A wise woman once said, “TGIF”— Thank God it’s Friday. She then proceeded to sing an entire song about raging parties, accompanied by an iconic music video. Thank you, Katy Perry, for your service. But Friday nights look different for everyone, especially college students who juggle schoolwork, jobs and their own busy schedules. But when all is done, what can UB students do for fun?
Fortunately, Buffalo offers a wide variety of activities for those who want to explore. Chippewa Street, in downtown Buffalo, is made up of several unique bars; from the rooftop-dancing at SoHo to fishbowl-drinking at Bottoms Up, those who enjoy a night out with their friends are sure to find a place on Chippewa where they can dance the night away.
“We usually go to SoHo or 67 West,” Audrey Tetrault, a senior business administration major said. “I think the atmosphere and the people who go there make it really fun. The music is always really good. They always have good DJs.”
SoHo and 67 West can be classified as traditional nightclubs. The music played is primarily EDM, pop and rap, which can also contribute to the energy of these specific bars, where people are dancing and jumping around. But for those who want more of a chill vibe, Chippewa Street also houses The Cowboy, a country bar with a unique environment of its own.
“The Cowboy is different because it’s more of a chill vibe,” Krista Lisanti, a junior English education major said. “The cover is way cheaper. My friends and I went on Halloween night and theirs was $5 compared to Soho that was charging 50 bucks at the door.”
Not everyone enjoys going to a bar. As fun and boisterous as they can be, they can also be overwhelming. Additionally, they can be very expensive when factoring in drinks, Ubers, and cover fees. “Honestly, a lot of us aren’t really fans of paying the cover fees,” Lisanti said.
But let’s not forget those who want to stay home and keep things casual. Many choose to go into the weekend not by going to bars, but by spending time with friends at home — a more intimate setting.
“A normal Friday night usually looks like staying in, watching a movie, maybe drinking some wine,” Sydney Whelan, a junior law and criminology major, responded when asked what a typical Friday night looks like for her. “Sometimes my roommates and I go out and we usually just go to Soho downtown, but when we stay in, we watch movies. Sometimes we do crafts.”
Evidently, wine nights with friends have also become popular among UB students, with many choosing to simply kick back, relax with their friends and pop open a bottle of wine to celebrate the end of a hard week.
“A chill night in would be just the girls hanging out,” Lisanti said. “We’ll [play] Mario Kart and [have] a wine night.”
“We’ve done some wine nights, some movie nights,” Tetrault said.
The beauty of a Friday night is that they are never the same. Whether you take your alcohol in a solo cup or in a wine glass, Buffalo has something for you. There are a number of lively bars waiting to be partied in, and there are also couches ready to be rotted in. How you choose to celebrate the welcoming of the weekend is up to you, even if you wake up hungover on Saturday morning in last night’s clothes.
