On Thursday, I hosted my very first tea social—an idea that sparked just two weeks ago. I’m so glad that most of the people I invited early on showed up, and I took the time to prepare my living room to make it feel special. I added couch covers, blankets, cushions, and even created a cozy little space for my roommate's cat with a sunset lamp, a disco ball, and a small carpet. Since it was a s’mores night, I also bought a tabletop fire, while my boyfriend got meditation cushions, incense, and a beautiful light to set the mood.
I didn’t go overboard with tea preparation; luckily, I had some gifted herbal teas from my birthday, which came in handy.
The Day Of
The day of the event started slowly—I wasn’t particularly productive, still recovering from the half marathon and not doing much for my corporate job. But as the evening drew closer and I started getting dressed and putting on makeup, I felt a sense of excitement and happiness that it was actually happening.
I set up the space with chocolate, marshmallows, wood skewers, fruits, and two pots of tea—one white and one peppermint. I figured peppermint would pair well with chocolate. As people began to arrive, I greeted them and felt like I did better than I expected in making conversations flow.
Once everyone was there, we sat around the table, chatting and enjoying the setup. I spent some time taking photos, capturing the moments, while my guests found things to talk about. Eventually, I sat down and joined the conversations. I shared my ideas about starting a teahouse, caught up with friends, and just enjoyed the moment.
When the evening ended and everyone left, they seemed to have had a great time.
Reflections
After the event, my roommate, boyfriend, and I talked about how it went. I couldn’t help but wonder if people were just being polite because they’re my friends, but my roommate assured me that she genuinely enjoyed it. However, I wish I tested the tea a bit more, the white tea got bitter 1 hour in, and I didn't know until I sat down to try it again. I guess next time I need to be more consistent about tasting the tea.
We also noticed that the conversations didn’t always include everyone—it was more like small one-on-one chats or talking to two people at a time. For the next event, I want to incorporate something that encourages group interaction, like an icebreaker or a shared activity. While I know this would differ from the public events I eventually want to host, I’m happy that I achieved my goal of creating something intimate, positive, and memorable with friends.
What’s Next?
I’m already thinking about planning another event at my apartment. However, I might soon have the opportunity to organize public events. Stay tuned!