The old university days were sweet - you had the whole weekend (not to mention the energy) to frolic around town with your girlfriends causing mayhem and getting into mischief.

Reasons to Get Together
Me time: When you’re in a relationship it’s easy to get in the “let's just have a DVD night” zone. But it’s important to put time and effort into your friendships too. There’s nothing worse than a couple who becomes “we” instead of “I”. Getting together with all your fav girls is the perfect opportunity for “you” time. It’s amazing how good you feel after you’ve been out with your friends and how much happier you are to see your man when you’ve had some time apart!

Let’s face it; you can’t beat a good girl talk: When it comes to having a good old yarn about life, girlfriends are a lot more qualified than guys. It can be a refreshing change from the usual conversations about bills and house renovations. With your girlfriends you can talk about anything and everything from your sex life to the 300 grams you lost last week… and they genuinely care! You know when you nearly pee your pants laughing you’re in for a good night!

Getting Ready
Remember how cool it was when you were 14 and all of your friends got ready for the school disco at someone’s house? Even though a few years have passed, it’s still just as much fun! Kick the boys out of the house for the night and round up all the troops to head over to yours. Tell everyone to bring over a few outfits so you can beg, borrow and steal. Put together some snacks, crank up the music and pour some Baileys over ice.

A delicious Baileys cocktail is a great way to start off the night  - who can resist the creamy, silky liqueur that's perfect for any occasion? Poured over ice or thrown in the blender, it's the perfect drink to enjoy as you get ready for a night out. It comes in three delicious flavours; Baileys Original, Baileys with a hint of Mint and Baileys with a hint of Caramel. Yum!

Pamper yourself: You and your girlfriends could make a day of it by pampering yourselves in preparation for the big night. There’s nothing like getting a manicure or pedicure to make you feel special! Otherwise there’s the DIY option, grab all your face creams, nail polishes and makeup and give each other makeovers which will ensure a few laughs!

What to wear: Having the ultimate girls' night out is all about feeling hot and confident in what you’re wearing so salvage your favourite dress from the back of the wardrobe. In saying this, make sure you’re comfortable! There’s nothing worse than walking around town with your shoes off because you’ve got blisters.

Top five songs to listen to before you head out:

Chemical Brothers, ‘The Salmon Dance’

Where to Start your Night
Check with all the girls in advance to see what their budget allows for. If you want to go somewhere expensive, give everyone lots of notice so they can save and dress accordingly!

The flash restaurant: It’s always nice for a special
occasion like a girls' night out to pop on your favourite cocktail dress and treat yourselves to a table at the flash new restaurant in town. This is the perfect scene if you want to have a yummy meal and aren’t in any hurry to hit the town! However, this all depends on the mood of the night. If you know your friends are the type to be sloshed before sunset, it’s probably best to have dinner at home or at a bar where several rowdy females won’t be so noticeable! Getting kicked out of a restaurant is embarrassing trust me.

The BYO restaurant: These are the best idea when people are on a budget. There are loads around catering for all taste buds. The best thing is you can take your own wine for a small corkage charge and these places are often more lenient on rowdy behaviour!

The cocktail bar: For the girls who want to splash out.
If you’re not into head thumping night clubs, the scene here is usually more chilled out so you can still have good conversations with your friends. Our favourite drink to ask the friendly barman to whip up? A Bailey’s Chocolatini - it’s heaven in a cocktail glass!

The rowdy bar: This is the perfect place to start your night if you want to skip the civilised dinner and get down to business… partying! Forget soggy chips, many bars have some good meals for a decent price. The music
definitely gets you in the mood and makes for great dancing!

Whatever direction your night takes, getting together with the girls is a chance to let your hair down and have some fun! By combining all the above ingredients you’re guaranteed a night to remember… just remember to look after each other (and take some snaps to reminisce over when you’re back to spending your weekends painting the spare room!).

Victoria Fruean

Would you like to exchange your opinion for Baileys? New Zealanders have always had a passion for this delicious Irish liqueur and the team at Baileys want to find out why!

From October to January, Baileys will be searching for 3,000 Kiwis to be part of the Baileys National Opinion Panel. If you love Baileys, sign up for your chance to join the panel at www.baileyspanel.co.nz

And don't worry, your efforts won't go unrewarded! Those chosen to be part of the Baileys National Opinion Panel will receive a complimentary 700ml bottle of Baileys!