Best college party ideas, themes and games

Here are some college party theme ideas and college party games that don’t have to involve alcohol, but can do if you prefer. It’s important to know that drinking isn’t a necessary component of having a good time at college parties, plus it means you end up remembering so much more and are alert enough to enjoy the whole event. Here are some college party without alcohol ideas – although it can be added at any time (safely of course!) – some easy dorm room party ideas! Even if you’re not at college, some of these will work really well as party ideas, sleepover ideas and girls night ideas too!

1. Movie night party – this could be a Covid safe ‘drive in’ movie situation, where everyone stays in their car with blankets and duvets and popcorn.

2. Virtual college party ideas – deliver a special movie night or party box to everyone, with an invitation to connect online at a certain time. There are so many fun party games to try, plus drinking games, or doing a fun ghost seance if you’re in an old building, or connecting to play Cards Against Humanity or even a food tasting night (you could deliver every person a parcel filled with weird and bizarre foods)

3. College garden party – set in a magic garden with fairy lights and cushions and blankets. An awning, stylish umbrella or pagoda can provide cover, you could wind fairylights up the sides and make it cosy too by gathering around a warm campfire, one of these ESSE outdoor stoves is a safer campfire option and makes a super luxurious centre point to gather around, a la Love Island, plus they can be used to prepare al fresco snacks or meals too.

4. Favourite things party/Favorite things party – a ‘My Favorite things’ party is a party where everyone brings some of their favorite things, gifts are exchanged, and everyone leaves with a number of gifts equal to what they brought! Here is how to host a ‘Favourite Things’ party.

It makes such a good no alcohol college party idea – although you could always introduce it if wanted! There is a budget of anywhere between £1 – £10 per item and everyone must purchase their favourite thing and bring three identical versions of it to the party. The items must be unwrapped and then are placed on a table. 

Before you start, everyone goes around and explains what they brought and why it’s one of their favorite items. Everyone then draws a number from a bowl. Whoever is #1 gets to choose any item on the table as theirs. Then you continue in numerical order taking turns choosing a gift. You do this for 3 rounds, redrawing numbers for each round. Straight forward and so much fun, plus you get to learn a lot about the meaning behind everyone’s favourite thing!

5. Pyjama party – everyone wears their best pyjamas, you could even have a pyjama fashion contest and have a pillow fight, plus loads of pamper and self care activities, all the best things.

6. Baking challenge party – why not divide in to two teams and have a super fun bakeoff! Don’t forget to reserve at least one person to be the judge of the competition. You could make alcoholic dishes or non alcoholic dishes – the former might mean the alcohol goes elsewhere other than the bake, but is a great way to enjoy drinking with friends. Sober or drunk, this game is so much fun and the losers could be made to wash up afterwards!

7. Ugly jumper party – this is such a great party to hold around Christmas, everyone can wear their ‘ugliest’ Christmas jumper! It’s a great way to put worn less clothes to use, to whip it out from the back

8. Harry Potter/Hogwarts themed party – such a cool college party theme idea, this is ideal for a school-like location and everyone can dress up in their Hogwarts house uniform, plus butterbeer can be alcoholic or non alcoholic, it’s up to you!

9. Grafitti or glow in the dark party – get the glow sticks ready! A college grafitti party is where everyone brings a highlighter or similar glow in the dark marker pen, then a blacklight kit is used to turn everything hyper glowy! For extra crazy, introduce glow in the dark paint!

10. Different era party – set up as a totally different era, with all the stereotypical trends and traditions. This can make such a fun and interesting party idea as it’s a chance to get really creative and explore so many cool old traditions eg a 1950’s themed party could feature dancing in pairs and attempting dances like the Lindyhop – you could even have a best dancer award!

11. A foam party – can be achieved by renting a foam machine, that basically fills the whole room waist deep with foam! This setup can be alcohol free too – still so much fun, it just means that you will be more aware and able to take everything in! Just be sure that the floor is appropriate and won’t get spoiled – that any mess can be easily cleaned up after!

12. A masquerade party or ball – even a miniature ball would work and this is a chance to get super creative with your theme. To this event, everyone must wear a mask over their face or eye area!

13. An Olympics party – where everyone dresses as athletes for different events and competes against each other; you could even have silly Olympic events like the biggest bubblegum bubble blown!

14. A water party – probably better on a hot day! A party involving water pistols, foam and water slides and entertainment. You could ask around beforehand and ask everyone to bring their own water slides and accessories from home, then combine them all to create a whole water park! This can but doesn’t have to involve alcohol, it’s such a fun idea either way!

15. A food tasting party – where everyone is blindfolded and then asked to guess what food they are eating. You could include some really bizarre food combinations, but remember to be safe and don’t take it too far or add any inedible substances – also be sure to check with your guests for allergies before they attend and tailor your food accordingly, be sure the food is safe!

16. A Disneyland party – create the sounds, sights, smells of Disneyland! There are so many creative ideas to try, with popcorn being mandatory. You could even make different colours and flavours of popcorn for each Disney character.

17. Alice in Wonderland party

18. Look-alike character party – everyone dresses up as the character who most looks like them, whether it’s from a game franchise, tv series, movie or book!

19. Treasure hunt party – like an Easter egg hunt, on steroids! Create little parcels with clues and layer it intricately so it will take ages to solve, plus extend the width of the playing field to include public places or even your friend’s houses with their permission – but be sure not to pollute or litter!

20. Formal lunch party – or a formal meal together, that may replicate traditions missed at home, like a Sunday Roast. This is ideal for homesick students and makes a really lovely gesture! Everyone could dress formally and smartly in their best clothes and you could even set up a photo area if you wanted. One of the coolest college party ideas!

21. A snow party – with tons of fake snow and everyone must arrive in winter and ski wear! There could be ‘snowballs’ to throw (even scrunched up paper). Fake snow is the next best thing to the real thing!

22. Take tons of pictures – even set up a photo taking area to take snaps to put on your instagram if you like!

Date party outfits ideas

A HUGE (and super fun) part of college is date parties. Usually these parties have a theme and sometimes it can be hard to figure out what to wear! 

Here are some super cute date party outfit ideas that are also super easy to do!

1. Put everything on backwards costumes – normal clothes, just everything backwards! This is a super cheap college costume idea as you don’t need to buy anything, it’s so easy.

2. Ugly jumper party – where everyone wears their funniest ugliest jumper

3. Space cowboy costume – a cowboy hat with anything metallic means your costume is already sorted!

4. A mean girls costume – so easy! Either wearing all pink is perfect, or copy that certain snipped holes in top look a la Regina George. Just be sure your top is old and unused!

5. Angels theme – apply wings and add glitter, voila!

6. Ski girls – jump in to your fitness wear, apply a beanie and ski googles and voila!

7. ‘Just woke up’ theme – with crazy hair, sleep mask on your head and pyjamas of course!

8. Underwater theme – just wear your swimming gear and goggles!

9. Harry Potter theme costume – just don your formal interview wear!

10. Bridgerton theme costumes – costumes need not be revealing! Why not channel Regency fashion with a dress you can upcycle and some satin gloves.

11. Crazy scientist costume – perfect if you’re a science student! Just pop on goggle glasses, a white lab coat and a crazy hairstyle.

12. Scout girl costume – all you need is a sash with some iron on or pin on badges! You can wear with your regular outfit and it still looks like a costume!

There are so many different kinds of college parties, the word ‘party’ can mean anything! I hope there is a little something for everyone here in this list ♡