Keep the Party, Keep it Safe: Responsible Hosting for Queen’s Students
- BeWellAdmin
- Oct 28
- 3 min read
Hosting classmates and friends is a highlight of university life. It also carries responsibilities to your guests, your neighbours, and the Kingston community. The guide below aligns with Queen’s University resources and Kingston Police to support a memorable, respectful, and safe gathering for students living on or off campus.
At-a-glance checklist
Plan: Have a designated sober host, notify neighbours and share a contact number, set a capacity and simple house rules, hold a brief huddle with co-hosts.
Set up: Close private rooms, post rules, place clearly labelled bins, stage water, snacks, and non-alcoholic options near the entrance.
Host: Keep the gathering indoors, control a single entrance, intervene early if anyone looks unwell, call 911 when needed.
If things escalate: Lower music, pause service, reduce headcount, or end the event. Call someone or 911 if the party starts to get out of control.
Wrap up: Ensure safe departures, clean thoroughly inside and out, check in with neighbours the next day.
House-rules mini-card for posting
Capacity and quiet hours: “Max ____ guests, quiet at ____.”
Respect and consent: “No drinks outdoors, ask consent before photos or posts.”
Safety and cleanliness: “Keep exits clear, use bins, glass stays inside, smoke or vape in ____.”
Posting this card at the entrance and kitchen sets expectations and reduces conflict.
Sober-host playbook
Have a designated sober host who is visible and approachable throughout the event. That person should control the door, greet arrivals, and turn away uninvited guests with a brief, polite script.
Monitor for distress: confusion, repeated vomiting, slow or irregular breathing, or unresponsiveness demand urgent action, call 911. If numbers climb or energy spikes, lower music to conversational level and pause service for ten minutes.
If police or bylaw officers attend, lower the volume immediately, have identification ready if requested, and follow lawful instructions. As host, you remain responsible for your guests’ safety and conduct.
COR or 911: How to decide
What COR is: Queen’s Campus Observation Room is a voluntary, confidential, non-medical detox service where students who have had too much to drink can sleep while trained staff and volunteers monitor them. It operates during the fall term and specific peak dates, and is located at Leonard Hall, 128 Queen’s Crescent.
Send to COR when all of the following are true: the person is intoxicated by alcohol, can walk with support and speak, is willing to stay, and has no major injuries. COR staff monitor students and can refer them to medical care if their condition worsens.
Call 911 immediately when any of the following are true: the person is unresponsive or difficult to rouse, has slow or irregular breathing, has suffered a head injury or heavy bleeding, shows signs of medical danger, or the situation is beyond your control. The COR page states clearly, “If someone is intoxicated and unresponsive, call 9-1-1 immediately.”
Need advice while COR is open: you can phone 613-533-6911 for guidance on how to help a friend who is intoxicated. Learn more here.
Harm-reduction tips
Place water, cups, and salty snacks where guests enter. Offer appealing alcohol-free choices and label them clearly. Encourage buddy systems and short fresh-air breaks. If someone appears dangerously intoxicated, stay with them, keep them on their side if drowsy, and call 911.
Accessibility and inclusion
Keep pathways at least one metre wide and free of bags and bottles. Provide several stable chairs and a low-sensory room with softer lighting. Mark a gender-neutral washroom where possible. Offer snack options for common dietary needs and use pronoun-respectful language with guests.
Neighbour relations
Send a short notice earlier in the day with a contact number. Post an Entrance sign and a small quiet-hours reminder near exterior doors, and keep the gathering indoors to control noise. If a neighbour reaches out during the event, acknowledge promptly and reduce volume or headcount. Follow up the next day to thank them and address concerns.
Post-event checklist
Confirm everyone has a safe way home and do not permit impaired driving. Conduct an indoor and outdoor sweep for bottles, cups, and litter, including sidewalks and neighbouring frontage. Document any damage with photos, create a brief incident log, and hold a five-minute keep or tweak or drop debrief with co-hosts for next time. Rest after responsibilities are complete.
Attachment
Download the Party thrower checklist and print a copy for the entrance, kitchen, and waste stations to set clear expectations for guests.
Sources
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