Is it normal to get really anxious before a party?

I picture you sitting on a Venetian leather sofa, wearing a ski mask and an Kalashnikov resting on the side table as you read Tale of Two Cities.

Yeah...no. Bad idea, unless you're content to be romantically and sexually unfulfilled. It's not easy, but you have to fight it. For some people exposure therapy (just going out, gradually getting used to it all) helps, and for some that only makes things worse. If that's the case you're best off seeing a psychiatrist and getting some benzodiazepenes. They can be taken either as a maintenance drug (be on them all day every day to keep your anxiety in check) or as needed. Unlike a lot of psychiatric drugs they work immediately. They don't require weeks to build up in your system to be effective. Consider therapy or counseling as well.

Everyone has social anxiety to some degree. Often in specific situations, like public speaking, eating in front of others, crowded social events, etc. Some are unfortunate enough to have it all the time, whenever they're around people. For those people anxiolytic drugs are pretty much a necessity to be able to function in society. Some see psychiatrists, some use alcohol or weed...