There’s no feeling quite like the excitement of turning 18 and finally being able to check out the clubbing scene with your other legal-age friends.

You’d been waiting to venture out of house parties and into the city nightlife for ages. You downed bottles of Passion Pop, strapped on six-inch heels and made your way into the city for an evening of sweaty dancing and overpriced drinks. Then 3am rolls around and you staggered out of the club to the local kebab shop. You ate an enormous serving of cheesy chips, took a blurry uber ride home and successfully completed your first Big Night Out.

But by the time we reach our 20s, it’s just not the same. The years have taken away a bit of our mojo, and we’re pining for the days of house parties and backyard drinks. It’s only now, when we’re nostalgically reminiscing about our juvenile days, that we realise how much better home-based shindigs are.

Here are some reasons why.

#1 No Overpriced Drinks

There’s no worse feeling than forking out $17 for a vodka Red Bull at a club, unless you count the crippling wave of regret when you check your bank balance the next morning.

This is never an issue at house parties as you’re your own bartender. You can pour as many glasses of questionably priced wine you brought along with you.

#2 Greeted With A Hug Instead Of An ID Check

Whether you’ve been clubbing once or 20 times, it’s always mildly stressful having the six-foot-four bouncer squint at your unflattering driver’s licence, trying to decide if you’re classy enough to come into their establishment.

This isn’t so at house parties. Instead of the ID struggle, you’re welcomed into someone’s home with a hug and a chorus of enthusiastic people saying, “Heeeeey!” What’s not to love about that?!

#3 Jeans And Woolly Jumpers Are Socially Acceptable Outfits

You can breathe a sigh of relief and swap those killer heels for Cons instead, because comfort is the main priority at any home shenanigan.

Whether you rock up in a onesie or a miniskirt, it doesn’t matter. You’ll be made welcome no matter what.

#4 Kitchen Gossip Sessions Instead Of Shouting Over Club Music

There’s no struggle quite like trying to have a conversation with someone over the thumping bass of filthy rinse tunes.

At a house party, you can cut to the chase and move your gossip sesh into the kitchen where everyone can communicate without screaming.

#5 Designated Driving Is Significantly Less Shitty

There’s nothing wrong with a good ol’ Saturday night of deso-driving our drunk friends around town but let’s be honest: when it’s 1am and you’re watching everyone else do their sixth round of tequila shots, it’s difficult to keep the enthusiasm levels up.

Being the deso-driver at a house party event is infinitely more bearable, because there’ll always be other sober people around for you to judge all the drunken partygoers with.

#6 Wonderful Variety Of People

One of the best places to do some successful people-watching is at a house party.

It’s not often you’ll be in an environment with such a diverse range of individuals, so make the most of it! A glass of wine (or four) and such an interesting array of humans is the perfect combination for a night of solid banter and midnight DNMs.

Asha is an ugly-jumper enthusiast who is loving studying English and Media at University of Western Australia. She’s reliably late to everything and spends all her money on poorly-planned travel adventures.

(Lead image: Project X/Silver Pictures)