Of course, the week’s Glee episode revolves around the most uptight and neurotic main character throwing her very first house party the same week I host a potluck. Even before I watched the episode, I was worried that my party might turn out similar to the beginning of Rachel’s soiree (the first minute and a half of the following clip):

And, let’s face it: my apartment is not as well equipped for entertaining as Rachel Berry’s dads’ Oscar Room/den. Nor did I have wine coolers–instead I had tons and tons of homemade chocolate chip-potato chip cookies. (Party theme: potatoes, with exception to beverages). I should not have doubled that recipe. But I can’t ignore the doubt I inherited from my mom about there not being enough food for company (even if it’s a potluck).

Things I learned from Rachel (that I never really considered, anyway): informing guests of party rules, distributing drink tickets. Wine coolers? The last time I drank wine coolers was when I was pre-pubescent, sitting on the basement steps with my grandma. (Sadly I no longer remember the context). I had to look up Celebrity on Wikipedia to even figure out what the game could possibly entail.

While we’re on the subject of moms and grandmas, it’s kind of distressing for me to observe that people aren’t eating at an event that’s so centered on food. (I’m also surprised that Rachel didn’t have any canapes to go with her wine coolers–a more typical teen would at least have a bag of chips). This is the only kind of nurturing that comes to me easily: wanting to fix everyone a plate, and give them food to take home.

But in spite of any and all of my failings as a hostess, can I at least show you my door decorations that I made? Take that, Rachel Berry!

Cut some brown paper, shade it in random places with a brown colored pencil, and voila–you have potatoes to assure your guests that they’ve arrived at the right place for a potato potluck.

Because I don’t have a stocked liquor cabinet–or even wine coolers!, my party never reached the heights Rachel’s eventually did. (Also, midterms time is probably not the best time to have a party if many of one’s guests are TAs stressed about grading–as much as they’d like to socialize, they feel the obligation to return to their stacks of papers. Perhaps my guests are also far too responsible for their own good). I’m sure my downstairs neighbor prefers that her ceiling didn’t sound like Dance Party Central. I have lots of cookies leftover, lots of iced tea/lemonade/soda, and lots of cups, plates and cutlery. It seems like I ought to have a party after my party. Though, really, I think the next time I’d like to have a party would be before I move out of Pittsburgh, which would be better suited to a public place because I’d like to invite more guests than I had for this potluck. So, please do suggest any Pittsburgh-area establishments that would be good for a fairly inexpensive late June fare thee (me?) well sort of gathering.

In the meantime, if you don’t need me, I’ll be eating cookies.

*Speaking of TV shows, I watched an episode of the now-canceled series Party Down after a friend recommended it. It was just okay, even if it had Adam Scott–who is delightful on Parks & Recreation. I suppose I should give at least a few more episodes a try. Wait, I’m talking about TV? I used to be the girl who didn’t watch TV. Who would have thought going to grad school to get a writing degree would mean watching more TV?