The Senior Year Challenge #2 – Social Gathering Part 2
Hosting a group of friends or colleagues at your apartment or home isn’t rocket science, but it does take time and effort to do it right. Here are a few steps to do it right.
- Determine why you are having a party and who you want to invite. This will help you to answer some questions.
- Do I need to send invitations?
- When and where will I host the event?
- Do I need to serve food or beverages?
- Invite your guests. You have a few options to get the word out about your event. Whichever way fits your event, be sure to give specific information so your guests will know what to expect (i.e. what to wear, do they need to bring something, etc,)
- Send an email or give them a call
- Electronic invitations like www.pingg.com or www.evite.com
- Print or have printed paper invitation
- Plan your menu. Depending on the party and your audience, this can vary from chips and salsa to a full meal. If you are new to menu planning, checks out a few of these websites to help you get started.
- (Be sure to ask your guests if they have any special dietary needs. You don’t want to serve steak to a group of vegetarians.)
- Prepare your location. The amount of time and involvement it takes to clean and organize your living space varies. You need to consider where your guest will be spending the majority of their time. Here are some things to consider.
- Will guests need a place to sit and eat?
- Do you need to rearrange furniture for more seating or to give you more room to mingle?
- When was the last time you cleaned your house?
- Visit the grocery store. After you plan your menu, plan a detailed list of supplies you will need to purchase. You may need to purchase other items to enhance your party as well. Anything from flowers to alcoholic beverages may be added to your list.
- Set up the big event. Don’t underestimate the time it will take to cook and set up for your gathering. You don’t want to spend the night in the kitchen versus spending time with your guests.