The Pregame
Urban dictionary defines it as “drinking before going out to party, mostly to prevent oneself from spending too much on alcohol while out,” saying it was “invented by college students.”
The Pre-pregame
A newer addition to urbandict, this verb is defined as “the pre-game drinking at home while you're getting dressed, ironing a shirt, or stopping over to pick up a friend, that occurs before you get to an official pre-game, where you then get doused before you leave to go to an actual party/bar/any variation of alcohol induced debauchery.”
While there’s really no need to define it, the well-known and widely practiced act of pre-gaming is perhaps in need of reinventing. While the new pre-pregaming seems to some a little unnecessary and on the verge of alcoholism, it is a widely observed ritual for college students. To drink or not to drink before a pre-party is hardly ever a question, as at least one cocktail is consumed during the process of getting ready. (But that's harmless, right?)
However, this practice of pre, pre-drinking has seemed to have lost its class as shots of Burnett’s and KD pulls seem to be the standard last minute fix. Once one gets to the actual pre-party, even classier trashcan punch is the frat party staple, or if you’re lucky, a fresh foamy keg pint of Natty light served in a red solo cup that hasn’t been washed since the syllabus week party in August.
So why not treat yourself with a nice first sober drink of the night whilst pre-gaming? Whether you’re doing your makeup and Pandora-ing with your roommates or waiting for your round of bros-only pre, pre-party beer pong to end, you deserve a special cocktail before you switch to the bottom-shelf college beverage norms. Without deviating from the standard vodka and whiskey standard, here are some easy and inexpensive drinks to get a good night started.
(To make measuring easier, as if you actually do it, just remember a standard shot glass is 1.5 oz)
Sea Breeze:
We’re all riding the Texas weather’s roller coaster somewhere between blizzard and heatwave, but this drink takes a refreshing perspective on our longing for spring break beaches. Plus it’s packed with vitamins to help with the inevitable hangover.
- 1.5 oz Vodka
- 4 oz Grapefruit Juice
- 1.5 oz Cranberry Juice
Pink Floyd Punch:
Scaled down to a single serving, this spritzy lemonade based drink is yummy and easy to sip, despite the alcohol content.
- 1 Pink Lemonade Crystal Light packet (for 16 oz)
- 6 oz Beer of choice
- 6-8 oz Sprite
- 2 oz Vodka
Highball:
Sounds fancy, right? If you like your whiskey, try it with ginger ale. It’s just that simple.
- 2 oz Whiskey
- Ginger ale
The Brown Derby:
A more dynamic whiskey drink for the more interesting men in the world. And ladies if you like your whiskey, this sure beats the Jack and Coke boredom.
- 1.5 oz Bourbon
- 1.5 oz freshly squeezed Grapefruit Juice
- Dash of Honey
