College is full of fun things to do: organizations to join, sports teams to cheer on, finding free food, exploring a new town, decorating a dorm room, and for many students, hooking up. But what if this seemingly carefree act was something dangerous that could ruin our entire generation? I'm here to tell you that it is. And here's why:

1. We're growing up too fast. What happened to a simple picnic date, or getting ice cream and playing mini-golf? While these dates ideas may seen a little immature for the college student, it doesn't make them any less fun. By indulging in hookup culture you are cheating yourself of these activities that never fail to make you smile. You're only this age once, so why not enjoy it? In 10 years, you may not be able to sneak away and go for a drive or have a bonfire late at night. You may have children, jobs and even more responsibilities. Go enjoy a trip to the zoo, head to the flea market or play with puppies at the animal shelter. You may even find that whatever you stumble across is more fun than hooking up.

2. We're becoming more self-conscious. We all experience doubt, especially as young adults. But when the already stressful time of figuring out your future and yourself is mixed with trying to impress others, it’s too overwhelming. With social media, we're able to see every second of everyone's lives, and it can be an added pressure to always look your best and do things that you wouldn't normally do. How many times have you been hesitant to do something, but then figured, "Well at least it'll look cool for my Snapchat story?" I'm willing to bet a lot of us think that way, and it isn't always safe. With these added pressures, we are becoming more and more self-conscious, and not any more carefree. Add in the need for keeping up with these pseudo-relationships or always trying to win someone over, and you're doomed.

3. We're getting hurt easier. Hooking up is supposed to be casual, but it seldom ends that way. Along the way, someone develops feelings for the other person, and it is very rarely mutual. This only perpetuates the fine line between friendships and relationships, and it does so without clear communication or realistic goals. Does hooking up really solve more problems than it begins? I don't think so. And if you're doing it with multiple people, expect multiple dilemmas—none of which will end pretty.

4. We're turning into liars. This lifestyle easily begins a cycle of lies. There are lies regarding physical attributes or problems, feelings, friends and family, and ultimately, you end up lying to yourself. By hooking up, we trick ourselves into believing all we want is the physical part of a relationship instead of the whole package. While we may think our simple actions are lighthearted, they hurt us by teaching that we don't deserve any more of a relationship than this baseline. We deem ourselves unworthy of true love, settling for just one part, just to get a glimpse of what could be.

5. We're losing out on greater opportunities. I might sound like a stereotypical nerd, but really, there are more fun things to do on a Saturday night than go to a party and hookup. If you live in a big city like I do, go to the symphony or a minor league baseball game. Settle in for the night with friends and watch as many Harry Potter movies as you can. When you're out somewhere doing God knows what, you could be missing out on something even better, believe it or not. There’s more to life than this culture, and I truly hope you realize it.

So next time you think about hooking up, think about your future. Think about the man you want to marry someday, about your favorite hobbies, about your best friends and about yourself. Think about what it means to be the most authentic version of yourself, and finding those same qualities in others. Think about the opportunities that our generation has been given, and think about how many of them are more rewarding than this lifestyle. You are so much more than the societal pressure to hook up, and I hope you know you are worthy of real love. College is supposed to be the best time of your life—make it that way. Because along the way, you might just find something even better than a crazy Saturday night out.