The College Party Scene: It is Not for Everybody

At the beginning of my first semester attending college, I felt as though to fit in to the school's social scene, you would first need to attend parties on the weekends. My first semester was filled with partying, heavy drinking, and nights filled with drunk girls, the drunk guys trying to "tap" those drunk girls, and the claustrophobia of 1000 college students "socializing" in the same room. After my first semester, I figured out that the party scene is truly not for everybody, myself included.
 
When I attempted to go out partying with my friends, I always felt out of place. I had a lot of fun hanging out with my direct friends, but all of the other people attending were foreign to me. I didn't make too many quick judgements; I just got no satisfaction whatsoever from fighting to get to the front of the room where the tap, filled with cheap beer, resided. It amazed me how people would push and shove for a cup of cheap beer. I have never been a huge fan of drinking beer - vodka and rum are more sophisticated and more of my fancy.

 
As a guy, the typical college party would cost me $5 to get into. In my opinion, this cost is not worth it unless I somehow drink $5 worth of beer or have a really, really good time. Nonetheless, I never seem to have that great of a time because I always feel out of place. I'm not a great dancer, I am a little bit shy, and I am also a bit claustrophobic toward the crowds they hoard into usually two rooms of the house.
 
However, what may seem ridiculous to me may be perfectly fun for someone else. I am not saying that college parties are all bad; my main point is that they are not for everybody. Some college students feel pressured into partying because they think that people will think they are a "square" or a "loser" if they don't. The last time I checked, college was supposed to give individuals the opportunity to express themselves and spend their time the way they feel it should be passed. In that case, why do some students feel that partying is the only worthwhile way to spend a Friday or Saturday night?
 
Some college students live for the party scene at their respective universities. However, I am not one of them. I gave the party scene a shot (no pun intended) at my school, but I felt as though there were more productive ways to spend my time. I am not against underage drinking or what some define as fun. Some define the party scene as relaxing, which I think sounds like the complete opposite. My definition of "relaxing" is sitting in my room with a nice cup of coffee and watching stand-up comedy. Though many will not agree, I think this is a perfectly fine way to spend a Saturday night. It does not make me antisocial; it just makes me different.

Written by R. Turk
http://expertscolumn.com/content/college-party-scene-it-not-everybody