The Ultimate Guide to SJU’s Party Scene

I absolutely love to party. I party hard and I party often. I come from a place where we spend a lot of our time partying purely because we have nothing else to do, so really, I’m kind of a party expert. Because of this, I was obviously very excited to be going to school in New York; I imagined all the parties there would be absolutely wild. Most Johnnies love a good party and are always ready to attend one. But unfortunately, the St. John’s party scene wasn’t exactly what I expected. We have several kinds of parties that have totally different vibes, and I’m here to tell you about all of them. Keep reading for the ultimate guide to SJU’s party scene!

1. Frat & Sorority Parties

This also includes parties thrown at the baseball/lacrosse/etc. houses. These parties are always word of mouth unless you’re directly invited by a member of the team or frat/sorority. I’ve been to my fair share of house parties which, I feel, gives me the authority to judge these. I’ve been to a few and honestly I was not very impressed. If you feel like being in a crowded house where the alcohol is likely to be finished, not that we’d be wanting to drink any (duh), then this is for you. I go out mostly for the dancing and it’s a little hard to do that when you can barely move. Or when it’s so hot you feel like you’re gonna pass out. It is, however, a good pace to meet people, hook up, and probably get high but not really my idea good of a good time.

Price: Free – Whatever they feel like charging you as it gets later

Level of Attendance: 10/10

2. DJ Zeke On the Strip

Alright, technically not a party but a pretty good ass time. No invitation really necessary here, you’ll hear him and know what’s going down. S/O to DJ Zeke, whenever he’s around it’s pretty lit. To be clear, it’s not always DJ Zeke, I always say that St. John’s singlehandedly keeps the DJs in Queens going. Any time there is a DJ on the strip it’s a lot of fun. Everyone singing along and dancing, generally during the day, so you know, not as fun as going out at night but fun nonetheless.

Price: Free

Level of Attendance: 10/10

3. Vinsanity Parties

I have had the best time at these parties and I think my friends would agree. Invitation usually comes in the form of Twitter or flyers shoved underneath your door. There are probably other groups that host parties but this is the one I know best and they deliver, plus they sometimes offer discounts. They host parties in clubs and all you generally need to get in is a student ID, so this is probably your best bet to getting into a club unless you have a fake ID. Also a plus is that all their parties are in Queens, and if they don’t offer transportation, it’s still not that far from campus. They also host a party for EVERY occasion, I’m not even joking.

Price: $8 – $12 depending on whether or not you get early bird tickets, discounts and what packages they’re offering.

Level of Attendance: 8/10

4. Facebook Group Parties

Every class at SJU has a Facebook page, and sometimes parties get advertised on these pages. I’ve only ever been to one of these and it was…yeah, it was very different to any party I’ve ever been to and it was in Brooklyn. I had a pretty good, if not pretty weird, time there but that isn’t the norm. I’ve heard mixed reviews about those parties. Some are good, and some are bad, and they mostly seem to be in Manhattan. Manhattan is gorgeous at night but also far from campus, so that’s really a buzzkill.

Price: I have no idea

Level of Attendance: 4/10

10 Things To Do In Los Angeles Before You Leave

5. Parties in the Suites

Something you definitely have to be invited to. This is our version of a dorm party. Our suites are spacious, but not big enough to hold large numbers of people. These are fun, but if you get too loud, you will definitely get a noise complaint and have the RAs or Public Safety potentially breaking up your party. Still, it’s always fun while it lasts and more intimate than all of the other options given so far, and maybe better if you prefer to hang out only with people you know. Be smart, because alcohol obviously is not allowed in the suites.

Price: Free unless people are trying to make a profit

Level of Attendance: 10/10

6. Trads & Parsons

These are the SJU hangout spots; two bars not very far from SJU. You have to be 18 to get into Trads and 19 to get into Parsons. Obviously 21+ to consume alcohol. Many people say Trads is extremely gross, but these are the same people that go here week after week. It’s not gross, it’s just a bar, a dive bar. It’s not going to look like the Four Seasons. I don’t find Trads gross at all, but I don’t go there all that often. I’ve been there a few times and the music was great which is really what I look for first. That and the vibe, if everyone’s into it then it’s a good time. If you like to dance and hook up with people (that you’re going to act like you don’t know on campus the next day) and drink beer, Trads is for you! Parsons is nicer on the inside, but on a good night can get just as packed Trads. While it can often be a Greek Life hangout, you still have to go for $1 beer Tuesdays and Karaoke Thursdays!

Price: Varies depending on your gender

Level of attendance: 10/10 (especially on a Tuesday night)