Pres - The Best Part of the Night

Pre-drinks are a beloved tradition. Source: Rosie Leishman. 

I know I’m not alone in saying that most of the time, pres are better than the party. 

Getting ready, listening to your music, sitting around with your closest mates and playing drinking games in the lead-up to a host is like the not-so-calm before the probably-underwhelming storm.  

Pre-drinks are the same as Christmas or New Year’s Eve: the lead-up is lowkey better than the actual day. 

And I can’t deny that I’m a convicted culprit of getting too comfy at pre-drinks, reluctantly arriving to the destined event late. 

So, why is it that pre-drinks are more fun? 

For Jessica Tavendale, 20, “The environment just hits different.” 

“It's all about the people you're with, being in a place where someone's playing good music.” 

The third-year UC student loves a good lead-up to an event with the girls.   

“There’s nothing like being with people who hype you up. You’re with your girlfriends, we've had our days at uni, and there's that special time where you're having a shower bevvy, you’re doing makeup all together, and talking gossip.” 

The reason people even have pre-drinks is to enjoy being around your closest people before the slight admin of going out into the cold Ōtautahi Christchurch chill to stand around with more people you don’t know so well.  

Don’t get me wrong, parties are fun too. Pre-drinks only happen if there is a party to pre for.  

But with good music and drinking games around the dining table, everyone starts feeling tipsy together – it’s like the designated time of the week set aside for quality friendship bonding. 

“It's just indescribable, so much fun,” said Tavendale. “Then next thing you know, it's 10.30 and you’re getting calls like ‘hurry up!’ and you don't want to leave but you have to, it's so sad.” 

Tavendale shared, “[A]t pres, you just trust and enjoy the process, you know you're gonna have a good time, whereas at the party, you never really know what's gonna happen.” 

Izzy Logie, 20, summed it up well: “You’re with your people, the ones that you always have a good time with no matter what.” 

As well having a bev, getting ready, hyping each other up, and anticipating the night ahead, “most importantly, at pres you start to relax and let go of all the stressors going on. That in itself is a feeling that tops it all,” said Logie. 

Kaylee Macormack agreed, saying it’s the time of the week to “have a proper catch-up for you to get completely sloshed – together.” 

The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of ‘pre-drinking’ is “drink[ing] alcohol, especially in large quantities, before going out socially.” 

“Large quantities” means many people don’t make it past the pres, after one too many funnels – the warmth of their bed a mere 10 steps away is far too inviting. 

Source: Rosie Leishman. 

Pre-drinking is more cost-effective and efficient, as you can go to the event with enough in your system to not need to buy or bring anything else.  

Research on young adults’ drinking behaviour shows that despite their knowledge about the negative consequences of excessive drinking, students still drink to be sociable and feel good. 

According to a 2022 article in the journal PLOS ONE, “Studies suggest that drinkers tend to drink almost twice as much on pre-drinking evenings compared to other drinking evenings… and usually drink more often and in greater quantities per occasion, compared to non-pre-drinkers.” 

This could also be because of games like King’s Cup, Stack Cup, Ks & As, and Beer Pong, which are an efficient way to drink far too much while having a giggle with your mates before your next venture. 

Pre-drinks also extend the duration of a good evening out, filling in time when it’s too early to leave but after you’ve already written off the rest of your day. 

Pre-drinks don’t always have to be about getting the drunkest, but about being around those you care about most before having to try a bit harder to socialise at the actual event. 

And if you get a bit too cosy at pres, don’t feel guilty for ending the night there, because you probably made it to the best part. 

At the end of the day, we go out to have fun. With your close mates around, games, music and top-tier, stress-free vibes – what more could you want for your evening out than a quality pre-game? 

If you think pre-drinks are better than the party, don’t worry, you’re not the only one.