Let’s hear it for Nickel at Huskies: The night we love to hate

Those of you who have never been to Nickel Night at Huskies have probably only heard the hype.

It’s a UConn tradition, a right of passage into upperclassman-ship, cheap enough even for us broke college kids.

But is Nickel all it’s cracked up to be? Have we ignored a bunch of unsavory details in the name of 25 cent drinks?

You’ll probably still see me at Huskies this Thursday but here’s a list of everything that I’ll be hating about it.

The lines

You arrive at Huskies with a positive attitude but you’re immediately discouraged when you see the massive line extending down the road.

When it’s cold you’re forced to huddle up for warmth with your fellow Nickel-goers for what feels like an eternity. Once you finally make it to the front of the line, you’re confronted by the largest and most terrifying looking bouncers you’ve ever seen in your life.

Seriously, I’ve been going to Nickel every week since I turned 21 in December and they still make me nervous. I actually have some friends who bounce at Huskies but none of them are scary-looking enough to be granted door duty.

Here’s my fangirl friend Michele trying to get cozy with Phil Nolan while we waited in line for Nickel last spring

The crowding

You only came to Nickel because your friends told you “everyone was going”. No, but, for real, EVERYONE is there.

Claustrophobics beware: throughout the evening every inch of your body will be in contact with another human, most likely a stranger.

This brings about my absolute least favorite thing about Nickel: hostile Nickel girls. These are the girls who make snide comments under their breath if they are lightly brushed up against.

Girl, you think I want to be this close to you and your sweaty ponytail? You think you’re the only one in this crowd getting pushed? Get over yourself and stop spilling your drink on me.

Bad timing

The Thursday Nickel special lasts from 7-8.45pm. That means for us girls we’ll probably have to start getting ready around 5pm. Don’t schedule any evening classes on Thursdays.

The brevity of the Nickel special turns the bar area of Huskies into an all out brawl. Teams of four fight through the crowd to get refills in a merciless binge drinking competition.

When Nickel ends at 8.45, you have a few choices: stay at Huskies for the post-Nickel crowd, go to a different bar, or call it a night and get to bed by the same time your grandma does. Hey, at least you’ll be home in time to order Wings.

The dress code is…mixed

You’ll see one girl in heels and a bandage skirt, a few girls in rompers, and then some others, like myself, in jeans and whatever top I haven’t worn out of my roommate’s closet yet.

Come on ladies, can we just come to a consensus? We’re all sick of the heels/no heels debate. I’m leaning towards no heels. I’ll be honest, one time I straight up went in barefoot…not my classiest moment.

Then there are my friends Susie and Marisa who couldn’t care less what you’re “supposed” to wear, and would rather just keep it comfy.

Susie and Marisa making a statement at Nickel, the real MVPs

The bathrooms

The Huskies’ women’s restroom is traumatizing. Though I was not able to attend Nickel until this year, I have been going to 18+ bar nights at Huskies since I was a freshman, and I have not seen soap, paper towels, or a stall which actually locks even once in four years. There usually isn’t even toilet paper, but if you get lucky, some random drunk girl in the stall next to you will pass you the single roll which has been chillin’ on the damp floor all night.

Make sure you bring a buddy to the bathroom with you to hold the door closed

I’m not sure what it is about Nickel that has the entire 21+ community entranced, but there are alternatives if you’re feeling bold enough to break out of the mainstream.

Ted’s offers a Nickel special as well on Thursday nights, an hour later, from 8-9.45pm ($5 cover and five drinks for a dollar, as opposed to only four for a dollar at Huskies). There’s also Thirsty’s (now known as The Final Pour) which has 50 cent pitchers and $3 mixed pitchers on Thursdays from 8-9.45pm.

But hey, come next Thursday, you’ll know where to find me.