New Year’s Eve was a shit-show, to say the least. My best friends and I spent over two hours getting ready just to spend the final moments of 2017 at an overpriced hotel bar. We watched the ball drop from a dirty plasma screen. Moments later, our service cut out as we tried to send Snapchats and answer HQ trivia questions. But things didn’t start off all bad.

The two hours (okay, four hours) that my friends and I spent gossiping, ordering pizza, doing our makeup, taking Snapchats, and popping bottles of champagne were the most fun that I could’ve had on the last day of 2017. Returning home from the overpriced hotel bar, changing into sweatpants, and going on a 30-45 minute drunken shopping spree at the local Harris Teeter (thank Yeezy for Uber) was the best way to start our new year. When we got back, we asked ourselves the same question as we did before we left the pregame: "Should we just stay in?"

Unpopular opinion time:

Staying In should be the new going out.

My friends reading this right now are probably like, “LMAO okay girl, see you at happy hour next week”, and you probably will. But that’s 75% because of the fact that happy hour is one of the few times that I can see a majority of my friends at once and 25% because there’s an unlimited buffet of dino nuggets and buffalo chicken dip. After that, I’ll probably head home. Not because I don’t want to hang out with my friends, but because I’m most likely broke, or there’s a new episode of "The Bachelor" on Hulu or a 30-rack of Natty and a "Harry Potter" movie calling my name at home.

This concept is new to me. I’m usually the first person to respond “yes” in the group chat when someone suggests Taco Tuesday. But I think I’m going to try being more of a homebody for these next few months. Staying in doesn’t have to be lame. It could mean having a house party, a wine night, a cook-out, or it could mean reading a book. Staying in doesn’t mean that I’ll be M.I.A., anyone is welcome to join. There will always be a lukewarm Natty Light and a "Harry Potter" marathon waiting for you at my place.