“Are you coming out tonight?”

Typically, this question is asked as I’m curled up on the couch in my cotton blanket, computer nestled in my lap, and my finger hovering over the play button for my movie.

Whenever my roommates, friends or classmates ask if I’m hitting up the bar or one of the frat houses, I give some typical excuse as to why I’m not going out.

“I have this huge research paper, but maybe next week!” I say.

Yeah. Okay.

The thing is, I’ve never been one for partying. I tried desperately my freshman year of college to like it. I endured the grabby guys and the puke beneath my shoes, trying to enjoy the night out with my friends.

But I couldn’t.

When you go to college, most people expect you to go to parties. For most students, it’s that time in their life where they can get crazy without their parents hovering over. It’s a time to explore.

There is nothing wrong with going out to parties. I know a lot of people who love going out and have a great time. It’s just not for me.

I much prefer going out to a movie with friends or grabbing some dinner. I have a much better time doing those kinds of activities than going out to the latest party.

And that’s okay.

Even though there are people who don’t want to go out and party, it doesn’t mean they are experiencing college in a way that is less fun or okay. They are just exploring it differently.

It’s my third year in college and I have never felt that I missed out on anything, or that I would have been better off partying instead of doing something else. Sometimes I feel like an outsider for not acting like a “normal” college student. But for me, what I do makes me happy.

A lot of my friends have told me after their night out that they didn’t have a fun time the night before and wish they had never gone out. In other circumstances, they get pressured into going out because they feel that if they don’t, they are considered an outcast.

I’m okay with being an outcast. It may not be the “normal” way to experience college, but I’m pretty happy with my college experience. Don’t let social norms pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do.

If you rather invite some friends over and watch a movie, do it. You’ll be hangover-free the next day and you’ll still have had a great time. Live through your college experience the way you want to, not the way your peers want you to.