It's springtime, which means it is once again college decision season. This is a very exciting time for any high school senior, but the opinions of our family and friends can sometimes take the joy out of the experience. With so many college ranking websites, it's easy to let the stereotypes of certain schools influence your decision.
When I started applying to colleges, I did my research, reading every article, poll, and ranking system I could find. In April, I was proud to announce that I would be attending LSU because I knew that it was not only the best choice for my major, but that it was also the only place I wanted to spend the next 4 years of my life. My family and friends, however, were not as thrilled. “LSU? But that's a party school.” People would say, with a look of disappointment, as if they were somehow embarrassed for me. My friends made jokes that I would “major in beer pong” or that I’d end up a trophy wife because a degree from a party school wouldn’t get me anywhere. I started having doubts. What if I had made the wrong choice? I was so worried about what other people thought of my choice that I almost completely lost sight of what had drawn me to LSU in the first place. It wasn’t until I started classes this year that I learned what a ‘party school’ is really like for the students that attend these universities.
Most party schools get a bad rap because they are presumably ‘easy’, and while it is true that a lot of party schools like LSU have courses that are fondly referred to as ‘jock classes’, ‘easy’ would not be the word I would use to describe the academics here. There isn’t a single class that I have taken this semester that hasn’t challenged me in some way, and I think the same can be said for almost every student here. Students who attend party schools are often seen as lazy, unintelligent, teenagers who only applied to college as an excuse to drink or go to football games, and while football Saturdays are some of the best days of the year, this stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth. The people I have met at my school are as ambitious are ambitious and incredibly smart, and they chose their school not because of the party scene, but because it was the best fit for them for a variety of reasons. Some of the hardest working people I have ever met can be seen cutting loose on the weekends, and still manage to get straight A’s in all 6 of their classes and a bio lab. And while this strategy may not work for everyone, someone who goes out on the weekends is no worse of a student than someone who doesn’t. In fact, the biggest advantage of going to a party school in my opinion is that it tests your willpower and decision making skills more than another college might. Knowing when to stay home and study, and when it is in your best interest to cut yourself some slack and attend that block party or sporting event really shows what kind of a person you are. ‘Play hard and work harder’ is the best way I know how to describe the mentality of these students. In the world outside of college, you aren’t always going to have the best situations, and there will be plenty of temptations, so being able to succeed in conditions that may not always be the ideal, is an invaluable lesson that you will definitely learn if you attend a party school.
I am so grateful for the decision that I made. I have learned so many valuable life lessons in and out of the classroom, and I hate to think where I would have ended up if I had listened to the naysayers in my life. Party schools aren’t for everyone, and neither are Ivy Leagues. The most important thing to remember when choosing your school is this: choose a place where you feel at home, and don’t listen to what other people think because this is your decision and only you know what the best fit will be. Your school does not define your success, only you can do that.
