Parties are a way to unwind and meet people. Since house parties are relatively rare (unless you’re in college), clubs are a great alternative. It’s like a house party, in a bit fancier setting, and you can count on it for most nights.

However, going to a party or a club can be quite stressful if you’re an introvert.

Introverts are generally anxious around strangers, huge groups of people, and environments that they’re not accustomed to. This is virtually a definition of a club.

So, does this mean that introverts can’t have a good time at the club? Of course not. Here are a few tips to make your clubbing and party experience more pleasant as an introvert.

What to do before a party to prepare?

Preparing for the party is crucial. Even as an introvert, you need to try this form of socialization. It’s just important to remind yourself that this is, for the most part, a temporary thing. Spend time alone before the party to remind yourself how little will change. You’re returning to your comfort zone before and after the party. You just have a little adventure.

Next, you need to know your limits. While attending the party, no one expects you to sing karaoke or occupy the dance floor. You’re there to have some low-key fun. You’re there to enjoy the buffet, have a few drinks, mingle with people you already know, and maybe even meet someone new. That’s it.

It’s also important to find out who is coming. Even a relatively big crowd can be non-intimidating if you know most people there. So, ask who’s coming. Also, regardless of who is invited to the party, you can always make a smaller inner circle.

Choose the right outfit. If you believe you look good, you’ll feel more confident. For an introvert, this might make a smaller difference than for an extrovert, but it still helps.

The best advice is to ask your extroverted friend to come along. They can help be your support, converse with the waiting staff, and handle most of the social heavy lifting in your stead. Even for an extrovert, bringing a friend alone is a good idea.

How to behave in a club?

One of the things that intimidate introverts in the club is a lack of structure. Most of the time, they just don’t know what to do. Introverts prefer to avoid attention, but a club is a space where being too timid can make you stick out. To avoid this and drive away these fears, here’s how you should behave in a club as an introvert.

The first thing you need to do is choose the club. Some clubs work as bars during the day, and visiting a place you’ve already visited can be less intimidating. Other spaces give more cover, which gives you more privacy and a chance to be more comfortable.

You can also minimize unwanted contact with people; with the VIP bottle service, you can avoid ordering at the bar. This works particularly well if you also have a boot at the club. It’s a bit more expensive, but since, as an extrovert, you’re not frequenting clubs, you probably have the privilege of spending a bit more for comfort.

Check the program for the evening. Going blind or going to a random night at the club is not the best course of action. If you go there to listen to the music you already love, this will already draw some of your attention and make you less anxious about the whole ordeal.

The majority of introverts have extroverted friends. There’s a funny quote about how introverts didn’t even make a friend. One day, an extrovert just came along, liked them, and decided to adopt them. So, the best advice is that everything should work independently if you bring your extroverted best friend along.

Take it easy with the alcohol

While some introverts find alcohol great for their anxiety, it can backfire horribly. For instance, you might become a social drinker if you regret not feeling comfortable at clubs. While this is not a serious condition, there’s a shorter distance between social drinking and alcoholism than between alcoholism and sobriety.

In other words, if you need alcohol to enjoy clubbing, finding a different form of entertainment/socialization is probably better.

According to one study, while extroverts drink more in the company of others, introverts are more likely to drink to cope with difficult emotions. In other words, alcohol is a great social lubricant, but you should never use it to solve a problem.

How to behave at a house party?

While house parties are a bit simpler to handle, for an introvert, they can be just as terrifying. Sure, they’re smaller in scale than club parties, which is why you can go.

The best thing at a house party is that there’s always a quiet corner. This doesn’t mean self-isolating, which would defeat the idea of going to the party to begin with. It’s just a smaller environment, usually with fewer people, that will help you adjust to the area. So, the first thing you must do when arriving there is to find your corner.

Another thing you can do is stay close to the food and drinks. This is important for several reasons. First, it gives you the perk of not having to walk across the room to enjoy them. Second, the fact that interactions by the buffet are better structured. The lack of structure in conversations with new people terrifies introverts the most. You can always comment on the snacks and drinks to break the ice. Past this, things always run more smoothly.

Wrap up

The key thing is that you put these things into the right perspective. Only go when you want; if you need alcohol to feel pleasant, you probably shouldn’t do it. Bringing an extroverted friend is a cheat code to going to parties and clubs as an introvert. They can break the ice in your stead and help you feel more comfortable. Lastly, there are many ways to customize your party experience, from reserving a boot to ordering drinks without going to the bar.