If you trap yourself in a room for four years, then depending on how you interpret it, you never really received a college education.

Socializing with others is a vital aspect part of the college experience because you learn a lot about yourself through expanding your comfort zone in ways you might not have in high school. For me, college has broken down a lot of stereotypes I had about certain groups of people I had rarely been exposed to before I stepped foot onto Northwestern’s campus.

I don’t see why students choose to stay in on the
weekends rather than go out and socialize with friends. No, I’m not advocating getting wasted every Friday and Saturday night. What I am saying is that most of us are only in college for four years and it’s the memories we have with others that we will cherish forever. Think about it. When you’re 30, will you look back at your college experience and remember that A you got on your gender studies paper? Hell, no. You’ll remember the time you saw your favorite band in concert, the countless nights talking with your friends until 3 a.m., that date that exceeded your expectations and the night you spent bar-hopping until you somehow found your way home. 

It all comes down to time management and being able to handle less than eight hours of sleep on some nights. There are reasons, though, why students are more inclined to stay in on the weekends. A big one is that a lot of us are unsure about the state of the economy and are stressed about receiving employment upon graduation. We’ve all heard horror stories about graduates from top colleges left out in the cold because companies were more inclined to give jobs to unemployed 30 year olds with work experience. 

The better-get-a-4.0-to-get-a-job mentality doesn’t give you a free pass for passing up on an opportunity to hang out. Research suggests that students who expand their social bubble will have more success down the line. 

According to a study released by Finnish psychologists in 2011, “Students’ social skills and behavior in social situations during their university studies contribute to their success in the transition to work. The social strategies adopted during university studies also have an impact on work commitment and early-career coping with working life.”

On the flip side, “The results of the research project also suggest that social withdrawal and avoidance during university studies are indicative of a distant attitude towards work and an increased likelihood of exhaustion and burnout after the transition to working life.” 

Is the student who is locked up in their room all the time really going to have as much success down the road as the student who is able to balance work and play? This study suggests otherwise. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t focus on academia because that’s not healthy, either. However, it is important to realize that getting a 4.0 at the expense of hanging out with friends might not be worth it.