“[I was at a party and I] could barely walk through the doorway to get to the rest of the house,” said junior Jordan Hosner. “[Like at] concerts or at homecoming, [there were] mosh pits [and] the entire house smelled like weed [and] everyone was so overly drunk … You could feel the bass in your heart.”
Partying culture is commonplace in the typical American high school culture, with approximately 25% of all teens attending high school parties, according to the National Institute of Health. Contrary to what Disney Channel and Nickelodeon have taught, however, high school parties don’t consist of dancing and breaking out in song. The actual appeal comes from the sense of community, and the opportunity to relax after a long week.
“I go to parties because I want to socialize with my friends,” Hosner said. “It’s a little bit of FOMO because if everyone’s going to a party and I don’t go, I [feel like] I’m missing out. It’s also an escape from school, [and] a place where you can just let out stress.”
With the high stress and the desire to relieve after a long school week, substances often play a role at parties.
“[A]t every party that I’ve been to, I’ve seen drinks,” Hosner said. “I would say a good amount of people go to these parties just to get drunk and to black out … The first time I’ve been handed a full glass of alcohol was definitely at a party … I mostly only see nicotine, but I’ve also seen … weed.”
Many have first been introduced to drinking at parties.
“[I drink] because it’s fun to do with friends,” said junior Grace.* “[I got introduced from] walking around with friends and people will just hand you something [to drink].”
The presence of substances, specifically alcohol, can increase one’s impulsivity and affect one’s judgment. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, 32% of traffic accident deaths are from drunk driving. In addition, 50-77% of sexual assaults involve excessive alcohol consumption by either the victim, the perpetrator, or both, according to the University of Texas at Austin.
“I remember one time my friends were drinking and smoking a lot one day … and one of them got a hold on an electric scooter,” said junior *Gerard. “I guess he was gonna go to Safeway … to get more alcohol, [and] he just completely lost control and got really hurt and had to go to the hospital.”
Many parties have open-door policies that allow the host and attendees to invite people to come, allowing many to enjoy the opportunity to meet new people.
“[Parties are fun because] I like meeting new people,” Grace said. “When I go [to a party], there’s a bunch of people who I’ve never met before, and for the most part, everyone there’s super nice.”
Yet, parties can also be dangerous because of isolated locations or untrustworthy attendees.
“If a party is in the middle of the woods, being a woman feels unsafe,” Hosner said. “If something happens to you, you’re basically stranded, and that’s why I really don’t go to any parties that aren’t … [at a] place where there’s electricity, heating, water [and] access to cell service. There’s also certain kinds of people that have a reputation for being creepy or being weird, [so] I’m gonna avoid those people.”
With many known dangers of partying, some parents are stricter when it comes to parties, making many kids have to lie to be able to attend parties.
“[My parents] definitely don’t like me staying out that late,” said Hosner. “[Most] of [the party attendees], have asked their parents, and if they don’t ask their parents, they just go and say they’re at a friend’s house. So I feel like most people’s parents are pretty relaxed about it if you don’t tell them the full details of the party.”
However, some parents want their kids to de-stress.
“They just don’t want me to be depressed in my room, so they like that I get out,” said junior Ava Sims.
Furthermore, parties are often hosted by students without parents knowing.
“When you host, you want to … dispose of [alcohol] secretly, so [parents] don’t know you have it,” said junior Vincent*. “[If] you’re smoking, … you want to make sure it doesn’t smell, especially in houses. [At one party] this guy passed out and we had to carry them up the stairs and get them on their back and [revive them] because their parents were really mad and they had to come home.”
Parties stand in stark contrast to the uptight nature of academia, yet its persistent place in high school culture symbolizes teens’ needs for independence and exploration.
