MARCH 6, 2025 | FEATURES | By Aeva Dye (Guest Writer)
This semester, Nico Martinez ‘27 is spearheading a new social organization with the ultimate goal of vitalizing the Colorado College party culture.
Initially called Social TaskForce, the group’s formation comes at a time when some students say they are disillusioned with what CC parties have to offer.
“The fraternities host often,” said Andrew Schreiner ‘26, Sigma Chi president.“But people also get sick of them.”
Several students expressed sentiments consistent with that idea at a house party in early February.
It was the second weekend of CC’s first semester, and students seemed ready to let loose. Partygoers cycled in and out of the somewhat limited space afforded by a double dorm room. While the night was still young, the gathered revelers danced, talked and socialized with their friends. Music was bumping and flair was donned, but feelings were mixed.
Though the gathered students were preparing to initiate an exodus to a larger party hosted by a fraternity, some expressed dissatisfaction with the party scene at CC. They shared their desires for a livelier social environment with better music, themes and more options.
“Party culture so far has been slightly disappointing,” said first-year student Jasper Champa.
“Too small, too packed,” said student Bryce Patterson ‘27 of current CC parties.
“House parties are really fun — and that’s it,” said Alex Elwell ‘27, another student. She said at fraternity parties, “There’s sweaty men all over you, beer all over you. Lots of pushing. Not enough room.”
Another student had a slightly different opinion.
“When I’m looking for it, frats don’t disappoint,” said Charlie Rothschild ‘27. However, he said, he’s not always in the mood for frat parties.
“If there were more options,” he said, “I would engage in them.”
Martinez, an Independently Designed Major student from Austin, Texas, said he wants to provide those options as he works to put together a social forum aimed at bringing the student community together to initiate parties that are broader in scope and audience. He said he envisions the organization — and possible future club — as becoming a “centralizing force people can tap into to make things happen.”
Martinez sent out an email with an attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to a group of 25 interested students on Jan. 9. The spreadsheet contained the names and contact information for representatives from clubs, sports teams, departments and more nebulous categories such as “skateboard?” It also featured a “suggestion box” with contributions such as “cross campus capture the flag tournament,” “edible glitter in the air” and “scarves only.”
In the email, Martinez expressed his desire to gather “lit party people” from around campus by writing down contact information in a centralized location.
“The plan is to create a social board that is able to easily come up with cool events and disseminate party information,” he wrote in the email. “I truly believe that if each of us puts in a little effort, we can take big steps towards the lively, enjoyable, and accessible social scene that I know we all want.”
TaskForce students plan to meet at lunchtime each Tuesday at the Preserve, and they’ve encouraged interested students to attend. They held the first of a series of proposed weekly meetings on Feb. 4.
There, a small group of students discussed some of the logistical puzzle pieces that TaskForce could handle. Connections, decor, venues and live music were a few of the ideas put forward.
Martinez added that while he appreciates what fraternities and sports groups do when they throw large parties, there are also “huge swaths of the year” where partygoers don’t have many other options. He said he’s hoping that by centralizing organizational power, TaskForce can help provide options for students each weekend, so that everyone who wants to party can do so in an environment they’ve selected for themselves.
“I’m not saying that the culture of the frat or the [lacrosse] party is bad,” he said. “More that you’re more likely to do good at something you’ve chosen to go to, when you have options.”
More party or social options could help improve other aspects of party culture, especially when some students have concerns about their safety at large parties.
“As a woman, I would never want to go to anything at [Kappa Sigma],” said one student, who did not want to give her name because of the sensitive nature of her comments. She described “negative experiences” at CC’s large parties, and her safety concerns rose after a female student was allegedly roofied at a party last spring.
Other students chimed in, with some discussing the possibility of spiked drinks at large parties.
While Schreiner said Sigma Chi’s probation last year came because of allegations of property damage, he explained that the challenges associated with hosting large parties can sometimes lead to “hazards” or “incidents.”
“It’s very difficult to do something like that and have things go smoothly,” he said. “Every single time we host, it seems like there’s another implication or incident. I’d say that creates a really tough dynamic for us.”
Schreiner said that it can be challenging for his fraternity to be one of the only organized party hosts on campus, especially in a relatively unregulated environment. He said Sigma Chi has hosted parties nearly every weekend this school year, estimating over a few hundred attendees at each party.
“It’s nuts that this school is allowing on-campus housing to just throw parties,” said Schreiner of the relative lack of regulations for on-campus parties in previous years. “There are so many hazards that come with that.”
Schreiner said Sigma Chi is currently working to implement guest lists at fraternity parties, which he said are a “big thing” they will do in the future. He said he thinks the new regulation will ensure that Sigma Chi parties run safely and smoothly.
“They’re putting a lot of thought into reshaping their image,” said Martinez of CC’s fraternities. “I also know that a lot of people aren’t going to go if they’re afraid of getting spiked. It would be fun if there were … a couple options for a mass party event every weekend … where everyone can go and be comfortable.”
Martinez said that by helping to organize and cultivate those sorts of options, he hopes TaskForce can be a vehicle for social change.
“Sometimes on campus it feels really dead,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out the undercurrent of CC and make it more social, and make it more community based.”
Martinez’s effort to organize is coming at a time when new regulations to on-campus parties such as guest lists could change campus party culture as well.
“It’s a big change in social culture,” said Schreiner. “I think it would be really good to have organization in social things.”
For now, the logistics of venues and hosting for new parties can wait. Martinez said TaskForce is most immediately aimed at organizing to bring people together, shape culture, and strengthen the CC community.
“The way that I envision this going right now is really trying to set a foundation for the kind of culture we want to create … within a couple years,” he said.
“Creating a lively and consistent social scene will take a community of leaders to be invested and engage with lit ideas,” said Martinez in TaskForce’s organizational spreadsheet.
He added: “I hope for this to be a super accessible space that is a MEGAWIN-WIN para todos.”