Being a sophomore at Coastal Carolina University, from New Jersey, who now lives in Columbia, SC, I have heard it all.

"Coastal is such a party school"

"You're in Myrtle Beach? You probably never go to class."

""Isn't that over there by the beach? I heard you guys party a lot."

The list never ends.

Many believe that we party more than the average university, but in reality, we probably party a lot less. Granted there's always parties, but they're shutdown before any real fun can get get started. Regardless, that is not the point of this article.

At Coastal Carolina, a vast majority of us are just trying to get an education, like any other college student at any other university. Our location just makes us a prime target for previously mentioned statements.

We take our education very seriously and we also believe in having a good time.

Who says we can't believe in both?

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone bragging about how many hours they spent in the library, I'd have enough to build a student parking lot.

Although I personally prefer a night in with my roommate and a good movie on Netflix, there is always so much work to be done. I can only imagine how other Coastal students must feel. A lot of students also juggle a job (sometimes more than one), extracurricular activities, school, social life, family relationships, and their mental health.

Students everywhere juggle these things and it gets really tough. Going out and having a fun time with friends allows for a bit of freedom that no other feeling can replace. So the next time someone scoffs at you after saying you attend Coastal Carolina, tell them about your work load or lack thereof. Who cares? Who are they to judge? Coastal may not be the typical university, but it's still a university. Don't strip our school of a title because of a few "parties."