I started realizing I didn't like partying sometime last semester. I realized I didn't enjoy drinking. I don't like being out of control and when I drink, I feel that way. I have absolutely no problem with anyone who drinks and enjoys partying. Most of my friends do. If you like it and you have fun, then by all means go for it! I am more than happy to hold hair back or be a designated driver. I turned 21 about a month ago and even after going to the bars and experiencing the real world of partying, I realized it is just something that isn't for me.

More often than not, I see friends that continue going out and partying because they think it is something that makes them feel included. They believe not going out will ruin friendships or that the opposite sex won't like them. This is absolutely false as well. I don't think I have ever met someone worth pursuing who bases my worth on whether or not I enjoy getting plastered. And newsflash: if they do base relationships on that, turn around and run. They are not worth it. Even a few of my guy friends have told me they don't enjoy partying. It isn't only girls. It's seriously fine to not like it. It does not make you weird or a bad person. It makes you a person who doesn't enjoy partying and that is OK.

I won't lie to you. I still do go to parties. I still get dressed up and hang out with friends at some random house off campus. But I do all of that sober. I do it without anything stronger than a Snapple in hand. I have found that yes, sometimes being sober makes the parties unbearable but at the end of the night, I know I didn't do anything I didn't want to do. And that is so much more rewarding to me than a hangover.

The lesson I ask you to take away from this is that you aren't feeling anything out of the ordinary. Many people feel this way. You're not alone, and you certainly aren't insane. College is about finding yourself. If you find you don't like partying, then don't party. There are many other activities for a Friday night, I promise.And if you choose not to drink and your friends decide they still want to, respect their decision. It is as much a personal choice for them as it is for you.

All the love.