Ah, kick ons. They’re a time-honoured tradition passed down from one generation of sesh-loving young people to another. But, after coming across a TikTok by a Canadian explaining the phenomenon, I’ve realised that the concept of kick ons is purely Australian. Now that I think about it, I don’t know why I’m surprised.
In the vid, TikToker Chris Zou gives a holistic and, frankly, perfect description of what it means to attend kick ons in major cities in Australia, emphasising how it’s not just the fervor in which we party, but the length that the sesh goes on for.
“I think a lot of people on here are still confused when I say that Australians can party like no other,” Chris said.
“I have literally travelled all around the world and it’s not the same. Australia is not the same. It’s not really the intensity of party that’s difficult to endure because I’ve had more intense moments in Latin America. What I think is a little bit absurd about the way Australian’s party is the duration.”
I could not agree more. While I’ve partied throughout South America and found myself in some ~interesting~ situations, I’ve never had the same stamina that many of my mates have when we’re on one in Sydney.
In the five-minute TikTok, Chris explains that in Australia, it’s fairly standard to start with pres around 5pm, head to the venue until about 2am, go to an after party until 7am, then head to a place like Revs in Melbourne or Morning Glory in Sydney to continue the festivities from 7am to noon.
And although this is where I would personally call it quits, for the most hardened among us, the sesh continues at someone’s sharehouse.
You can hear Chris’ stellar description of the sesh, and what goes down during those vivacious, vulnerable and absolutely cooked moments below.
In the comments, Aussies were filled with pride to see our culture upheld and explained so accurately.
“This. Was. So. Beautiful,” said one commenter.
“This is the most accurate anthropological description of Australian partying. We have never been so seen,” wrote another.
“I love how educated you are,” another said, to which Chris responded: “not the kind of education I was hoping for.”
The only thing that viewers realised Chris missed from his detailed description was the 2am-7am snack pack/kebab stop but I think we can give him a pass on this one, hey?
It’s not the first time that Chris has put on his anthropologist hat to describe the partying habits of Aussies, either. Back in February, he came to Sydney for World Pride.
He went viral for his baffled descriptions of the sesh then too. Since then, he’s truly spent time learning the culture and I think that’s beautiful.
As we all head into the silly season, I’d like to take some time to remind you of a few must-haves at kick ons.
- Water — sorry to sound like your mum but hydration is incredibly important in the Aussie heat. Especially if you’re partaking in extracurricular activities on the sesh, if you know what I mean.
- Food — maybe I’m not your mum, maybe I’m your Italian nonna. You might not always be hungry but you’ve gotta eat. It’ll help the next day, promise.
- Entertainment — okay hear me out. You know when you’re at kick ons and you’ve reached that stage where you don’t want to go home but you need to disassociate and stare at a wall? Well, we have the next best thing. PEDESTRIAN TELEVISION is your go-to for the sesh because between 12am and 6am, it’s KICK ONS TV — a show genuinely created for you and your munted mates to stare at when your brain has become all smooth after too many hours without sleep. And the best news is, KICK ONS TV is also on demand, if the sesh has somehow managed to carry on well into daylight and another dimension.
Anyway, this being said, make sure to stay safe and look after your mates. At the heart of every deep kick-on is love, after all.
You can watch KICK ONS TV (plus a bunch of absolutely bonkers content) on PEDESTRIAN TELEVISION, streaming chaos 24/7 on 9Now.
