Let's face it, some people don't come to school for academics. Partying is glamorized in movies and idealized amongst high schoolers. Students enter college in hopes to let loose at all-night ragers.

To be honest, I thought maybe before coming to college that I would want to go to parties. Yet, after living in a leadership and scholar dorm for three years, I never really saw the partying that existed on my own campus. I had movie nights with my gal pals, studied my butt off, and went on outdoor adventures on the weekends. Most of my friends were all about GPAs, club organizations, and resume building. Never once did I feel like I was missing anything.

This past semester I have been studying abroad with students from my school. I now realize what it means to be around people who surround their college experience around partying. Since understanding their perspective and seeing all the trouble that comes with over-partying, I have come to the conclusion that partying is overrated, and here is why.

First of all, alcoholism is a real condition that affects a huge percentage of the American population. This condition often starts when people overconsume alcohol in college from social drinking, and years later they are still addicted to binge drinking. My best friend's father is an alcoholic. I have seen the ripple effect of turmoil alcoholics cause to everyone around them. I am always concerned with when I see other students who cannot go one day without drinking, because I know the dangerous path it leads down.

When you can't remember how much fun you had it is not worth it.

I asked one of my fellow peers if he had fun at the club he ventured off to in Barcelona. He replied, " I wish I remembered." I don't know about you, but I want to remember the peak experiences of my existence.

There are other dangers that make over-consuming in alcohol or drugs especially worrisome for women. There are significantly higher chances for women to be sexually assaulted if she is drunk. Now, this does not excuse men for committing sexual assault by any means, but I refuse to put myself in any situation where someone could take advantage of me. Statistics show that one in four women will be sexually assaulted during their time in college. That is enough to scare me into maintaining sobriety.

On top of that alcohol plays a negative role on physical health. Y'all, the beer gut is real. Alcohol is in no way, shape, or form healthy. Drinking every week can have severe negative consequences later on in life. I don't know about you, but I want to be that super fit seventy-year-old that still does Ariel yoga.

If you are completely out of control of your actions who is to take responsibility for the destruction you cause in your drunkenness. A girl in my group got wasted and shortly after we found her peeing in the street, which is illegal in most states. If she had been caught, she would have had to register her name on a sex offender list. Even though she faced no legal issues I can't imagine doing something so indecent in public.

Have fun in college, but never let partying become a central focal point of your academic career. There is nothing wrong with drinking, but when we are talking about overconsumption and addiction there are many other issues that arise. Overall, I much prefer grabbing coffee with a friend or playing basketball than losing all control of consciousness anyhow.

I hope you don't believe me to be self-righteous. That is not the case. I only hope one day my peers will see that there is more to life than chugging down the next drink. I am not boring, but I do know who I am and what I want from life. Let's sit down and have a real conversation because I like you better sober.