I love my school. It is perfectly sized so that I know every person in my major but do not feel like I am still in high school. My professors are among the elite in their field, and I truly learn from them every day. I can hold leadership positions in a variety of organizations and even have an on-campus job. All of this is overshadowed, though, by the label of “party school.” I have heard this term so many times that occasionally I worry that my eyes may actually roll out of my head if it is spoken again. More often than not, this description is used by people who have never even stepped foot on campus. In my school’s case, the label originates from students who would come here and make bad decisions. In their determination to skirt responsibility, they pushed the blame onto their surroundings as if the university president threatened failure if they did not drink an entire bottle of tequila that night. This cycle continued for every schmuck who came to college for a good time until one day they woke up to realize that they had been kicked out of the university. Personally, I really do not care what you want to do with your college experience as long as it is not affecting me. I start to take action, though, when my education gets discredited because other students do not have the willpower to say no to drinking on a Wednesday.
The problem derived from the students themselves who simply could not handle college freedom. The problem continues, though, through those who believe their excuses and automatically stereotype the entire student body. It is not OK to ask me about the party culture of my school before asking about my academics. It is not OK to assume that I pay tuition to be close to a bar or go out with my sorority sisters.
The fact that people do not know or, more accurately, choose to ignore is that every college from the junior level to the Ivy League hosts parties or has nearby bars. The difference just comes down to each person. There are future doctors, lawyers, teachers, dentists, therapists, pilots, and a slew of other professions studying at that "party school" because they want to learn. They then want to use that knowledge to provide a service for other people. Continuing your education should be praised, not shrouded in a "Project X"-esque cloud of misconceptions. I am not asking for sympathy and I do not want anyone to feel sorry for me because of the party culture that surrounds my school. If I could go back in time and choose schools again, I would make the same decision without hesitation.
