First of all, there’s no such thing as introverts and extroverts. It’s a false dichotomy developed by psychology majors that didn’t know what else to do with their liberal arts degrees. Introversion and extroversion are two ends of a spectrum, and you exist somewhere in between the two. At the extreme extroversion end, you’re probably not reading articles on the internet about how to throw parties. At the extreme introversion end, you’re probably taking notes to make sure that when you invite a bunch of relative strangers over – it’s worth it. I promise it will be.
I consider myself on the introverted end of the bell curve. I can go days without needing to interact with anyone (except to tell my girlfriend to stop trying to talk to me), and I hate being the center of attention. But just because I’m an introvert doesn’t mean I’m a nerd that doesn’t like to party. Quite to the contrary, I have been evicted from three residences for exactly that reason. I love hosting great parties.
Hopefully you’ve been to a great party, so you know what I’m talking about. I mean the type of party where people talk about what a great fucking party it was. This is a night where things just flow, when guests lose track of time, and where strangers become friends. It’s such an awesome thing, such a badass part of the human experience, and anyone can pull it off. It’s why we started Mullet Party in the first place, to give people the props to launch their own kickass party. And for my fellow introverts, there’s five easy steps to ensure that your party will be the topic of discussion for generations to come. Here are Mullet Party’s 5 life pro tips for being an extraordinary host:
Develop a Pre-Party Ritual
When you’re throwing an actual party, and not a friendly “get together”, you need to get your mind ready to carpe the fucking noche. I like to get everything relatively set up early in the day and give myself some time to feel good. For me, that means eating a healthy meal, hitting the gym (heavy chest and biceps always), and getting my favorite dumb friends together before the chaos arrives. We listen to the Mullet Party playlist on Spotify, talk about who was a better high school baseball player, and drink a bit of Espolón and High Ball energy. I shouldn’t need to say this but I will, don’t overdo it with the pregame. The second your introverted self starts talking shit freely, it’s time to slow your roll. You need your limited mental capacity for a few more hours.
Wear a Conversation Starter
I don’t love being the center of attention, so this is a delicate balance. Fortunately, this is also one of the many reasons that I love Mullet Party, as it invites unusual attire without seeming desperate. My go-to is a pair of distressed overalls and a stupid t-shirt. The overalls have tons of pockets for beer, disposable cameras, phone, and concealed carry (if Karl’s coming). As the host, it’s important to be on the more outlandish side, so that none of your guests will feel out of place if they decide to dress up a bit.
Wearing a conversation starter is by far the easiest way to disguise your boring personality. Someone will invariably tell me “ohmygod I used to LOVE wearing overalls,” and now we’re all set to talk about something not so boring. I also highly recommend tuxedo jumpers, sombreros, and Hawaiian everything.
Make Other People Work
Nothing is worse than a host that spends the entire party tending to everything. This is for two reasons: 1) people are at your party to spend time with you, not watch you run to the store for paper towels, and 2) you’re missing a huge opportunity to involve the wallflowers.
A lot of people love having something to do at a party that forces a bit of socialization. Put someone in charge of the bar and make sure they know how to make a few simple drinks. Give your wannabe DJ friend control of the music so that he’s to blame when the vibe gets off. Hand out a couple disposable cameras to your friends that are horribly awkward with the opposite sex and tell them they need to capture the behind-the-scenes of the party (those will be gold in 5-7 business days). The goal is to involve people and make them an integral part of the party.
Work the Room
A great host doesn’t get sucked into conversations with the same dumb friends they see every week. Make an effort to introduce people to other folks they may or may not know. This is as simple as “Karl, I want you to meet Larry. Larry is also a ______ person.” Then sit back and watch the magic happen. There’s nothing cooler than introducing people that go on to become friends, except for introducing people that go on to have sex with each other.
If there’s anybody at your party that you don’t know, here’s the best move for making an introduction: “hi, I haven’t met you yet.” It’s the perfect way to offer a feeling of camaraderie while making it clear that you’re a big deal.
Give Value
This is the most important life hack for being a great host, and the most underutilized. Giving value, at its simplest, is telling someone they are awesome. Most everyone knows how good it feels when they’re complimented, but very few people can crank em out. Be that person though, and you’ll have a magnetic draw to you.
Don’t just go around telling people they’re awesome though, or you’re gonna just give a creeper vibe. Make it your goal to find something cool or unique about each guest you talk to, and let them know that you think so.
So go grab some mullets and carpe the fucking noche.