I am a huge fan of SZA. Every time I hear her album “Ctrl,” it feels like I’m hearing it for the first time. Her songs often revolve around relatable difficulties of a young adult, which I find very comforting at this point in my life. One of my favorite songs from this album is called “Drew Barrymore.”

The song starts off with my favorite line: “Why’s it so hard to accept the party is over?” The first time this line resonated in my ears, it gave me chills. It struck a nerve. At this point, you’re probably wondering, “What the hell are you talking about?” Well, have you noticed that everyone is your friend when you’re partying? Have you noticed that everyone is your friend at the high points of your life and that when you’re down bad, everyone disappears? Or that it’s hard to accept that a certain point in your life is over?

I don’t think SZA necessarily meant this line in the aspects of friendship; I think she meant it more so to relate to a relationship. However, I felt it elsewhere. It really is hard to accept the party is over. It’s hard to accept that your “friends” were only your friends because it was convenient for them or because you weren’t a burden to them.

It’s hard to accept that there are parts of your life that must come to an end, no matter how badly you don’t want them to. The party always ends, and you come crashing down from your high of happiness. It’s hard to let go of such a festive nature.

I went through a very carefree period in my life, specifically the summer after my senior year. I was just spending time with my closest friends before college. I am a free-spirit, and I would love to live my whole life this way, but there comes a time whenever you’ve got to pick up responsibility.

When you pick up those responsibilities, I think that’s when you have finally accepted that the party is over. And when you accept it, you lose people in the process. Because they are still stuck on something that has came and went. There will be people in your life that never accept it, and as unfortunate as that is, you’ve got to move forward without them.

I had to move on from people that were part of this carefree time in my life because they didn’t contribute any good to me moving on. They loved me during this period, but where are they now? Stuck in their ways.

I am in no way saying that I am a completely different person that never has fun anymore. The point I’m trying to make is that to move forward, we have to take on some type of responsibility. We have to have some sort of stability in our lives.

I love to go out, but guess what? There are still things I have to tend to whenever it’s over. I can’t let my life slip because I’m worried about what I’m going to miss out on. So put down the drinks, turn the music off, cut the lights on. It’s not always fun. It’s okay to have fun at the party, but you can’t always stay the night.