Managing Your Party

‘Party’ is an interestingly contradictory word to a geek. In some contexts, a party is a common and welcome mechanic. A often a gathering of three to six likeminded adventurers thrown together either by chance or design to work towards a common goal. Depending on the game, your role in the party may be as a single player, working with others as each fulfils their task. In other cases, you may have complete control over all the players, their abilities, and the composition of the group. In either case, fun is sure to be had.

But then there’s also parties as they are traditionally known. While there is certainly fun to be had in those as well, let’s face facts. The stigma of the socially uncomfortable geek is not unearned and as most traditionally parties feature a surplus of people who couldn’t tell you what a Metriod is or only think of elves during Christmas time, it is not the natural environment of the geek.

For those of us that live in small towns, this is the time of year for ‘days’. It may be Fireman Days, Big Days, “Your Town’s Name Here” Days, or something else, but you know how it goes. Parade in the morning, games in the park in the afternoon, and dancing on Main Street until midnight.

In some towns, depending on the popularity of the band booked, said street dance may inflate the town’s population to more than double its usual amount. All packed together in a couple blocks...

So what does one do when you’re surrounded by hundreds of friends, neighbors, and strangers alike all the while knowing that you don’t share a single interest with 99% of them? Aside from simply staying home and raiding Uludar of course.

Having been to a number of these in the last weeks (hence the lack of an update last week), I have some advice.

1. Keep moving. People watching is entertaining, but nobody likes to be stared at. Stay mobile. This way it at least looks like you’re doing something and you increase your chances of running into somebody you can hold a conversation with.

2. Chit-chat. You’re bound to see somebody you at least know. Make some small talk. Share whatever relevant details of your life you think they may be interested in and at least pretend to be interested in hearing about theirs.

3. Karaoke is the ultimate equalizer. Parties have an unusual effect on people doing embarrassing activities. While singing along to your favorite song in the middle of the street on any other day would result in severe shunning, at a street dance you it is not only acceptable, it’s almost expected. Good or bad, those that take the mic are heroes of the evening, so pick a good song that you know the words to and get up there.