If you look closely, you can nearly see the shiny particles, glistening as they fall onto the spaces that come alive in the night time.

Conversely, there is the borderline-inevitable promise of mayhem and confusion, especially because of the blend of different personalities that are intensified by inebriation.

Nairobi’s nightlife is an experience, and I generally see it as an adventure waiting to happen.

Whenever I leave the house, after saying a silent prayer of protection and spritzing Elizabeth Arden’s Red Fifth Avenue on all my pulse points, I make it a personal intention to make the most out of my night. And true to the rule of attraction, it usually sums up as being yet another episode to add in the currently running series that is my life.

In my undisputed time crawling the streets of Nairobi on the weekends, shamelessly memorising the Great Westlands Circuit, I’ve found that there are must-haves to complement the objective of having a night to remember.

A regular Friday night looks like stepping into The Mall to check out either the rooftop or the basement (shout out The Mist), heading to Molly’s Pub on ‘Electric Avenue’ for a quick pregame, and then winding up at Alchemist to cap off the night with Boombox Fridays.

KEEP IT REAL

For one, you have to wear your personality as proudly as possible.

In our big, bold, bustling city, performative behaviour has leaked out of social media through our phone screens and replaced the authentic mannerisms and habits we embody.

Of course, inebriation lowers inhibition and strips whatever masks people initially put on before others. 

However, it should be natural that we behave as ourselves rather than compromise our individuality to fit into the clearly defined boxes Nairobi’s social scene has apparently constructed.

After all, if we’re all keeping up appearances, then when do we make time to show off our real selves? (If at all we know who we are, because identity crisis is a real conundrum of our 20s)

KEEP IT COOL

With personality, comes composure — the greatest tool to navigate interactions with varying individuals on a night out.

Through my lens, composure is the defining difference between going home with bloodied knuckles (or bloodied clothes, which is not a desirable splash of red) and peacefully coming to the end of the night.

There are several triggering incidents that are more or less bound to happen, from a verbal altercation with a menacing bouncer outside a new spot, or a displeasing exchange with the nearly incoherent guy approaching a three-day bender, to the belligerent couple who didn’t leave their bickering at home and carried it over into the club to invite innocent bystanders to spectate.

In such scenarios, it is important to maintain composure. Remember that you are sharing spaces, and though that spur-in-the-moment swing might feel good, in hindsight, it won’t be worth the aftermath.

STAY CONNECTED

If you’re like me and possess a mobile device that could be at 100 per cent on leaving the house and on its proverbial deathbed by midnight (I own an iOS device that is clocking 10 years), you should invest in a power bank.

I can’t count the number of times a power bank has intervened, saving me from not being able to pay for a cab, or entrance, or for the side-quest I had not anticipated, and even further sparing me from the slightly embarrassing “Can I charge my phone here?” conversation at numerous counters, where I had no intentions of making a purchase.

STAY SAFE

A night out in Nairobi can be beautiful, but it can also feel as though imminent danger is looming, like a Scooby Doo episode (I’m referring to the Hanna Barbera production). More so for women, who have to be extra cautious.

We love the city, but sometimes it is unkind to us, and that’s courtesy of the creeps who haunt lonely streets and desolate bends to find someone to prey upon for their immediate gratification (because anything delayed is not in their vocabulary).

Lately, the creeps have become more brazen and come packaged in sweet, trusting smiles, clean swag and “selfless” intentions, presenting a façade that can coax you into lowering your guard.

I’d recommend carrying mace, or a bottle of homemade pepper spray, and this is not just limited to the ladies — guys need protection, too.

Finally, affirm yourself that the night before you will be incredible and stick to that motto, regardless of what the night throws your way. This stream of consciousness has yet to fail me.