Beginner's Guide to Clubbing in New York City

Clubbing in New York City can be a hell of a lot of fun. But it can also be scary. Huge bouncers, club drugs, metal detectors, overdoses, loud music, intoxication, bathroom sex. Sure, it may be just another Tuesday night for Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, but if you are new to the New York City club scene, you may feel intimidated. Here is a beginner's guide to clubbing in New York City.

1. Know how to dress. If you want to get into New York City's hottest nightclubs, you have to dress the part. Don't expect to roll into a posh Manhattan nightclub dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. If you don't already know how to dress, you may not be ready to party. Of course, the more exclusive New York City clubs won't let you in no matter how well you dress if you're not, shall we say, aesthetically pleasing. But short of plastic surgery, not everyone can help that.

2. Know your drugs. Club drugs are a fact of life. You don't need to do them, but you should know what each drug looks like and its effects. If you don't know that Ecstacy is a pill, that Ketamine is snorted, and that GHB is a liquid that shuts down your central nervous system, you are probably not ready to go clubbing in New York City. Any of these drugs could be slipped to you at anytime (especially if you are a female). It would be best if you knew what to look for and what to do if you begin to feel some of their effects.

3. Know your clubs. Some New York City clubs have straight nights and gay nights. You probably want to find out which is which before you go. And many New York City clubs are straight until a certain hour, then turn gay. And the deejay will not make an announcement like, "Attention, K-Mart shoppers, Club X will be turning gay in approximately fifteen minutes." No, you will simply find yourself in a sea of shirtless men who will be dancing and making out with each other. If you are new to the New York City club scene, this may make you uncomfortable, so it would be best if you knew well in advance.

Of course, the best New York City nightclubs are usually the ones opening next weekend. There is a constant turnover, and what's hot tonight will probably not be hot in a month, so I won't bother to list any. And if you haven't heard of a particular New York City nightclub, chances are you couldn't get in anyway. Thanks for reading the Beginner's Guide to Clubbing in New York City. Stay safe.