I'm not sorry for skipping right over the party stage of college. I don't understand why people call "the best years of their life" memories which they won't even remember, considering they were too drunk. I don't like to drink or smoke or go to parties. I've never been one to enjoy these things. It's not my idea of fun and it will never be.

Call me boring and uptight all you want, but not all college students have to drink to have a good time. I would so much rather stay in with a few close friends and pig out on food, gossip and binge watch romantic comedies. Just because my priorities don't revolve around going to clubs and drinking my college years away does not make me a different person because of it. My main focus is and always will be my future and my career. I'm sorry, but I do not see the point in dancing and drinking with complete strangers in a fully packed club or frat party. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy being packed in with sweaty and intoxicated people spilling their drinks all over you-- that's not my idea of fun. I'd rather be at home playing board games with friends than play the game of watch-your-step to avoid stepping in the vomit of an overly intoxicated college student.

Since around my junior year of high school, I have been told that college is supposed to be the best time of my life and that the parties are what make the college experience enjoyable and memorable. Everyone would say if you get offered to go to a party freshman year don't turn it down, that's how you will make friends. I'm sorry but that's just not exactly how I want to make friends. I don't want to reminisce years from now saying, "Oh my God, remember that one time at that party when I completely blacked out and couldn't find my way home?" I don't want to look back and think to myself, "Wow I've hooked up with so many people that I would never have if I was sober at the time." I'm sorry, but I won't allow alcohol to block my judgment and be an excuse for things.

When I look back on my life years from now, I want to be able to sit back and remember every memory and not have some of it be a blur since I was drunk that particular night. I want to create amazing, adventurous memories that I will not be ashamed to tell my future kids about. Looking back at when I started high school, I am so glad I never gave into peer pressure while skipping right over the party stage. I personally will never understand how someone can enjoy partying the weekend away starting on Thursday every single week. But everyone is different and that's okay. Sometimes I scroll through social media and I'm left wondering if I'm missing out on something special, but then I remind myself that I have a different set of priorities and that my future self will thank me later for focusing on school, not partying.

None of these things is how I want to live my life or remember college by, however if you do then all the power to you! If your a person who parties 24/7 let's make a deal; I won't judge you for partying too much if you don't judge me for skipping over the party stage. College is about creating new experiences, working towards your future career path and discovering more about yourself. Whether partying plays a huge role in that college experience is up to you. In the end do whatever makes you happy and don't be ashamed of your decision.