We are coming to the end of essay season, the last stragglers are handing in their midterms and the student body is heaving a collective sigh. Themed flat parties are common during this brief interlude of freedom before exams begin.
There is just something about students and themed flat parties that really fit. Like Morecambe and Wise or Chancellors Court and Canada Goose, they seem to melt together in a perfect union. However the innumerable Harry Potter and nineties themed parties have grown more than a bit stale and this lack of inspiration runs the risk of students missing out on a really good house party. This is as vital to a rounded university experience as the dire and somewhat traumatic experience of Hive’s Fresher’s Foam party. Seriously though: why is this a thing?
To ensure the success of your themed flat party I recommend branching out and trying a new theme. One option is a theme I’ve named Apricot and Angst. This somewhat unique theme was drawn from Sarah Bakewell’s new biography which paints a beautiful portrait of mid-20th century Paris and the philosophers it contained. In it she writes of Camus, Heidegger and Sartre’s inner social circle, sipping on apricot cocktails while listening to jazz and shaping the existentialist movement.
This theme is perfect for students as it’s cheap and requires minimal preparation. First you will need jazz music to create atmosphere, the dress code is obviously twenties glamour but if this seems too excessive a simple black polo neck will suffice.
Now moving on to the star of the evening, the apricot cocktail. The following was inspired by a recipe from Rob Chirico’s book Field Guide to Cocktails.
To make this cocktail you will need: 1 1/2 oz apricot brandy, 3/4 oz fresh orange juice, some fresh lemon juice, gin or vodka to taste and a berry or some mint to top.
For the method all you need to do is shake all of the ingredients (barring the garnish) with ice and strain into a cocktail glass or mug. Garnish your creation and you’re ready to go.
The best part is, unlike Butterbeer or WKD that you would receive at Harry Potter or 90s themed parties, this cocktail actually tastes good.
Plus you never know, you might just create the next great philosophical movement and all in time to make it to Big Cheese by eleven.
image: UnSplash
