‘Party Thru College: The Official Party Animal’s Guide to College’
Author Dennis Bruce turns out a witty guide for students on how to screw up the college experience
By Laura Wilkinson, Life & Style Editor
For the brainless idiots out there, the book is not a serious composition on the difficulties college screw-ups face in day-to-day life with pretty pictures and diagrams included for further comprehension. It’s good, old-fashioned satire meant to help relax students with frazzled nerves.
While managing to offend everyone from studious library-goers to anyone in the Greek system to liberal arts majors, Bruce takes a light-hearted approach to the college dream of late-night parties, showing up to class only when absolutely necessary and spending five minutes doing homework and studying per night.
Although the point of the book was to make fun of the college experience, many of the revelations Bruce makes are rooted in reality.
Take for instance his idea of a “good, hardworking student,” who studies hard, does extra credit, pulls all-nighters, spends long hours in the library and joins “honor societies, student government and academic discussion groups.” In all actuality, many “good” students do all the aforementioned things because those activities have a positive effect on one’s academic experience.
Though it is true that there are many straight-laced students on campus, let’s face it - parties featuring excessive drinking and failed attempts at picking up good-looking guys or girls are a reality. It was refreshing to see an adult openly admit in print what goes on in university social life, since university officials and representatives are discouraged from bringing up the taboo topic of alcohol and students.
His three basic values and priorities of sleep, sex and partying (not necessarily in that order) stereotype the average student, but at the same time portray the life of some students.
Of particular interest is Bruce’s critique of the Greek system, which he portrays as “a bunch of wasted lunatics on an all-out, tribal babe hunt.”
Specifically at N.C. State, the Greeks are working to change the image of the system from wild partiers to classy professionals. The fact remains, however, that Greeks are well known for their social events involving alcohol and their elitism, making Bruce’s portrayal somewhat serious.
When it comes to giving advice on how to screw up in non-science classes, Bruce actually hits the nail on the head.
The key to English is to write terribly but slowly improve as the semester wears on since professors grade objectively by how much progress a student has made throughout the course. Not bad advice, if one is shooting for a C-.
Screwing up in philosophy class is as simple as speaking in “long-winded, redundant, run-on sentences” and making sure nothing said makes sense to anyone. As a student taking philosophy and having had conversations with a philosophy major, this advice sums up the entire field of philosophy in fewer words than any philosophy professor or major ever could.
Watch out physical education majors! Bruce is even less kind to them than to fraternity and sorority members. He says the jocks from high school enter into college without much change.
“They just barely graduated high school, received a negative score on their SATs and still possess the IQ of seaweed. All of which means that they are just slightly overqualified to major in phys ed,” Bruce wrote.
Although this particular passage is quite hilarious and clever, even I am slightly offended at the stereotyping. Not to sound pretentious (okay, a little pretentious), but I was a high school athlete and in the top ten of my class, which means that not all athletes are dumb as rocks. In fact, N.C. State athletics places special emphasis on doing well both on and off the field.
Keeping in mind that the book was meant to poke fun at anyone and everyone, Bruce did an excellent job analyzing the inner working of college life. But for someone who advocates striving for a C- average, he is an effectual writer who can appeal to both brainless idiots and academic geniuses with his sense of humor and surprising insight.
Guide to Wasting College
by Anastasia Landeros
Alumnus recounts college pastimes
By Chidi Ugwu
Collegian Staff Writer
One Penn State alumnus is benefiting from his time here in more than just the form of a degree.
Author Dennis Bruce has parlayed the time he spent as a student here into his latest novel, aptly titled "Party Thru College."
Bruce called the book a completely comedic look at the college experience and said it was a funny take on teachers, students and all the things that happen when people aren't in class.
"Most of it is based on what I observed when I was in college at Penn State," Bruce said. "I had rented a room in this frat, but I didn't realize at the time that it was kind of the animal house on campus, and the book is my retelling of that."
Laren Bright, a promoter for the book, said the main character strikes a tight balance between his partying lifestyle and his academics.
"His whole franchise is how to walk the fine line between not doing well enough that you really succeed, but not doing so badly that you fail out," he said
Bright said he thinks the author is just as humorous as the book itself.
"I think Dennis is a really smart and funny guy," he said. "He found a way to satirize the college experience and kind of allow people to have a good time without actually doing any of the things that he did."
Fun as it is, the book should definitely not be looked at as a manual of how to go through college, Bruce said.
"Despite all the partying I talk about, I know that college can be very challenging for people," he said. "It's not a parody for screwing up in college -- it's just me talking about all the fun I had. Sometimes I think people just need to take a step back, breathe and realize the bad things that happen in college aren't the end of the world."
Bruce also said that underneath all the stories, there is a valuable lesson to be taken from the book -- he envisions the book as a kind of stress reliever for current students. The book's primary function should be to relieve stress through laughter, Bright said.
"The bottom line of the book really is to have fun and not take things to seriously," he said.
Bruce would like to leave readers with this word of advice:
"Don't take things too seriously," Bruce said. "Give yourself permission to have a full college experience."
From: La Salle University, Philadelphia.
Even with the second semester quickly approaching, many freshmen have yet to adjust to college life. Forget the Princeton Review, College Board or any other college preparation guide. The real knowledge of the true college experience can be found in Dennis Bruce’s insightful Party Thru College. A Penn State graduate, it is likely that Bruce knows quite a bit about the subject.
The book opens perfectly with this question: “Why screw up?” The first page adorned with pictures of O.J. Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Richard Nixon and other notable infamous characters, it is clear this hilarious book is not to be taken too seriously.
Party Thru College gives a humorous look at college party life and the “art” of screwing up. Bruce fills this guide with reasons to sleep all day, skip class and put off studying. With this book, an obviously satirical guide to studying, students will learn what not to say in class, what not to do at parties and how to deal with different stereotypes of faculty members.
Although Bruce’s advice is given jokingly, a few actually helpful hints include how to look professional for class, turn down someone at a party, screw up in philosophy class, write the perfect essay with an easy topic, and, of course, feel better about vomiting in the early hours of the morning.
Bruce goes through the trials and tribulations of the basic college partying lifestyle in stages, from picking the right school to picking the right excuses for not studying, with each scenario becoming more bizarre as the book continues. Various references to farm animals persist throughout the read, indicating a consistent lack of seriousness and overall childish humor.
Despite the title, Party Thru College is a relatively tame read, to an extent.
Yes, the main topics including drinking and sex and when Bruce touches on academics, his sarcastic comments about skipping classes and talking to teachers draw good, clean laughs.
Regardless of academic standing, Party Thru College is an entertaining venture for all college types.
Freshmen, frat boys, grad students, prospective students and everything in between will easily find the irreverent jokes and cheap laughs ultimately refreshing.
Escape From the Mundane: Discover Shelves of Reading Treasures
By Angela Matano
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For the jokers, Party Thru College is a complete manual on how to waste your student loans on a four-year, self-indulgent journey to nowhere, and WTF? College offers advice on How to Survive 101 of Campus’s Worst F*#!-ing Situations. Those who are more serious will want to check out Y’s Up: 85 Tips from the Trenches to Help You Succeed in Today’s No-Guarantees Job Market.
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"Party" is a Good Time
Dennis Bruce's book is parody of college life
The lights are low and the girl's shirts are even lower. The music is so loud that any lyrics are indistinguishable and the keg is almost tapped. It is only 10:00 and already the room is spinning. This is going to hurt in the morning, but a beer pong game is just starting up and that Frat boy needs to be put in his place.
Welcome to every male's, and maybe even a decent number of females, fantasy of the perfect college experience. Everyone is drunk and loud and class is an entire weekend away. A new, appropriately titled book, "Party Thru College," offers college students a guide on how to professionally "screw up" college.
The author is Dennis Bruce, a man known for being funny. Bruce was the champion of a nationwide talent search, has appeared on HBO and in many comedy clubs and contributes humor to Rave magazine. A former frat boy from Penn State, Bruce knows what it takes to party through four years.
The book reads like a Self-Help manual. The first page has a full-page photograph of Richard Nixon to introduce the chapter one, which explains to readers why to make the choice to screw up. Illustrations of Britney Spears, O.J. Simpson, and Lindsay Lohan follow on the next page. Bruce explains that anyone can study and do well in college.
Similarly, "any moron with a number two pencil" can flunk out. It takes a special individual to screw up. Screw ups need to always aim for a GPA of 2.0. Screwing up, unlike flunking, requires effort and dedication. It is not a decision to make lightly and should not be pursued without some guidance.
Throughout the rest of the book, in the same vein of the legendary Van Wilder, Bruce picks fun at every aspect of college life, from what classes to sign up for to the most common lines girls use to reject guys at parties. The cover includes four girls, in belly shirts and bikinis, raising their beer cans to the image of the ultimate "screw up." The target audience is obviously intended to be young male college students, but any student in college can appreciate the jokes.
A particularly amusing section details how to cope with grades. If a student is flunking, the book suggests turning in a research paper containing full-color photos of the professor partying with his secretary after hours. If a screw up receives an A, Bruce first warns to not panic and try to not fall into a depression. He assures that getting an A is unfortunate, but can be remedied with one of three techniques.
Overall, this is not a book someone is going to sit down and read for the intellectual aspect of it. That is not to say that there is not some layer of intelligence in it; all great humor has wisdom behind it.
— Marissa Nedved, The Bottom Line
5.0 out of 5 stars The Hidden, Hilarious Truth About Higher Learning, August 3, 2009
"From the outside looking in, the typical college campus appears to be a place of honor, distinction, and vaunted higher learning; those who have been there, though, know just what kind of "education" you're most likely to get...
"In Party Thru College: The Official Party Animal's Guide To College, author and comedian Dennis Bruce takes the reader on an hilarious journey through the true college experience. Covering everything from scheduling classes to dealing with faculty to picking schools based on their proximity to the beach, Party Thru College is more than just a mock send-up of institutions of higher learning; anyone who has ever attended a college or university (regardless of how short their academic stints) will readily embrace the truths that Bruce presents about the folkways, mores, and misplaced priorities of the typical college student.
"Expertly crafted with satirical diagrams and lush, vivid illustrations, Bruce's irreverent volume is a must-read for students, teachers - and especially parents - who want to learn more about what really goes on beyond the halls of higher learning. Complete with instructional guides on how to do everything from sleep in class to vomit correctly, Party Thru College is the perfect gift for high school graduates across the globe. An uproarious, entertaining read sure to have you laughing out loud from beginning to end."
— Heather Slocumb
Apex Reviews
"If you’ve ever been to college, you have to read this book! Author and comedian Dennis Bruce has outdone himself . This book is so much fun! You won’t be able to put it down until the last hilarious page! Highly Recommended!"
— USA Book News
