The 'Second Location' Hack Is Key To Enjoying Nights Out More

Whether you're a social butterfly or more of a homebody, nights out are often a great escape from the responsibilities of adulting. Losing track of time and having a few drinks with your nearest and dearest can help you to blow off some steam and recharge your batteries. The only problem is not all nights out are made equal. If you've been of legal age for a while, you'll know that some nights spent at bars or clubs with your friends just fall flat.

TikTok has come up with a remedy to those lackluster nights with what's been termed the "second location" hack. In a video posted to the platform, user Matt Buechele explains that you're more likely to actually enjoy yourself on a night out if you stick around until your group travels to their second location, rather than leaving early.

In other words, if things are feeling a little dull at the first bar or club you visit, don't throw in the towel just yet. Stick it out until your friends move on to location number two. The hack doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the second location, but rather the conversation that you'll be likely to have there.

In his TikTok video, Matt Buechele gives an accurate run-down of how most nights out end up, detailing the standard points and turns in conversation as time goes on. When you get to the first bar, restaurant, or club, things are usually still pretty stiff. You'll most likely make small talk or catch up on the basics, giving each other summaries of what's been going on at work, with your family, in your relationship, and so on. Those deep and meaningful conversations that really allow bonds to be formed and friendships to grow stronger don't typically happen until a little later in the night. Most often, that's when you hop to your next destination.

If conversation and connection-forming don't really interest you, and you're on a night out just to let loose, then this hack probably doesn't make much difference for you (although you'll probably be all for heading to a second location anyway!). But if these things are what make social events meaningful for you, then the second location hack can greatly increase the chances that you'll actually enjoy your next night out.

While the second location is supposedly where the magic happens, the third location is anything but.

"Don't go," Matt Buechele warns in his TikTok video. "I know people like the third location but third locations are where things can really fall apart." He goes on to explain that the conversation in the third spot of the night tends to transform from deep and meaningful to a little bit silly. By this time, things are likely to be slightly messier than they are at the first and second stops, so you have people losing things and making suggestions that would never fly when everyone's sober, relaxed, and thinking straight.

Buechele also points out that getting home tends to be more difficult the later you leave it in the night, and you're likely to need to use an Uber rather than public transport, which will end up costing you more. If you're up for good conversation but don't want to spend much money, the third location appears to be a lose-lose.

Some of the best nights out are the most unexpected, so you may still end up having the time of your life at that third location. The truth is anything can happen. But if your priority is quality time with your friends, then be sure to get to the second stop at least.