How to Throw a High School Party

Last Updated: February 4, 2023 References

Having a high school party can be a lot of fun, but if you've never thrown a party before, keep in mind it can take a lot of work, too. Take some time to plan it out and get permission from your parents. Then set up for the party before your friends get there and keep the party going once they arrive so you all have a good time!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Planning the Party

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Avoid sneaking behind your parent’s backs. You could get in trouble or even be in danger if you do so. Even though most movies show high school parties as crazy ragers, the truth is you should be honest about your party plans with your parents. They can help you set up a time, make sure nothing is broken, and keep everyone safe. Sit down with your parents and have an honest conversation about why you want a party, how you’ll manage it, and what you want from them in terms of help and support.^{[1]
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- Avoid having a party when your parents aren't home. As fun as it sounds, having a house party is a big responsibility. What starts as a few friends can end up with a wrecked house, and you don't want to deal with the cleanup and the cost of replacing your parents' possessions! Play it safe, and get your parent's permission to have a party.
- Plus, if your parents trust you with the house when they're not home, you'll be violating that by throwing a party. It will be hard to win back that trust from your parents.
- While you're planning, talk about any house rules your parents have for the party.
2
Figure out how many people you can comfortably hold in your house. Your house can only hold so many people, and you don't want things to get out of hand! Think about how much space you have, and how many people can comfortably fit in each room. For instance, a typical living room with a couch and a couple of armchairs probably won't hold more than 10 people at a time.^{[2]
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- Typically, more than 20 people in a home would be too many. Your parents may not want more than 5-10 people at a time. Either way, it's important to discuss this issue before you send invitations out.
- Alternatively, if you want to host the party outdoors, you'll probably be able to fit more people, but keep in mind that the more people you have, the louder the party will be!
- When thinking about who to invite, try to go outside of just your small clique. Invite people from different groups and backgrounds for a more interesting party. Maybe invite someone who doesn't get invited to many parties.
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3
Decide on a time and date. Weekend afternoons and evenings are usually good times for a party, but don't forget to factor in your friends' activities. If they're all going to be at the football game or an out-of-town concert, obviously you want to pick another night. Alternatively, you could make your party the place to be before or after the big event!^{[3]
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- For big events, consider having your party as the pre-prom place to get ready or the place to hang out after the big game.
- If you're hosting a small party, poll your guests to see which date works best for everyone.^{[4]
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  Christina Millikin
  Founder & CEO, Glow Events
  Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.}
4
Plan out your food and drinks. The best parties have a variety of drink options like sodas and juices, as well as some snack foods, like chips, pretzels, or popcorn. If you aren’t sure how much to get, overestimate the food and drinks you’ll need, since you don’t want to run out!^{[5]
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- Ask your friends if they’re willing to pitch in on food and drinks or, if your parents are helping you plan the party, see if they’ll help pay for some of it.
- Keep in mind that drinking alcohol underage is illegal. If someone brings alcohol to your party, ask them to put it away or leave so you don’t get in any trouble from the cops.
- Try mixing together equal parts of lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, orange juice, and pineapple juice for a fun punch. Throw in a few scoops of sherbet for extra pizzazz.
- For snacks, you could just serve chips and dips, pretzels, and a few sweet things like brownies or cookies. You could also serve sandwiches, veggie and fruit trays, and meatballs made in a slow cooker. You could even just order pizza and have sodas.
- Try to serve both meat and veggie options in case anyone is a vegetarian.^{[6]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christina Millikin
  Founder & CEO, Glow Events
  Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.}
- Offer some allergy-friendly foods as well.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christina Millikin
  Founder & CEO, Glow Events
  Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.}
5
Choose a theme to have some silly fun. A theme isn't absolutely necessary, but it can make your party seem more festive! For instance, try a silly hat or mask party, where you ask partygoers to wear a goofy hat or mask so you can take fun pictures. Set up a photo booth area so people can take pics together! You can even have a box of hats or masks near the booth or entrance to the party for people who forget to bring their own.^{[8]
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- Alternatively, go for a theme based on the nearest holiday. Whether it's Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day, plan your party around it.
- You could also choose a theme based on a movie, a song, or a decade, like a swinging 1920s party.
6
Invite people through social media or by word of mouth. Once you've got your guest list and date, all you need to do is invite people! You can create an event on Facebook, email invitations, or text your friends the date and time. Alternatively, just remind your friends you're having a party and ask them to put it in their calendars so they don't forget.^{[9]
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- Make sure to tell your friends about any theme, or give them a heads up if they need to bring anything.
- If your parents have any house rules for the party, it's a good idea to put them in the invitation. For instance, you may want to emphasize that you won't be serving alcohol at the party and that it will end at a certain time.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Setting up for the Party

1
Clean the house before your guests come over. Make sure everything is sparkling clean and ready for people. Ensure the bathrooms have hand towels ready and that the areas people will be in are free of clutter.^{[10]
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- Similarly, make sure to put up anything you don't want to get broken or disappear. Even if your house party doesn't get too crazy, accidents happen.
- Make sure there's plenty of chairs around for people to sit in but that there's still space to move around.
2
Limit the party to 1-2 rooms. If you spread out too much, people are more likely to break off into smaller cliques. If everyone is shoved into 1 or 2 big areas, they're forced to mingle. Plus, the more people you have together in one area, the more it feels like a party!^{[11]
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- If you divide into 2 rooms, try having 1 room with louder music and 1 area that's quieter, so people can hang out and talk if they want.
3
Throw up some fun decorations to make things more festive. You don't have to use streamers, though you can if that's your thing. Try decorating with a theme. For instance, if you're planning a Valentine's Day party, go crazy with red and pink flowers, hearts, and sparkly silver decorations.^{[12]
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- You could also just put out a lot of fresh flowers or buy a bunch of Mylar balloons to grace the ceiling.
- If you're low on cash, hit the dollar store for decorations. You could even glue aluminum foil to thin cardboard (like cereal boxes), then cut out stars or hearts for cheap decorations.
- Put up strings of sparkly lights and turn the other lights down for a glitzy effect!
4
Put out the food so it's easily accessible. Try arranging it on a table where guests can move around both sides. Put chips and pretzels in bowls to make them easy to get to and place things like dips and other cold-food items over ice to keep them cool for the party.^{[13]
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- Pour the punch in a bowl at one end or keep drinks in a cooler with ice.
5
Turn the music up and make room to dance. Loud music is a great way to get everyone excited about partying. However, you don't want to drive your parents or the neighbors crazy, so don't make it too loud! Make a space in the center of the room for a dance floor, and you're good to go.^{[14]
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- Make sure to get your playlist ready ahead of time so the music will be taken care of! Hook up your phone to your speakers or your stereo system for your own curated dance party.^{[15]
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- Also, you may want to warn your neighbors you're having a party so they know what to expect.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Keeping the Party Fun

1
Welcome people as they come in. It's your job to be the host, so open the door and invite people in when they get there. Show them where the party areas are and where they can get food and go to the bathroom. That will make them feel welcome as they come in!^{[16]
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- Encourage them to eat, grab something to drink, or dance, as appropriate.
2
Play the hostess throughout the evening to keep the party going. It's your job to keep things going smoothly. If the food runs out, try to put out more. If no one's dancing, ask someone to dance with you to get it started. When you see small groups breaking off, try to bring them together for a group activity.^{[17]
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- Similarly, if you see rules being broken, it's your job to enforce them. For instance, if one rule is everyone must stay in the house, remind people if they try to leave before their ride is there.
3
Ask people to leave if they're getting too crazy. Partying is supposed to be fun, so if people are getting drunk or getting too loud, you can ask them to leave. It's your party, and you can say who stays or goes.
- If things are getting out of hand, you may want to get your parents involved. If people bring in alcohol or drugs, it's better to 'fess up early and get it under control. Your parents can help you handle the situation so it doesn't turn into a big mess.^{[18]
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- Similarly, if more people show up than you planned, talk to your parents about what to do.
4
Clean up when you're done. Make sure to pick up any party debris, take down the decorations, and put away the food. Then wipe down counters, sweep and mop, and vacuum the room!
- If you're lucky, maybe you can convince some of your friends to help at the end.
- If you leave a huge mess behind, your parents aren't likely to say yes the next time you want to have a party.

Warnings

If people do drink at your party, make sure no one drinks and drives, and that everyone gets home safely.

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Drinking alcohol underage is illegal and could get you in serious trouble.

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