It started when I got my acceptance to San Diego State University. When I told people I was going to SDSU, they would all say, "Oh, party school." 

I felt insulted, assuming that I was going to party away my whole academic career at this university. People who didn't even know me assumed that I went out every night, and just only wanted to party. Wrong! They were stereotyping me to my decision for college and I felt judged. I am here to settle the rumors to rest about going to a "party school". 

What even qualifies our school as a party school? Is it because of location or our offering of majors or our sports teams? Is there certain guidelines that makes our school seem to party harder then other schools? From seeing friends at different schools, there is no outline to be a party school, it is just a negative label that doesn't have a original source. This label hurts us when it comes to donors, students only applying just for the stereotype, and parents having more concerns about their children even going there.

While attending SDSU, I have noticed compared to other school, there is no difference in our social life. Yeah, we are in a great location and weather year around but doesn't qualify we are a "party school".  We are just a normal university, with students who have dreams going to medical school, getting their degrees and becoming successful. We are striving and not wasting our days away. San Diego State University has great achievements, we have a great business program, our journalism program is one of the 116 in the US, and we do pride ourselves on our school spirit. Espn ranked our school spirit was one of the best, The Show at basketball games. There is more to our school then this label of a party school.

Many of my friends at SDSU are not here to party. Many of them are working to have great careers and become the best person that they can be. I know some of my friends also do pay for their own schooling and have to work multiple jobs to support themselves. If we were a "party school" wouldn't many of the students be apart another stereotype that they were "trust fund babies" and not working? I have not meet one person at SDSU who is a "trust fund baby", therefore more proof to go against the belief about SDSU. 

SDSU does have a great greek system, and it doesn't mean we party. Recently, Phi Kappa Theta just received recognition for having the most community service hours at SDSU. Each year, during Greek Week the greek community picks a charity to raise money for, and last year it went to helping the homeless children of San Diego County. The Greek community has given back to San Diego each year with Greek Week, Green Fest and with their own philanthropies. 

We are a school that wants to make dreams come to life. We have school events, like Green Fest and Greek Week to bring awareness to our school in a fun way. We support our sports teams and create unity within our giant school. We have so many different clubs, and organizations wanting to get our students involved in improving our campus. So where do people get this idea that we are just only there to spend money on not even going to class? We are not a "party school". I am not a "partier", I am aspiring student who just happen to go to a great school.