Growing up, I always thought that college would be "the best four years of my life."

You hear that phrase, and if you're anything like me, you see images of wild parties, spontaneous adventures, and tailgating events before a football game. None of that is bad. In fact, I've had all of those experiences.

But, do I want to party every night? No.

In fact, I'd really rather not. Granted, even as an introvert, I like to shake it up once and a while and have a wild weekend, but it's not automatically what I'd choose to do all the time.

You don't have to be an extrovert to enjoy college. Society likes to tell us that spending time alone is a bad thing. I often feel pressured to go hang out with other people even though the introvert inside me is begging to recharge by watching YouTube videos or listening to an audiobook while I draw all alone in my room.

However, with social media being such a prominent part of our lives every day, I often feel like I'm not doing college "right" if I give myself my alone time. I feel like I'm missing out on crucial parts of the college experience if I decide I'd rather watch Netflix with my boyfriend on Saturday night instead of going out to parties.

But then I realized that this is absurd.

I should live my life the way I want to live it. If I don't like pep rallies or big crowded events, why is it so bizarre if I choose to go to the library instead? There is not one mold that every single college student should fill.

News Flash: about 50% of the population is introverted, but society still acts like it's bad to be an introvert.

I get so self-conscious of what people might think of me if they knew how much I needed time to myself. I shouldn't be. There's absolutely nothing wrong at all with being an introvert.

I can be social, bubbly, and outgoing when I choose to be. It just gets exhausting to be my pseudo-extroverted self 24/7. I used to completely deprive myself of all my introverted needs, but that was draining.

As I've gotten older and matured, I've realized that I owe myself time alone. I deserve to spend my Friday nights in if I choose to do so. It's my choice. I shouldn't try to be something I'm not just to get the "college experience."

Your college experience is whatever you make it out to be. If you don't enjoy partying 3 nights a week, don't. If you don't like big crowds and hate going to football games, don't. It's your decision and if you don't enjoy those things, to begin with, how are you "missing out?"

If you're an introvert, you owe it to yourself to recharge with alone time.

Don't worry about what other people will think if you decide not to go out one night.

If they are really your friends, they will understand that it's nothing personal against them. It's not "antisocial" to take care of yourself. You can be a social introvert, you just can't be a social introvert without taking out the time to recharge because eventually, you will run out of energy.

Everyone is different, so stop trying to be like other people to get the "college experience." It's your college experience, not theirs that you are living. There's more than one way to experience it and everyone has a different preference.