Four drinking games you should try before graduating college

Alcohol plays a versatile role for society. Some use it to relax. Others use it to cook. We use it to rage.*

Cocaine (4 players)

Named for the nature and setup of the game, cocaine is fast-paced and, at times, addictive. Players and spectators are sure to scream and cheer. Cocaine brings together the best of both worlds of solo cup recreation – pong and flip cup.

TOOLS: 12 solo cups, 4 beers, 2 pong balls

SETUP: Arrange three cups on each order of the table into lines parallel to the length of the table. One player is assigned to each corner and must divide one beer into three cups (one beer per corner).

OBJECTIVE: To finish your team’s lines first by throwing the ball into your team member’s cup and flipping it, switching possession after each successful cup.

GAMEPLAY:

1. You and the person across the length of the table are partners, forming two teams.
2. Players decide which end of the table to begin (the starters should be on the same side of the table).
3. At the count of three, the two starters attempt to throw the ball into their team member’s cup.
4. The team member must assist in throwing the ball back until the starter makes a cup.
5. Once a cup is made, the team member must chug the scored cup and flip the cup upside down by placing it on the edge of the table and flicking the bottom with the bottom of the player’s fingertip.
6. The team member is now in possession and must make a cup for the starter to chug and flip. Remember, the starter has to assist to throw the ball back until the cup is made.
7. The cycle continues back and forth until one team finishes their lines first.

MISCELLANEOUS: Another variation, known as ecstasy, is to angle the lines diagonally, forming an X shape. Partners are diagonal from each other and the pong balls of the two teams cross paths, creating a hectic gameplay.

Note that like other solo cup games, cocaine is messy and spills are highly likely to happen.

Looping Louie (4 players)

Made by Hasbro, Looping Louie is a German children’s game designed to get you hammered.

Daniel Schopp, an international student from the University of Mannheim in Germany, brought Looping Louie to UNC Charlotte last semester.

He introduced the battery-powered board game to friends (myself included), who continue to introduce it to party-goers around the area.

“I want Looping Louie to be known like how beer pong is in American movies,” said Schopp.

Das ist good.

TOOLS: Looping Louie board game (can be purchased online), liquor

SETUP: Assemble the game. The instructions are in German but it’s easy to put together if you refer to the picture.

Place three coins in each player’s coin slot.

Louie, a deranged-looking aviator, is placed in the middle of the game. When switched on the plane rotates around to every player, sweeping at the players’ coins.

OBJECTIVE: To knock off other players’ coins while defending your own by lifting Louie with a lever.

GAMEPLAY:

1. Each player has three coins to defend. As Louie approaches a player’s coins, the player taps a lever that bumps Louie up, thus avoiding Louie. Generally an ineffective defense from Louie results in a player’s coin getting knocked off.
2. The first player to lose all three coins loses the round and must take a shot (chaser recommended).
3. The game is resets after each round.
4. The catch is that no player can leave the table unless he or she has all three coins at the end of each round, increasing the likelihood that every player will drink before leaving the table.
5. In addition, if a player loses a round and the three other players have retained all of their own coins, the penalty is a double shot.

MISCELLANEOUS: If a coin falls out on to the table, the player automatically loses.

Thunderstruck (3+ players)

Chugging drinks to the sound of Angus Young is the best way to start any night.

TOOLS: Thunderstruck by AC/DC, one full drink per player

SETUP: Players sit in a circle and agree on one person to start.

OBJECTIVE: To pregame the best way known to man.

GAMEPLAY:

1. Press play on the song.
2. As soon as the first player hears the word “thunder” he or she must begin chugging their drink. The player stops on the next thunder and the next person on the left begins chugging.
3. The game switches to the next player every time the song says thunder until each person runs out of drink or the song ends.

MISCELLANEOUS: Unlucky players will get stuck chugging for long durations between verses.

The Beerstick (1 person/tube)

Less of a game and more of a party trick, beersticks are used to down beer in mere seconds. It’s faster than traditional beer bonging because the beer is forced down your throat as opposed to letting gravity do the job.

TOOLS: Beerstick and beer. The beerstick is actually the EZ-Twist PaintStick which is intended for painting without the need for trays by sucking paint into a tube. It can be found at Lowe’s Home Improvement for $23.78.

SETUP & USE:

1. Begin by pulling the fill tube apart.
2. Hold your thumb at the small end of the clear tube and fill the other end with 1-2 beers. Hold the stick at an angle it to avoid foam.
3. Insert the other piece in and push slowly while flipping it so that the side with your thumb is angled up. Slowly release your thumb and push some of the foam out.
4. Once the foam is out the beerstick is ready for use. Place the opening of the beerstick in your mouth and place the other end against the wall. Alternatively, you can have someone hold the other end and push it for you.
5. Take big gulps while pushing the end of the beerstick in. Don’t go faster than you can handle or you’ll be sure to spew beer but also don’t be afraid to test the limits. It’s easier than it looks because pressure forces beer down quickly.