New Year’s Eve (NYE) can be a daunting holiday for everyone. It’s often full of disappointing night outs, poorly-chosen outfits, and slobbery last-minute kisses. However, a few individuals fare the night better than others—some get an adrenaline rush from all the chaos, and some, crawl back under their shell and take cover until daybreak.

NYE should not be a night solely for extroverts, and we’re here to provide an expert go-to guide for all those introverts who still want to celebrate the start of a new year.

If, after attempting to dodge a number of aggressively-charged messages in the WhatsApp group chat, you’ve succumbed to going out on NYE—you may want to choose your party location wisely. The most significant aspect of picking a spot for the evening is being able to identify an easy escape route. NYE parties have a tendency to be overwhelming and never-ending. So, being able to join in and bounce whenever you feel due to a dwindling social battery is a must for any introvert.

If you’re ever in doubt of where to head after entering said party, scout out a cute pet, awkwardly inspect the resident house plant, or hover by the aux cord to try and distract yourself until you pluck up the energy and courage to begin conversing. Or you could always throw caution to the wind and simply make a break for it.

Of course, it’s highly probable that an introvert’s idea of a perfect NYE caters to their inner homebody. There are zero official guidelines indicating the ‘correct’ way to spend NYE, rather a set of ridiculous social standards and expectations—a tiring etiquette that has burdened us for decades. Regardless of whether you’re inviting friends round to ring in the new year, or you’re flying solo and enjoying the comforts of your own cocoon, the way you spend your evening is entirely up to you.

Select a carousel of your favourite films (perhaps binge-watch the entire Twilight franchise) or indulge in a new pick from your Amazon Prime watch list. Settle in for a cosy evening and drain your fridge’s wine supply. C’mon, you deserve it.

We’re living in a time where the ruthless and staged nature of the Instagram Olympics have an overwhelming tendency to manipulate and influence our social lives. Gen Zers are often faced with a persistent need to post images that emphasise our value and establish us as exciting members of society. In doing so, we often force ourselves to participate in activities that don’t exactly appeal to us, solely in an attempt to further elevate our online status.

NYE is a prime example of this process in action. As young people, we put an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves to live life to the fullest, ‘BeReal’, and utilise our prime years before we supposedly become cynical and senile. All this to say: while TikTok might try and romanticise an evening on the dance floor surrounded by sweaty strangers—the reality isn’t always as magical as it may seem. 

If you’re forcing yourself to strap on a pair of high heels, aka Satan’s footwear, because you’re worried about being left at home struggling with a serious case of FOMO, try to take the pressure off yourself—quite literally, in regard to the case of high heels. Enjoy the evening curled up in a pair of luminescent Crocs or toasty bread shoes and celebrate 2023 in sheer comfort.