GPSS Spring Social

GPSS is not really known for its programing; choosing to focus energy on representation and lobbying, but twice a year GPSS takes off the gloves and throws a big Social for students to come and relax. I have never attended one before, mostly because I don't "mingle" all that well and wouldn't really know what to do while I was there. This time I had the important task of distributing the alcohol... critical, I know.

Next year as GPSS Treasurer planning the socials falls to me, which meant I actually had two duties at the social: distribute alcohol and figure out what could be done better next time. Here's my list of things that I would do different based on my initial impression:

• Get at least one vegetarian dish that is more complex than a simply veggie platter. Graduate students are picky eaters.
• Purchase different kinds of beer with clear labels describing what they are. we still don't know if Blue Boar is an ale or a stout.
• Prechill all of the beer. This can probably be done two ways: find space in a refrigerator somewhere and get the beer cold overnight, or go with the bucket plan used this time but started hours earlier.
• Book the adjacent ballroom early but leave it empty so live music can be played during the event.
• Work with student groups beyond the Senators to build "word of mouth" around the event to encourage participation.
• Don't try to make the event a social/networking event because people don't want to drink and network. It was a neat idea, and may have brought in some more money, but I don't believe it enhanced the evening in any noticeable way.
• Make sure the bartenders are trained and empowered to deny alcohol to people who are getting well passed drunk. Probably two people at each station would be a plus.
• Make sure to call the grocery store ahead of time if using a non GPSS budget account. The Safeway was not interested in granting us any special favors without prior notice.
• Purchase all the pop, beer, and wine ahead of time (see chilling idea above) and save the final day to purchase ice and nothing but ice. If we go the ice bucket route for chiling, we probably need 50 bags.
• Make sure to have water available to put into the ice buckets to encourage melting, that way you can dump the beer bottles in quicker, pull they out easier, and they get colder faster.

I think that if we can do those few things we'll be in good shape for next year.