This past weekend, we took a 24-hour trip to Ann Arbor, Mich., not only to experience the wildly infamous pre-football game parties, but also to check out how this state school’s typical Saturday compares to ours.

The Schedule

9 a.m.

MICHIGAN
Let the pre-games begin! By this time, the fraternities were already blasting music in their backyards, and there were a variety of drinking games. Teams were fighting in the annual Mud Bowl.
WASH. U.
Sleep!

11 a.m.

MICHIGAN
The parade to the game! Students begin to flood Church Street and slowly make their way to the game, stopping at every party that crosses their path (and yes, there are a lot).
WASH. U.
Wake up! Maybe grab some delicious breakfast at Stratton’s or First Watch with some friends. Or the ever-reliable campus brunch.

1 p.m.

MICHIGAN
The game. Filled with loads of food booths, fans decked out in Michigan gear, and raging students screaming Michigan chants.
WASH. U.
Hit the library! The third floor is usually full by now, so unless you have friends saving you a seat, you may have to work elsewhere.

3 p.m.

MICHIGAN
Frostbitten. The game is still going on, and everyone’s ears, fingers, toes and arms are numb.
WASH. U.
Take a trip down to Whispers to be social. This is the time to get all the gossip from the previous night.

5 p.m.

MICHIGAN
The walk home. The game ends and everyone, once again, floods onto Church Street to get home, falling asleep soon after.
WASH. U.
Time to run some errands and go see your roommates at home. Nap to recover from a long day of work and prepare for a fun Saturday night!

7 p.m.

MICHIGAN
Still sleeping. Nap time begins the second the game ends and continues for hours.
WASH. U.
Dinner! Saturday night is the most popular night to go out for dinner with friends. If you do something casual, like Wasabi in Clayton, you’re sure to run into plenty of other students.

9 p.m.

MICHIGAN
Dinner on the couch. Too tired to get up, a Lean Cuisine or some takeout will suffice.
WASH. U.
Begin the night’s festivities! Going to friends’ dorms or apartments is always fun, but every now and then, we love extending our dinners and getting drinks at nearby bars.

11 p.m.

MICHIGAN
Hit up Scorekeepers, otherwise known as “Skeeps,” which is Michigan’s most popular Saturday night bar. In order to get in, students typically wait in a 45-minute line (in temperatures below 20 degrees). However, for those who want to skip the line, the bar offers a special “club” to join. Anyone who spends $1,000 on drinks in a weekend is offered a “card” that enables the spender and a friend to skip the line and receive special treatment inside!
WASH. U.
Make your way to the buses! Wash. U. typically has transportation to and from areas with active nightlife, but you usually want to get to these buses on the early side to guarantee a seat. Who doesn’t love free (and safe!) transportation?

1 a.m.

MICHIGAN
The girls, who are decked out in 5-inch patent-leather heels, skin-tight skirts, revealing shirts and bold designer purses, are typically dancing on stage at this point. And all Skeeps-goers have drinks in their hands (the most popular is the $2 personal pitchers of any mixed drink). By 1 a.m., Skeeps is unbearably crowded, and it’s almost impossible to reach the bar.
WASH. U.
Parties at new places (like Pepper Lounge) are always fun and exciting. You can be sure to run into plenty of people you know, and people are always dressed to impress. Girls are typically dressed in understated basics with funky accessories, and sometimes you can even find people in flats. Drink specials vary at different venues.

3 a.m.

MICHIGAN
The line begins at Rick’s, the late-night bar. When people don’t feel like waiting in yet another line, they hit up one of the many late-night eateries. Hailing a cab usually isn’t an issue, but the main street is crowded, so people can get a little aggressive in their taxi search.
WASH. U.
Get together with friends in a dorm room or apartment, chat about the night, make some late-night popcorn (or order Jimmy John’s), and crash on someone’s bed. Or floor.

OUR CONCLUSIONS

At the end of the day, how did our 24 hours as pretend Michigan students stack up to our normal lives at Wash. U.?

The Cons:
Our days can be tedious and restrained by the stress of finishing work, which sometimes limits the “craziness” of our nightlife. Our student body is much smaller than a state school’s, so there are fewer new faces to meet and smaller venues to frequent. We have fewer late-night eating options and places to meet up or continue partying are limited (some of our Saturday night hot spots close at 1:30).

The Pros:
Our Saturdays may not be quite as jam packed as the University of Michigan’s, but we always have time to catch up with friends, eat great food and get together while getting ready for the night. We never have to wait in long lines (5 to 10 minutes on average), we don’t need to get $1,000 VIP access, and on most Saturdays, we have free transportation.