I often wonder what it’s like to live in a place with seasons. To see the leaves change ever so slightly from their vibrant green to a deep orange, or to experience the first snowfall on my way to class one crisp morning.
Sadly, I don’t see any of those occurrences. Because I attend school at the University of Arizona. And here in Tucson, AZ, we only have two seasons: old season, and pool party season. What do we do during the cold season you might ask? Well… we party indoors until Mother Nature deems us worthy of her sun so we may take our festivities poolside.
Every college draws on its strengths when it comes to partying. Those in the Midwest and the South have tailgating down to an exact science and it’s unlike anything I have ever seen. The West Coast on the other hand has been blessed with a climate of dry heat, making pool partying not only an opportunity but a duty. At the University of Arizona we consider pool partying one of our fortes. If you’ve never experienced it before, I implore you to find one of your high school friends who made the prodigious decision to go to school on the West Coast and plan a visit as soon as possible.
If I haven’t adequately convinced you that, should weather permit it, throwing a pool party is necessary in your immediate future well then I suppose you can stop reading now. Otherwise, here are some helpful tips to make sure your pool party is a hit.
Inflatable Waterslides
Fine wine, classic films, and episodes of Seinfeld: things that just keep getting better with age. To that list you can add motherfucking inflatable waterslides. They can be rented at any party supply store. They are often incredibly easy to set up and, when costs are split amongst you and your bros, the return on investment (measured in “fun” of course) is through the roof. Trust me, social media will blow up with pictures of girls sliding down the damn thing. Not to mention the hot girl in your Business Ethics telling her friends “Yeah, I heard they had a waterslide.” It’s a surefire way to take your pool party to the next level.
Watermelons
No seriously, watermelons. Fresh, delicious, sweet, goddamned watermelons. Consider for a moment the midway point of your pool party. Perhaps the same song comes on that’s already been played three times, maybe the pool is a little too crowded to enjoy yourself, the vodka might be getting a little warm after sitting in the sun for a few hours. This is when you bring out the watermelon, or any delicious fruit for that matter (I’m personally a pineapple fan). I’m not usually one for food at ragers but watermelons are a perfect snack to soak up the alcohol. Hell, even some watermelon with a little vodka poured over it isn’t a bad choice. Give it a try, I guarantee you’ll never look back.
Waterproof Camera
These days a party is only as good as social media makes it. It’s a somewhat ugly truth, but it’s the truth nonetheless. Plus, you know you’ll want to look back in a few years at the good times you had in college. That’s why you need a solid way to document your party (and if it’s an exceptionally large rager make sure you send the footage our way, we like ragers here at BroBible).
I’m a big fan of the GoPro, they all come with a protective waterproof case that can basically be submerged underwater without fear of ruining the camera. If you’re the DSLR type I would suggest investing in a waterproof case, they can run anywhere from $65-200. Cameras help us capture the good times and hopefully a few embarrassing moments of our friends, don’t let water get in your way.
Ice Luges
You might look ridiculous while partaking in an ice luge but that doesn’t make them any less fun. I’m not quite sure how I could go about explaining an ice luge to someone older than me. “I prefer my alcohol slide across a block of ice with my fraternity’s letters etched in the side before I drink it, thank you very much.” Regardless, it’s another commodity that the ladies love. Another upside? No clean up necessary! The ice luge just melts, and then it’s gone. Such a hassle-free accessory is definitely a must at your next pool party.
Luke Johnsen is a regular contributor to BroBible.