In every college students life there is a time when they can pretty much forget about taking those tough college cores and instead focus on what’s really important: partying in a new country and traveling the world. This time is the coveted semester abroad. Whether you’re going to Europe, Asia, or Australia you can use this semester to find that hot foreign chick you’ve been dying to meet or try that German beer you’ve read about. We’ve come up with some of the best places to begin your wild adventure; but read with caution because you may never want to leave! This is “Study Abroad Exposed!“
Coming in very hot at #2 of our study abroad suggestions is Shanghai–the cultural (and more importantly party) capital of China. You’ll be happily surprised at the number of American/British/European ex-pats who’ve moved here and are having the time of their lives. It’s worth noting that traveling to a place like Shanghai can be pretty expensive later in life (flights, hotels, etc.), so you might want to consider going abroad here while you’re still in school.
Clubs / Bars
Shanghai is said to be the city that shows future of the world… and if this involves the nightlife, I’m very down for that future. When Shanghai does partying, it does not go half way. Just about everything in this city is over the top!
My number one spot in this city is the famous Bar Rouge (photo above). This place is the sickest bar I’ve ever been too for many reasons. For starters it’s on a rooftop with the best views of the skyline so get ready for those snap chats. The circular bar in the middle of the lounge has the best drinks in the city and the hottest chicks surrounding it. Most of the people here are expats from all over the world so you’ll be meeting those Dutch, Swedish, and French girls you’ve been waiting for. Don’t forget to order the food here because it’s straight from one of the best restaurants in the city: Mr. and Mrs. Bund!
If you’re feeling like a boss and ready to show off, your next stop in Shanghai MUST be Club M1NT. M1NT is the insanely cool, super elite club in the heart of the city. You can’t miss the enormous shark tank that wraps around the entire club or the dancers that preform on the actual bar. I recommend making a reservation here before though because this place gets packed with the swankiest people in the city.
Want to get weird? Shanghai’s got a spot for that too, and it’s Cirque Le Soir. This is the wildest, most bizarre club I’ve ever been too, but also one of the places I’ve had the most fun at. This circus themed club welcomes you in by a ringmaster instead of a bouncer… and then: here come the midgets, clowns, and acrobats. Yup, all of that shit is here! There are stages and cages all over the club with dancers preforming. Do not miss this trippy place because in no time you’ll be taking shots with one of the midgets!
If you’re looking for a more traditional way to party, stop by Hollywood Club. This place has a loud, party atmosphere with DJs playing all types of music. The dance floor is crowded with people from all over—from locals to tourists. Hollywood has all sorts of themed parties during the year that you can’t miss out on! Don’t forget to order some syringe shots for you and your friends if you want to go hard.
[Editor’s Note: There are a lot of smaller, awesome bars to explore in Shanghai and we highly suggest doing that. Just be warned that sometimes these places will actually use lower-quality liquor than what you see on the label of the bottle, so there’s a chance you’ll wake up with a much worse hangover than you’re expecting. I (Wyatt) actually had the worst hangover of my life for this reason, so just be warned.]
Restaurants
The food in China is something that many people fear. What do they serve? What should you order? Are those rumors about this dish actually true? Well in Shanghai, the food is kick ass so don’t be afraid to try something you’ve never heard of! You’ll be pleasantly surprised that you’re loving those soup dumplings or fried scorpions from the street fair. We get it though, sometimes you just need to satisfy your craving for Western food. So, we’ve made a list of the best Shanghai restaurants: from the local to the more westernized.
– Din Tai Fung (Dumplings/noodles)
– Lost Heaven (Traditional Chinese)
– Mr. and Mrs. Bund (French)
– elEfante (European tapas, also has a deli)
– Mercato (Italian)
Eat away!
Photo Ops
What’s a cooler place for pictures than China? I mean, come on, it’s not a place everyone gets to travel to and you won’t be getting the typical pictures-in-front-of-a-monument type of thing. You’ll be getting badass ones. First of all, you have to make sure all your friends know how wild the clubs are in Shanghai. So start by taking a picture with a circus midget pouring a shot into your mouth at Cirque Le Soir. That’ll get your friends at home talking. Or why not one in front of the bar set on fire at Bar Rouge? Can’t forget the wrap around shark tank at M1NT! To show everyone how cultured you are you shouldn’t miss going to the Pearl Tower and taking some photos of the incredible views from the glass walkway.
If you plan on taking some easy weekend trips, how amazing would a picture of you elephant riding in Thailand be? Or even better, at one of the most famous wonders of the world: The Great Wall of China in Beijing.
Famous Events
In Shanghai, wherever you are you’ll find some bizarre new adventure to go on.
One of the craziest spots here is Mr. X. Mr. X is basically a real-life board game (above). You and a group of friends are locked inside a creepy, themed room and you have to find a way out. You have an hour to escape using different clues that you find. Best part? There’s a full bar downstairs so you can get some liquid courage before going in.
Want something a little less intimidating? Another must-see in the city is Stampede Karting. This place is ideal for people wanting to party with a little adventure—and it’s the only place where drinking and driving is allowed! Stampede Karting is a bar/lounge that has an actual go-karting track inside. You can take a little break from those pPatron shots you’ve been taking all night and race your friends in the indoor go-kart track.
Wildcards
– Movies That Take Place There (Skyfall, Mission Impossible 3, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
– Instagram Locations (The Bund, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Yu Garden, Peninsula Hotel Rooftop bar)
– Weather (Subtropical Climate, hot/humid in summers, fall is sunny/dry, winter is chilly with only one or two days of snowfall, spring is nicest season, POLLUTION is bad be prepared for foggy skies some days)
– Attitude Towards American Guys (Very accepting, impressed by them/ almost star struck and let in anywhere easily, ask for pictures with them especially if light skin and light hair)
