Growing up in an Asian household made me appreciate uni more

Going to university to study a professional course is almost a right of passage for most Asian children. You’re constantly reminded of the fact that some day you will attend a prestigious institution and chart your way towards becoming a doctor, lawyer or an engineer. There was never any mention of parties, clubs, drinking let alone a night out. I always thought that partying all night long was exclusively for TV and never actually happened in the real world. Apart from what I saw on 90210 and Gossip Girl and till today, I still don’t really know what partying really is like. In my six months of being in the UK, I’ve never ever entered a club nor have I ever had a night out.

So it may come as a surprise to many that despite never partying, I still absolutely love university.

For most people the most essential part of university is going on nights out and getting completely pissed while having fun with your friends. But this idea has never struck me as “fun”. From what I hear, clubs are hot, crowded and by the end of the night, you won’t be looking as fabulous as you did when you first walked in. The idea of spending so much time and effort to look so good and then coming back feeling dead puts off clubbing completely. Nights out are overrated and I’ve talked to so many people who actually hate it but still do it anyways. I’d much rather spent my night at a good restaurant and come home early to a movie and still look classy.

Keeping it classy

In the last six months, I’ve been to some pretty fancy restaurants, visited some of the most iconic monuments in London and experienced a lot of fun during the early hours of the night without having to enter a club or having a sip of alcohol and I have to say, I’ve had the time of my life.

The best part of never going on a night out is the struggle to get up and be productive the next morning is way easier. I’ve never had to worry about hangovers or waking up next to someone I can’t remember. I’ve made it to almost all my 9ams and I’m proud to say that I almost always manage to finish my readings. But more importantly, I enjoy doing it. I enjoy learning my course, I enjoy the struggles which come along with it and if I ever need to blow off some steam or stress, I resort to Netflix or a dinner out with my best friends instead. I’ve never been drunk on alcohol but I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced a purer, more authentic high caused by laughter. That to me is what uni life is really about.

My 5a.m. includes the sunrise way up high

Just because you’ve never been to Snobs or Fab doesn’t mean you’re having a miserable uni experience. You don’t have to be drunk to have fun. I love uni despite never having been to any of them and I wouldn’t change a single thing about it. University is so much more than just nights out and midweek hangovers. The sooner you realise that, the better.

Sure at times it’s awkward being a fresher and being asked why you don’t go out but it’s also lame to go out just because you feel like you need to. Just because I chose not to go doesn’t mean I’ve ruined my fresher year but it also doesn’t make me a nerd who sits in her room all day and just studies. This is my university life and I love it.