Whether it's walking down the narrow stairs of a frat house, sneaking a few bottles past the not-so-observant RA, or paying $5 to dance at a club, it's UB's nightlife.
Nightlife is a part of the college experience. It provides a vibrant way for students to have fun and create experiences that may or may not be remembered the next morning. Whether the scene is bars or clubs or a frat party, UB's got it all.
Main Street, where UB's South Campus is located, is not only home to many restaurants and shops, but it is where many students go to spend a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night. Aside from the fraternity houses intermingled within the community, the three main bars in the area are Mojo's, Northside, and The Steer.
Northside is a bar and a dance floor. It's popular amongst underclassmen because they allow 18-year-olds in for the price of $5 for girls and $10 for guys. Most weekends, there is a line out the door to enter, but once inside the music is booming and the dance floor is always packed, according to Mike Mazzeo, a sophomore business administrative major and frequent Northside patron.
"Northside is a rage every night," Mazzeo said. "That was and still is my go-to place to party with my boys, meet girls, and forget about the torturous school week I just had."
For Michael Campbell, a sophomore biomedical science major, Northside was too dirty and crowded for his taste. He'd rather spend his time at Mojo's.
The second club on Main Street - locatedalmost directly next toNorthside -is a larger venue. Mojo's has a larger dance floor than Northside, and the multi-colored lights illuminate the four total rooms that include a bar, a pool table, and a beer pong area. This is popular amongst the under 21 crowd - the club is 18 and up - because they employ the same policy at Northside: $5 for girls and $10 for guys.
"When I went to Mojo's, I was very comfortable and I was able to spend the night with my group of friends," Campbell said. "None of us got lost in the massive crowd and we had a great time. The environment was so much nicer than Northside."
Both clubs have bars and will serve alcohol to those over 21, so they aren't strictly just for the younger crowd.
Just across the street from Northside and Mojo's is The Steer. The Steer is a restaurant during the day, but on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, it transforms to the main attraction for students with proof that they are over 21.
The Steer is home to a pool table, a giant bar centered in the middle of the room, and a crowded outside area to smoke, drink, or warm up by a heat lamp. The Steer is known as a laidback bar with not much room for dancing, but a more socialized setting, according to Jordan Hutt, recent UB graduate.
"I like all of the bars but for different reasons," Hutt said. "If I'm looking to mingle with an older crowd I'd go to The Steer. I'm pretty much guaranteed to know 50 percent of that night's patrons. Whereas Mojo's, I'll always meet new people and it's a great spot to dance. Northside is great if you're in Greek life; it's like one big mixer after party and I can always bank on walking away with a new 516 number."
Since the bars don't usually get popular until 12 a.m. or 1 a.m., what is there to do before then? For many students at UB the answer is attending a Greek Life party.
UB has numerous fraternity and sororities, each different in their own way. But they all have a common goal when it comes to Thursday, Friday, Saturday and sometimes even Tuesday nights: throw a memorable party and have an amazing time.
Mixers or social parties between fraternities and sororities are common and are usually situated in frat houses mixed throughout the streets off of Main Street. Sometimes they are open to members outside of Greek life; sometimes they are not. Frats are also known for their themed parties like highlighter parties, paint parties, and costume parties.
"The first time I went out, it was to a frat," Campbell said. "My first thought was that it was a terrible neighborhood. The frat itself was dirty and I was thankful that I was in a big group. The guys were kind of shady, too. I'd rather be at a club."
The longevity of the party usually depends on the turnout, the guy-to-girl ratio, the quantity of alcohol, and whether or not the police decide to pay a visit, according to Jackie Krawiecki, junior biological sciences major.
Krawiecki transferred to UB last year and immediately fell into the nightlife.
"Being in Greek life makes nightlife fun because after a mixer, everyone always ends up at the same bar," Krawiecki said. "You always know that people are going to be there. Whether it's Northside, Mojo's, or The Steer, they always play good music and the bartenders are always very polite."
South Campus has a lot to offer when it comes to the nightlife of UB. However, once winter starts, many students living on North Campus may not want to take the 20-minute bus ride to walk down Main Street to find a party. This is when dorm rooms become the hot spot to party during the weekend.
According to Campbell, those nights spent with friends in the confines of his room were when some of the best memories were made.
"It was so much easier to gather everybody up and be in one place at the same time," Campbell said. "We were basically able to do whatever we wanted since our RA was pretty much nonexistent, and didn't seem to care what we were up to. I think she told us to quiet down once the whole year despite us being pretty noisy every weekend."
The night scene at UB offers something to many types of partiers: the clubber, the chill bar lover, the dancer, or the social butterfly. So get ready to enjoy the weekend and create memories that won't be remembered in the morning.
Email: features@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Ms Jones | Wikimedia Commons
