As a college students, different students will make different decisions. The best way to handle this situation is to keep an open mind.
Yesterday, while I catching up on my Netflix addiction, I got a message from one of my coworkers who moves in as a freshmen in college this week. My coworker was really worried about the party scene at her chosen school and wanted me to shed some light on what really goes on in college. The best advice I could give her? Keep an open mind.
In high school, I was definitely not the party type. Being super involved in clubs and sports, I didn't really have a whole lot of free time. On top of that, the friend group that was my core, solid foundation, thought it was more fun to stay sober. I thought when I got to college, I would have to go out and drink because that was how everybody meets there friends. That's how my mother met her friends, that's how my mother and father met, and it just seemed like a natural right of passage - but for me it was totally different.
I found out after one night that the party scene was not my scene, and that it absolutely did not have to be. The awesome thing about college is that it's not like high school. The people going to your school recognize that they are a part of something bigger than themselves and don't really care whether you are an avid party goer or not. I would never want an incoming freshmen or transfer student to think that in order to have friends, you have to "go out". And especially at Virginia Tech, this is not the case.
What I ended up telling my coworker was that you really need to go into college with an open mind. If you choose to go out, go out. Enjoy yourself, but don't judge the people who choose not to, or the people you are getting to know while going out. Everyone is going through an adjustment period in their life in college. When you keep an open mind in college, you not only help yourself grow, but also are fostering a feeling of mutual respect around your peers.
