College Theme Party Ideas

College parties are a must for any college-goer, and those who have the resources to throw them will want to know the most popular college theme party ideas to make it a success.  Read on for ideas that will help make your party fun and one of the most successful.

College Beach Party

An easy yet fun theme for a college theme party is to create a beach scene where your guests can frolic and play.  Partygoers will love the idea of playing in the sand in their bathing suits while partying, even in cold temperatures.  The best part of this theme is that you can play on the beach even if there is snow outside.  You can carry out this theme inside or outside, either on a lawn or in a large basement.

The most important aspect of a beach party is to cover as much area as you can with sand.  Check your local toy store for bags of play sand - you will want enough sand for a depth of about 2 inches.  Next, add baby pools to the party area.  Small wading pools are fun and tropical, but if you have the room, spring for one or two of the fancier ones that blow up, complete with slides and sprinklers.  Guests will be able to actually swim while they are drinking, which will be a great idea as the night goes on.  You may want to add large rugs or plastic tarps under the pools in case water splashes out, which it will.

A Tiki Bar is a must for a college beach party.  Whatever bar you use should be decorated with bamboo grass, colored lights, and bamboo stalks.  Make sure to have fun drinks available, too.  Any college party will have to have kegs of beer set out for their guests.  If you can afford it, opt for fun mixed drinks as an option, such as margaritas and cosmopolitans.  Make sure any glassware you use is plastic to lessen the risk of cuts from broken glass, as most people will be barefoot.

Add more fun to your beach party by having beach music, water guns, beach balls, and sand toys for your guests to listen to and play with.  You’ll throw an exciting beach party that will be talked about for years.

College Decade Party

A college party idea that has many variations is a decade party.  You can plan a party for many different decades past.  For example, a 20’s party can be thrown where everyone shows up dressed up in their very finest.  Girls can wear cocktail dresses, and guys can show up in suits and top hats.  If you can afford it, hire a live band to play old style music for the best atmosphere.  Serve classy drinks such as martinis.

A 60’s psychedelic party is a great idea for any college theme party.  Everyone can show up wearing their craziest clothing, from flowered dresses to ripped pants to bandanas.  At a 60’s party, you can serve any type of alcohol since the intention is to be free and wild, just like the hippies of the 60’s.  Be sure to have the appropriate music playing, such as the Doors and Jimi Hendrix, to complete the mood.

An 80’s party is also easy to pull off, and one that is a lot of fun.  Pull out all the appropriate music to blast all night long.  Have guests dress up 80’s style, which can include big hair, ripped jeans, leg warmers, jean jackets, and lots of bangle bracelets.  Make sure there are plenty of beer kegs to keep all your guests drinking.  Prepare for a night of laughs and fun, as guests try to outdo each other with their 80’s antics.

Another variation is to ask your guests to dress up as someone from any decade that they choose, and have others guess as to the year.  That way, guests can choose for themselves their favorite era and dress appropriately.  Those who don’t want to dress up can come in the current style of dress and still feel like part of the theme.

College Graffiti Party

An easy and inexpensive college party idea is to have a graffiti party.  Guests must show up in white t-shirts that can be written on.  Each guest receives a fat black magic marker upon arriving.  All night, guests get to write on each others clothes with the markers.  The more inebriated people get, the funnier the messages usually become.  Make sure that the markers are washable, because there is a good chance people will start writing on the skin of other party goers!  The best part is waking up to a t-shirt full of funny pictures and sayings.

A variation on a graffiti party is a backlight graffiti theme.  First, deck out the party area in black lights and tone down the regular lights.  There should be enough of them so you do not need regular lighting to see.  Guests again should wear clothing that can be colored on, although this time it does not have to be white.  Give out highlighters to your guests as they arrive.  They can then write on each other, and the highlighted words and pictures will glow under the lights.  Make sure these highlighters are washable, as well.  Many people choose to write on each other, so it’s important that the marker can easily wash off.

You can add to the ambience of this theme by buying clear plastic drink ware that glows in the black lights.  One little known tip is that liquid laundry soap shows up well under a black light.  Carefully paint your walls with small bits of soap beforehand, so your walls glow.  It will add a colorful background to your college party. 

There are many college theme party ideas that are easy and inexpensive to pull off.  Be as creative as possible with your themes, and remember to confiscate everybody’s keys that have had too much to drink.