When I initially told my parents that I planned to partake in formal recruitment my freshman year of college, I'd say that their faces showed a little more than shock. Looking back on it, I can clearly see where their looks of disbelief came from.

First of all, the sororities and fraternities of their good ole college days were a LOT different than they are today.

Secondly, my “roll out of bed 5 minutes before I have to leave, throw on a sweatshirt, and head to school without a drop of makeup" style was most likely not anywhere similar to the stereotypical sorority girl they had pictured in their heads.

And last, but not least, the media fueled stereotype of all Greek houses that is perpetuated by movies from Animal House to Neighbors is not a lifestyle any parent typically desires for their child.

However, my parents aren't alone in the belief that joining a sorority or attending a big university will lead to nights that leave you confused in the morning.

This stereotype is often something that many students strive towards. It's become the ideal college experience.

Upon entering a university with a heavy party scene, expectations for the weekends (and maybe even the weekdays if you're really going for that freshman year experience) can be pretty high.

College is a gigantic Project X party every weekend, right?

While Project X might be a little bit far fetched, the ideal college party still features booze, boys, and the best nights of your life that could have come straight off a Tumblr post.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting this to be your college experience.

But how about those people who aren't necessarily into every weekend between being blurry? The glorification of this pigeonholed college experience leaves those students without that desire to feel as if they're missing out on something bigger, as if they just aren't doing something right.

The big college experience comes with the idea that you're supposed to be going out, getting drunk and making out with at least one new person every weekend. But what about those people who find themselves in a relationship early on in their college years? Are they missing out?

It's typically hard to feel comfortable navigating the sweaty mess that is a frat party dance floor while in a committed relationship. Maybe you're one of the lucky ones: the people who get to skip the whole, “Flirting at a frat party, wondering whether or not it'll lead to anything".

Unless you see yourself being truly happier living a single lifestyle, you shouldn't feel as if you're missing out. I can guarantee that half of the girls you may envy wish that they could find a relationship like yours. Relationships aren't the only thing with a taboo placed on them, being a part of the social scene can make or break your reputation in college.

While some students consider efficiently networking with their professors to be a great accomplishment in college, many others may have different aspirations. In order to achieve true cliché status, your end goal may be to walk up to a top tier frat only to skip the “who do you know here?" and instead be greeted with an “Aye! Where have you been!?"

Now, I'm fully aware that there are plenty of people out there reading this and thinking, “she's just explaining the difference between being in a fraternity and not being in one!" But no, kind reader, there actually can be a best of both worlds.

Perhaps I'm a tad bit biased as I sit in the basement of my sorority house in a robe, writing this article on a Friday night, but I am living proof that you can have a damn good time in college without recreating a scene from Neighbors every weekend.

In all reality, every single student's college experience is different.

Sometimes you just need a night of Netflix marathon-ing House of Cards and waking up to an open pizza box right next to you. Other times you may need a night with your girls crashing the latest jersey party only to wake up fully clothed on the floor (or in the racks, no judgment).

No college experience can be seen as any lesser or greater than another. The greatest four years of our lives might not come out of our college years, but I'll be damned if I don't try in one way or another.