Written by Vishakha Mathur
Happening nightlife is one of the upsides to living in the urban environment of U of M. The weekend activities can range from crazy parties with belligerent drunk people to a fun game of bowling with friends. For those who enjoy partying and drinking, there are always parties on Greek "frat row" as well as house parties in Dinkytown and around the campus on most weekends. Homecoming, game days, and Spring Jam are the craziest days to be on campus because many people drink the whole weekend to "celebrate" one thing or another. However, Greek life parties have gotten stricter in their rules of who they let in their parties and how they behave. If for some reason there aren't many parties on campus, a student can easily hop on a bus and head downtown to clubs. Most clubs have 18-and-up nights at least once a weekend. And with so many clubs in the area, students are bound to find a party they like, whether it be a foam party, a costume party, a theme party, or a party with a DJ. These clubs are affordable, and their cover prices range from free to $15 on average. Drinking in the clubs can be a little pricey, but most clubs run specials to help make this more accessible, as well.
For those students who are underage and/or not into the clubbing/partying scene, there is always "Gophers After Dark" activities. These activities are fun and mostly free! They range from movie nights, free food, cultural events, bowling nights, flag football tournaments, laser tag, and much much more. There is always something to do, whether it be going out to drink or dance or just watching a movie with a bunch of good friends.