We live in a society where "the college experience" is about the party atmosphere. If you don't party in college, why bother even going? Oh, right, to get an education.
If you're a person who does go to parties, I am in no way bashing you. I am glad you're enjoying yourself, but I do hope you're careful and smart about it. Parties just aren't my thing. I get high on life just like you, but in different ways.
My idea of "turning up" on a Friday night is eating cookie dough and watching a movie or playing some ridiculous game with friends. I would rather go to trivia night than a night club. I have plenty of friends, and I don't need to go out to have a good time with them. I can have plenty of fun playing board games and singing songs with friends. I'm getting "the college experience" too, just in a different way than others.
I was always worried that I would not fit in at college. I was worried that people would think I was "uncool" for not wanting to go to parties. Thankfully, I've learned that you will always find friends with the same interests as you, and even the friends who think different things will accept you for those differences.
The college experience truly is something unique for each person. For some, it is going out to parties with friends. For others, it's ordering a pizza and binge-watching a show on Netflix. For others, it's working a full or part-time job while balancing school work. None of these options are wrong because the college experience is what you want it to be. My version of the college experience (other than my education of course) is being involved with what feels like about 400 different things on campus. Some might say I'm TOO involved, but I like to stay busy. Others may not really be involved on campus, and that's okay too.
So, those of you who are worried that you won't "fit in" at college because you won't be seen at all the parties, don't worry. You'll find your people, and I promise you'll still get your version of a college experience, whatever that may be. In the words of Hannah Montana, "Life's what you make it," so sit back, relax, and do what's best for you.
