“The college experience” is an overused phrase that I have heard far too much in my last four years of college and is a phrase that I think will be forever inescapable. Some people use it as an excuse, some people use it as justification, and I would argue that most people use it incorrectly.

As a new year of college quickly approaches, I have seen multiple articles discussing “the college experience”. Most recently, I read an article pleading for a general understanding and acceptance of alcohol consumption (including underage drinking) being “the college experience”. The author argued that it was “what everybody does in college”. Actually, the article even went so far as to say that drinking and partying is an essential part of our development leading into adulthood.

Obviously, this article is untrue, generalized, and completely harmful to other students and future students. Is this experience truly “essential”? Is this experience necessary? I would argue that it absolutely is not. In fact, I believe that partying is not “the college experience” at all.

Now, I am sure that a vast majority of students who are reading this article are already uneasy and upset with what I am saying, but, please, hear me out on this. I was a Resident Assistant for freshmen for two years and have seen the sad and dangerous effects of underage drinking that many other people do not see. When I was a Resident Assistant, I saw freshmen who diligently tried to live up to “the college experience”. At nights I would see the effects of “the college experience” and would have students crying at my door the next morning. To others, these events seem more common than dangerous and sad. Most people would laugh it off saying, “oh, it’s just the college experience”. After hearing this stupid excuse and justification so many times, I became frustrated and wondered how this phrase came to mean underage, excessive alcohol consumption in the first place. When did we make the college experience about something that it’s not.

I am not arguing against drinking because, when you are an adult, you can make your own decisions on how you want to experience life. BUT, if you choose to drink, then it is only a PART of your college experience. It is a PART of it and nothing more. The college experience is learning more about yourself, becoming independent, and discovering the world through your own eyes. Can drinking be a part of this? Sure! You can definitely make new friends and discover new things in doing so, but drinking is not the only experience you should be having during your time in college. I hope that you are able to see that and take it to heart.

“The college experience” is more about meeting new people and making new friends. It is about what you learn in and outside of class. It is about the blood, sweat, and tears that you have shed to win those hockey games with a team that has become like family. It is about engulfing yourself into new cultures. It is about success and failure. It is about frustration and joy. It is about being a part of something big, new, and exciting.

“The college experience” allows you to take advantage of a multitude of different experiences through endless amounts of opportunities. Let yourself create an experience filled with enriching events and do not allow yourself to only depend on one thing. Do more than that.

If you tell me that “the college experience” consists of drinking and partying, I am sorry that you are missing out on so much more. As we enter a new year, reward yourself with partaking in different adventures and spread yourself across various experiences.

I hope that your year is filled with excitement and truly invigorating experiences.