We aren't kids anymore, and even though you think you're in the "prime" of your life and will miss out in the long run, chances are one day you'll look back and wish you'd spent less time pounding back shots, and more time finding ways to lead a more productive, successful life.

One of my biggest goals in life is to be successful. I want to make sure that I don't spend any time in my future wishing I could change the way certain things aligned. If that means I take the time in my 20's to plan things out accordingly by not wasting nights drunk and partying-then that's what I'll do.

"You're so boring."

A simple yet hurtful phrase I hear all too often. Do you want to know why I'm boring to the people who repeatedly refer to me as such? It's because I'm taking a different path than theirs. According to them, the path I'm choosing isn't fun nor exciting for someone in their 20's. You'd think after hearing this so often that them saying this would sit with me in a not so extreme way, but because I've heard it one too many times, I just started to become more defensive.

I feel like it's time to speak out for all the other people striving to be known for something other than a waste.

We are not boring. We are working hard and studying harder. While you're out doing belly shots with strangers at a bar, we are staying up until 2 a.m. to make sure our homework is done for the next day and our lunch is packed for work. I have my own place, with what feels like a million responsibilities between laundry, cooking, cleaning, mowing, and groceries so please forgive me if that doesn't leave for much time in-between.

What's even more frustrating than being called boring are the people doing the name-calling because, at one point in time, I considered them friends. The thing is, I learned long ago that if you associate yourself with people who have nothing but a bad outlook on life, you'll start to see things in a very similar way.

From the very start of my friendship with these people, my mom was the one to tell me to always stay true to the things I wanted in life because others may not have the same vision. Once again my mom proved to be nothing short of amazing with all her wise knowledge.

Just look where we are now.

So yes, I'm boring. I'd rather stay in on my Friday nights and relax with people who I know will have my back despite the boring-yet productive- decisions I make in life. I'd take a movie night over going out and getting drunk any day. I've cut out people in my life I know never have had any intentions on growing as a person. These are some of the best decisions I've made in my life and because of them, I know I'm destined for great things.

I'm not "trying to be perfect" or "setting impossibly high standards", I'm just a girl with goals and they're ones that won't get done by shotgunning multiple beers a night or sleeping with a stranger at a bar for shits and gigs.

If you're big on the phrase "YOLO" maybe just try applying it to a completely reverse situation. You only live once, so work your ass off, study for the test that you were told you'd never pass on the first try, apply for the job you know you probably won't get, and then admire the fact that this life you only get to live once, is one actually worth living.

I don't think I'm better than anyone else, but I just want more out of my life than to be known as the girl that never amounted to anything. I hit a slump once where all I did was party and find comfort in knowing the very next day I could do it all again when things got hard.

The feelings that hit me the next morning were such empty ones that I promised myself and the people around me that loved/supported me I'd never look back.

You may not think partying is hindering your goals in life, but I think you'd be surprised at how much it's slowing you down.

Truthfully? I'm done caring on whether or not people get upset by my decisions. The simple truth is that if someone gets upset at another person wanting to better their lifestyle, they're probably disappointed with their own actions they're taking. Let them be that way, I won't let it affect me, so you shouldn't either.

A friend of mine-wanting very similar things in life-once said: "I will have 0 friends before I let anyone make me feel bad for wanting more and for bettering myself."

Once you start applying that to your everyday life, you'll find it inspiring how great things will start to be for you, and the people around to watch it.

I know it was for me.