Some people find joy in partying late at night or driving an hour to a larger school to find such parties. Others are completely content with deciding last minute to go bowling on a Saturday night only to be disappointed they can't use bumpers.
In high school, I didn't party all that much. I still had fun, though. I went to football games but never tailgated before. I went to prom but my after-parties consisted of junk food, movies and falling asleep before I expected to. I went to concerts but I didn't bring a fake ID so I could get a drink. Instead, I purchased the overpriced souvenir cup so I could get free refills of the soda of my choice.
While knowing I didn't want to disappoint my parents (or get caught by them) while drinking, partying, etc. in high school, I also thought to myself I had plenty of time in college to party. Plus, I knew I needed to do good in high school so that I could get into college. But, here I am, in college and still not partying.
Don't get me wrong, not partying is not a bad thing, but the few parties I have been to have always been a lot of fun. And who doesn't love getting waffles from Waffle House at 2 a.m.? At a party, you will encounter all walks of life. You will find those who just want to come and eat the food, drink the beer and ditch. You'll see the frat guys and sorority girls. You will meet awkward couples and even more awkward dancers.
More often than not, you can find me at Church Street Coffee getting a cookie until 10 p.m. when they close, and then heading back to campus. There have been a couple of nights when I've gone to a late night movie or done something fun with friends but I've realized that unless you're in the bad part of town, there isn't much late night action in Birmingham for those of us who aren't 21. Or maybe I haven't found these spots because I haven't done a whole lot of searching.
Living on a campus like Samford can sometimes be a struggle. On the weekends, it seems to be deserted unless there is a sorority function or finals the following week. I love that in college you can take spontaneous trips to different cities but there is no way you can do that every weekend on a college budget. While I'm on the subject, let me remind you that if you are one of the students who like to go out and party, you are no doubt being judged. Trust me, I am not the one judging you. I'm being judged alongside you because I like to visit my friends in Athens or my boyfriend at another school, and apparently that is frowned upon because of stereotypes.
When I think about a party that involves alcohol, I think it is best to go knowing that you need to have balance. You need to know how many drinks you've had and even how many those around you have had. Your night will not be fun if you're babysitting your friends the whole time because they had one-too-many. You also don't want to be the one waking up the next day not remembering what embarrassing thing you did the night before.
I think what I am looking forward to most when I turn 21 is being able to have a glass of wine with some friends from out of town or ordering a drink at dinner. But for now, I am completely content with my "Harry Potter" movie marathons and craft nights with friends. Of course, there will come times where temptation settles in, when there are mimosas at a bridal shower, beer at a concert and drinks at a celebration. As long as you have your own best interest in mind, there is nothing wrong with having fun.
