up with someone you like, someone you don't like or by yourself in the gutter, just remember that someone will have those photographs in their possession.

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¹ As long as it's drinkable and red it doesn't matter too much what it is.