# What do middle-class and up people do at parties when they're over 30? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 3, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996 "2021-08-03T21:00:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![antonn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@antonn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonn)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/1 "2021-08-03T21:00:42Z")
Other than drugs or orgies. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/2 "2021-08-03T21:08:10Z")
What did you do at parties before 30 that you feel like you can’t do now? I am not 30 yet, but I can’t imagine I’ll do much different than I do now: have a drink or two, talk to people, play some party games, of which there are endless varieties now of varying age appropriateness. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/3 "2021-08-03T21:09:35Z")
I’m guessing drugs and orgies. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/4 "2021-08-03T21:10:23Z")
Listen to music, talk to people, drink, maybe play some sort of game or diversion? Same thing anyone does, I think. The drinks and the music get nicer as you get older and wealthier. The talk may or may not. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/5 "2021-08-03T21:10:30Z")
Uh, it depends on the party. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/6 "2021-08-03T21:12:10Z")
This is supposed to be a factual section of the board, so I’ll mention listening to classic rock on too-expensive audio systems and eating the stuff we couldn’t afford when we were in school. Not bragging on it or anything, but it’s the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/7 "2021-08-03T21:15:26Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Uh, it depends on the party. Yes, the word “party” can refer to an extremely wide range of types of events. There are dinner parties, birthday parties, Superbowl- or Oscars-watching parties, dance parties, boardgame parties, … Some parties are just an excuse to be in the presence of a number of other people. Others are centered around a specific activity, in which case, that activity is the answer to the thread title’s question. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/8 "2021-08-03T21:22:14Z")
Yeah, there is not all that much difference in party behavior between 25 and 45. Maybe better quality snacks, maybe more moderation/tee-totalling, maybe slightly earlier end times to accommodate lower energy levels (or kids that need to be tended to), that sort of thing. But what you do at parties will depend on your group and what they’re into. If it is the same bunch of people at 25 as at 45, then parties will tend to be loosely similar. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/9 "2021-08-03T21:22:58Z")
Talk about how they just can’t party like they did in their 20’s anymore, while drinking far more expensive alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/10 "2021-08-03T21:26:33Z")
Watch Battlestar Sciatica marathons. (Edward James is the best) ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/11 "2021-08-03T21:26:39Z")
Gossip. Lie. Hit on other people’s spouses. Eat too much. Drink too much. Which leads to: Gossip. Lie. Yadda yadda. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/12 "2021-08-03T21:58:27Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Gossip. Lie. Hit on other people’s spouses. Eat too much. Drink too much. > > Which leads to: > Gossip. Lie. > Yadda yadda. You really go to the wrong parties. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/13 "2021-08-04T01:40:37Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Talk about how they just can’t party like they did in their 20’s anymore, while drinking far more expensive alcohol. This may or may not have just happened with some friends on Saturday night… ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/14 "2021-08-04T01:52:27Z")
Last weekend we were making ski plans for the upcoming winter, eating good food, drinking excellent alcohol, and catching up on mutual friends. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/15 "2021-08-04T01:53:39Z")
We stand around and complain about today’s young people. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/16 "2021-08-04T01:59:43Z")
Same thing we do every night. Try to take over the world. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/17 "2021-08-04T02:10:43Z")
I’d say that parties become more about better food (not just some chips and salsa), and less about drinking too much than they did when we were in our twenties. Although with my circle of friends, it took until our mid-30s for that to happen, and it coincided with a bunch of us getting married and/or having children. They also start earlier and end earlier than they used to; showing up at 9 and leaving at 1 has morphed into 7 and 11, or even 6 and 10. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/18 "2021-08-04T02:36:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Same thing we do every night. Try to take over the world. You need more ruthless friends. I’m terrible at parties - I just want to talk in a quiet corner while snacking and having soda. A friend’s husband I once snuck out to the hotel’s bar (we told her), and watched the 1996 Summer Olympics because neither of us was used to dealing with a huge family plus friends get together. He has since gotten used to it; they sensibly stopped asking me. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/20 "2021-08-04T03:50:36Z")
I can’t remember being invited to many parties once I was 30-something. Too busy for that shit, being a parent, working all day, doing chores, weekends reserved for shopping and miscellaneous stuff. Getting a babysitter so I can sit around boozing, toking, playing board games with boring neighbors? Pass. … Now, being single and going to parties is something different, but I have no idea what is considered fun to do. (I have actually seen people lined up watching sportsball on someone’s couch. Wearing team jerseys, just like a magazine ad for Kraft cheese balls! I would rather hang myself than have to do that.) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996/21 "2021-08-04T12:03:26Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > This may or may not have just happened with some friends on Saturday night… You can’t remember?.. Now that’s a party. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-middle-class-and-up-people-do-at-parties-when-theyre-over-30/947996.md?page=2)