Friday nights are increasingly monotonous with the repetition of boring party themes. The Culture section is saying out with “Champagne and Shackles,” out with “Anything but a Cup” and in with something a little more exciting. Please, enjoy and take inspiration from our detailed list of how to spice up your next function. 

Come Dressed as Your Favorite Problematic Influencers/Celebrities – Mackenzie Bender

Whether it’s Trisha Paytas or Elon Musk, everyone is kind of obsessed with canceled celebrities and influencers. Even though these problematic people shouldn’t be glorified, have some light-hearted fun by dressing up like them. 

Slap on that crusty red shirt that Shane Dawson wore in all those conspiracy videos and grab your cat—well, maybe not that. 

Throughout this party, there might be games like “Pin the Person in the Jail Cell” or “Guess Who: Pervert Edition” which includes characters like James Charles and P. Diddy. 

This party will have everyone laughing and trying to figure out which of the many canceled celebs you decided to be. There are so many different horrible people to choose from that you won’t have to worry about duplicates at the party. 

The costumes will all be unique. You can even bring props, such as a camcorder for Logan Paul or a ukulele for Colleen Ballinger. 

There is one issue, and that may be that people will try and defend some people like they are part of stan Twitter. So be prepared, with receipts, to prove just how your persona is horribly problematic. 

The opportunities are endless. Just be careful, because the party might get canceled. 

Come dressed as Christian girl autumn – Addison Butcher

The leaves are crunchy, the air is crispy and the scarves are infinite. Everyone’s favorite meme, Christian girl autumn, has started to make its rounds on the internet again, so pull out your knee-high boots, flannels and pumpkin spice lattes to celebrate the beginning of fall. 

For more inspiration on what to wear, either go straight to the meme originator, @cmcoving on Instagram, or search the endless Pinterest boards of skinny jeans and knitted hats.

To decorate, make your own millennial-core Rae Dunn signs, hang orange streamers and place mini pumpkins on every free surface. If you want to go the extra mile to get in the spirit, crack open your windows to feel that crisp fall air blow through your balayage highlights.

Party activities can include pumpkin painting, apple cider drinking and eating pumpkin-flavored items from Trader Joe’s. We’re in Vermont after all, so head outdoors to stroll around campus and frolic in the crunchy orange leaves. 

Most importantly, don’t forget your camera. You must have a photo shoot in your Christian girl autumn attire that can be posted with #christiangirlautumn to join the meme.

Come dressed in your fugliest outfit – Izze Kaukonen

We all know the UVM student experience includes walking around campus and being surrounded by at least—seriously, at least—fifteen of the most well-dressed people you’ve ever seen. 

Standing out in such a cutthroat environment can feel nearly impossible, especially when you were frequently told, “Wow, your outfit is so … interesting,” back home. Now you’re just some schmuck. Bummer. 

Fret not. As with most things, there is a solution to this problem: force one of your friends to host a fugliest outfit party. 

It’s time to put away that leather jacket you like telling people you thrifted but actually got on Depop. Any Diesel belts, camo hats and extraordinarily long jorts must go. Being fitted is out—fugly is in. 

While “fugly” is certainly up for interpretation, that’s the fun of it. Striped bright green socks and a trench coat with three little kids under it might be outrageous to you, but hey, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. At least people might think you’re tall for once. 

Fugliest party activities will include: 

1) Dancing however you want because you already look stupid, so it doesn’t matter

2) Consensually swapping clothes with others to have the most collectively fugly party

3) Voting on who has the fugliest outfit

4) Sacrificing the fugliest outfit-wearer.

Come dressed as your Rice Purity Score – Erika Tally

Don’t lie, we’re all guilty of periodically checking those 100 boxes, trying to see if we have become more deviant as time has gone on. While some may choose to keep their actions private, others may find community in their fellow somewhat twisted peers. 

Who knows, maybe you will find someone within your category to “socialize with,” or put more plainly, someone to match your freak.

For those unfamiliar with the Rice Purity Test, it measures the level of “purity” possessed by the test-taker. The questions begin innocently enough, getting a bit more risqué as the list goes on. The test concludes with the 100th question which asks … actually, I won’t go into that.

Keep it simple by having attendees write their scores on their t-shirts or cups. If writing is a bit too tame, make it into a dual theme, having party-goers dress as the decade correlating with their score. 

Virtuous participants might enjoy dressing as a 90s pop culture icon—someone please channel Kat Stratford. Those with scores in the mid-range could dress in vintage attire, channeling a 1940s pin-up girl, or go all out with a Beatles-esque blunt bob.

Regardless of how you execute the theme, remember to be respectful to your fellow revelers. It takes vulnerability to reveal you have participated in some unholy actions or that you prefer to keep things PG. 

Maybe stay away from anyone clad in Y2K trends, unless that’s your thing. In which case, go for it.

Come Dressed as Weird Al Yankovic – Jess Burke

Did the campus farm fest make you feel like you’re living in an Amish paradise? Is constant studying making you feel white and nerdy? Well, look no further for a weekend party theme that truly emulates the eclectic vibes one can find embedded in UVM’s campus culture: Weird Al Yankovic. 

With parodies of Lady Gaga to Nirvana, Weird Al has a song for any local party goer to get down to. Whether you’re ready to go all out for the Alpocalypse or just want an excuse to not fix your bad hair day, a Weird Al party would have all the mandatory fun anyone could ever need. 

The dress code is to dress as any character in the Weird Al universe, Al himself, or even just in your funkiest clothes. With this party idea, you don’t even need to go up to Montreal to be a Canadian Idiot. 

There will be karaoke, polka dancing and, of course, weasel stomping. Wigs should be provided at the door so everyone in attendance can have the look to truly party in the CIA. Stop being young, dumb and ugly, and start planning your own Alapalooza party today.

Come dressed as your middle school self – Natalie Richardson Wymore

Nothing says “college” more than a house party, and nothing says “house party” more than checkered slip-on Vans, a mustard yellow crop top and one of those fishing line chokers from Claire’s. 

Name a better way to relive the glory days of 6th, 7th and 8th grade than dressing head-to-toe in an outfit purchased in the John Galt corner of Pacsun. 

Imagine this: a knock at the door faintly made out over “Caroline” by Aminé, or maybe if you’re indie, Clario’s “Flaming Hot Cheetos.” 

It’s a shoes-off house, so kick off your Target brand Uggs—your mom said real ones were too expensive to get trashed in the snow … you hate her—under the coat rack draped in olive green bomber jackets from Forever 21. 

You’re ushered into a living room lit solely by fairy lights and encouraged to take a polaroid photo to hang on the wall. 

For group activities consider golden hour photoshoots, group “like for tbh and rate” sessions or stealing your friend’s dad’s vodka from the freezer—just refill what you drank with water because he’ll literally never know. 

Make sure to make a group Musical.ly and caption it #tuttingchallenge #babyariel #featureme. Maybe, if you’re lucky, by the end of the night that guy from POLS 1400 will wear your scrunchie on his wrist … fingers crossed. 

Come Dressed for an ABBA Disco Night – Emily Siess

ABBA is universally enjoyed. Maybe you watched “Mamma Mia” once or twice. Perhaps your parents were disco enjoyers themselves. Either way, everyone knows and loves ABBA. There’s no better way to spend the night than dancing to their greatest hits in your bell-bottoms and go-go boots.

The dress code is simple: wear your best disco attire. 

Draw inspiration from the classic “Mamma Mia” movie or even the band members of ABBA themselves. Pull out those platform boots and sparkly jumpsuits, bejewel your eyes and spray that shimmer. Glitter, glitz and glamor are all encouraged. There is no room for the underdressed.

What is a disco without a dance floor? Don’t forget to clear the floor, hang your disco ball and get those colorful lights twinkling. Get yourself a DJ or, better yet, a record player, and blast all the ABBA you please. 

The dance floor will be moving and grooving in absolutely no time. When dancers get tired and escape for a break, make sure you have a refreshments table at the ready, decked out with colorful sweets and drinks.

You can’t end the festivities without crowning someone the Dancing Queen. Spot the highest jumper, the loudest singer or the twirliest dancer and there you have your Dancing Queen. There must be no better way to leave an ABBA party than adorning a sparkly crown.

Come dressed as a New Girl character – Maggie O’Shea

The next time you and your friends decide to throw a party and you want people to be interested, give it a fun and interactive theme. The theme to your next get together should be “New Girl.”

If you watch this sitcom, you know that there are quite a few party activities you could plan. Picture all your friends in your house, each dressed up as their own favorite character, Jess, Winston, Nick, Schmidt or maybe even the cat, Ferguson. 

Decorate your house just like apartment 4D from the show. Be sure to make a drink based on each of your favorite characters, and don’t forget to include some of your favorite references from the show. 

You and all your friends could also play True American. This is a drinking game that is a theme throughout the series. Nobody truly knows the rules, however it is American history-themed. You can make it up as you go; it’s sure to keep your guests occupied throughout the night. 

“New Girl” is just one example: you could throw a themed party based on whatever your current favorite TV show is. Keep this in mind while you are planning your next function. 

Come Dressed as an Islander – Maggie Swanborn

Gather all the geezers and your fit friends and invite them to crack on at your “Love Island”-themed party. This is the perfect theme for a variety of reasons, and not just because it encourages minimal clothing. 

In terms of attire, you can do swimsuits or bodycon dresses, and bonus points for DIY mic packs. If you really wanted to turn some heads you could even get the signature “Love Island” water bottle to drink out of for the night. 

For the real “Love Island” heads, I suggest you dress up as a specific islander. Dust off the overalls so you or your toxic friend can go as Rob from US Season 6. 

This theme is the perfect opportunity to get your graft on with some new people, so make it a singles party or in true “Love Island” fashion, invite couples, situationships and past hookups to really stir the pot. 

You could even have a recoupling ceremony every hour or at the end of the party, forcing everyone to decide if they stay with their partner or pursue a connection with someone else. 

But don’t think you have to put all your eggs in one basket, pull each other for chats, banter and one-on-ones. 

You could even plan couples challenges: after all, it’s just early days and you need something to break the ice somehow. You could even designate a host to send texts and facilitate recouplings, or I would happily drop whatever I’m doing to step in.