It is a freezing night on Feb. 7 as people wait in line to get into “Bragging Rights 3,” a party. The line wraps around the building; people are pushing to get ahead. Even though it is cold outside, girls still have on shorts, skirts, and tight dresses. They are huddled small groups trying to get body heat from one another. As I look closer, I can see the goosebumps on their arms and down their legs. I see them shivering, and tears running down some of their eyes from the cold air.

On the other side of the girls are the guys. They are wearing the newest Jordan sneakers and their hair is freshly groomed. They, too, are anxiously waiting to get into the party. They, too, are cold and trying to keep warm by rubbing their hands together and blowing into them. Some of the guys begin to light up cigarettes. I began to smell smoke in the air. Looking past the guys down the street, I see a crew of addicts and homeless people begging for money. At this moment, people realize what Houston nightlife is really about and start to wonder: 'Is enduring unbearable weather, standing in long lines, and getting hassled for money we don’t have worth it?'

We finally got into the party just to see worse than what was outside. There was intense pushing, and the party only lasted 30 minutes before there was a fight. Fighting because half the people went to rival universities; so it was a war. Burning up where girls’ hair started not to match their weave. Nevertheless, packed so close where people are standing still because nobody can move without bumping into somebody else. Just when everybody is enjoying themselves, BOOM! here comes another fight because someone thought they were tougher than somebody else. Packed as sardines, getting pushed into one circle in the middle is where people realized this party wasn’t worth it.

Leaving the party, five good friends get into it because one friend wanted to leave earlier. One friend that got bumped while in the party refuses to get in the car. Now, they're attracting attention because their voices are getting louder and louder. The two friends (the one with the car and her cousin) walk off, leaving the other girl behind because she won’t ride back with them. The girl left behind calls a taxi to get pulled off because she refuses to be treated that way. The other two girls who were neutral in the fight come by and try to talk her out of getting a taxi because it’s dangerous. The other two friends, the one with the car and her cousin; come back yelling rude inappropriate things. Things are getting really frustrating for them. While the girl still refuses to get in the car, the other friends left, permanently, making the other two friends who stayed with the girl mad because of the situation she’s putting them through cause they don’t want her to ride in a taxi alone. Thirty to 45 minutes pass, and here come the two friends who left early. One of the friends hops in with them because they don’t want to ride in a taxi. Behind their car is the taxi, as the girl who didn’t want to ride with them jumps into it along with the other friend who won’t let her ride alone.

Standing outside the party; looking at the streets of Houston seeing all the crackheads, drunk people, and just the people acting straight foolish. Right outside the party it smells like weed; like it’s coming from inside and out. A group of guys standing and waiting for girls to walk by so they can hit on every single one. People standing there trying to see what the next move is — even though it’s already 2 a.m. Walking down the street, there are clubs everywhere. Drunk people trying to walk down the street straight, even though cops are on every corner. Nevertheless, people smoking weed all out like nobody can smell it. All the ignorant people being loud for no reason just so they can be seen.

In conclusion, waiting in that cold line that wrapped around the building wasn’t worth it. Getting pushed and tumbled around wasn’t all that fun to most people. Houston nightlife looked interesting because there never was a dull moment. Houston will always have something going on and will never be boring. However, at the end of the night, all that happens is not really worth it.