“Should I go out tonight?”
This is a question I have asked myself many Friday and Saturday nights. Whether you like going to restaurants or parties on the weekends, it can get repetitive and expensive. Allowing yourself time to recharge and enjoy a night in can be nice.
Social media dramatically impacts our mindset on going out. How often have you seen others’ feeds and stories and wished you were doing the same thing?
Comparing ourselves to others motivates us to do things we may not have done otherwise. The people posting probably didn’t have as much fun as it seemed. Next time you find yourself in this trap, consider whether the activity would suit you.
Never do something solely for your Instagram feed.
Just because your friends are doing something does not mean you have to join in. Not going out with your friend group one night will not change your relationships with them. They won’t hate you for rain checking. If they do, maybe consider finding new friends. With good friends come good times. Going out will always be fun, even if you aren’t in the mood. However, never worry about staying in one night.
Going into college, I had assumed the college experience was all about being wild every weekend. This definitely varies from person to person, depending on personality and the location they choose for college.
Boston University has a work-hard, play-hard environment, so students usually go out on weekends and Thursdays. Therefore, I don’t have the college experience I may have once expected, but this almost makes it better. I can focus hard on my studies while enjoying my weekends.
Going out most nights may not be easy on the body. Becoming intoxicated, staying up late and then waking up early again for classes is not a great cycle.
Sitting and working all the time is not beneficial either. College students need to form a balance between work, going out and recharging.
Recharging can come in many forms. For an introvert, recharging can come in the form of taking a long walk while listening to music. It can also look like reading a book, journaling or any activity involving time alone.
Extroverts may enjoy spending time with others, such as eating with friends, having a movie night or going out. Ambiverts may enjoy a mixture of all.
Even if you are an extrovert, it does not mean you need to enjoy going out. Having a chill night with friends can be a great way to end a long day or week. Some of my best college memories thus far have been spent sitting in a circle in a tiny dorm room with my friends, eating junky snacks and playing silly games. Those are the moments you don’t tend to see on social media but can be some of the best.
Going into college, there is so much pressure to have a good time. Even though many see this as partying, all students need to look for what actually provides them fulfillment instead of what may provide short-term joy and looks good for social media.
It’s not a competition about who is the coolest. It’s about discovering who you are and how you want to spend your time.
