The archetypal girl's night out is the stuff of legend. Until recently, there have been far more popular depictions of guys going HAM (hello The Hangover, Superbad, Animal House et al), but that doesn't mean real live women haven't been gathering in their cocktail-drinking covens for centuries to talk, laugh, dance, cry, and/or party their faces off. As Lady Gaga sings in "Grigio Girls," "pour your heart out, watch your blues turn gold" — which is exactly the goal of a successful girl's night out.
Whether your lady-only soiree is fueled by booze or sober AF, science says you're getting more out of it than just a night of fun. According to research on female friendships done by UCLA, there's a hormonal benefit to us gathering. Women respond to stress by releasing oxytocin, which leads them to "tend and befriend" aka hang out with their best lady friends when the going gets tough. The takeaway? If you want a happier life, the more buddies the better.
So there you have it: proof that your babe times are more than just a good time. Here are the six (of many) stages of a (drinking) girl's night out according to BuzzFeed:
1The Warm Up Drink
The night is young, and that wine isn't going to drink itself...
2Getting Dressed
The friends who party together figure out their outfits together — or make last-minute adjustments depending on where the crew is headed.
3Spotting A Hottie
It's not a successful girl's night out unless somebody finds someone to crush on within the first hour — but ditching your friends for said crush is definitely a no go.
4Getting Hit On (Not By The Hottie)
Any dressed up group of women in public is bound to draw some dude looking to creep on them. Nine times out of 10, the creep is unwelcome.
5Shot Time!
Shots: the beginning and end of every great night out.
6The End-Of-The-Night Blues
It isn't a proper hang until someone opens up (or maybe even throws up). A liquored up ladies night is not for the faint of heart.
Sound familiar? Watch the full video here.
