Surviving college as a non-partier is easier than you think

From the movies to the college articles, the idea of college and partying have been inseparable. So naturally, this is where many of us expect to peak socially. However, for some of us, that doesn’t happen, which doesn’t have to be a bad thing when rethinking how to experience college.

It’s my third year on campus, and I know approximately four and a half Temple students, three of them are my roommates in my Morgan Hall suite. I’ve been to five actual parties and two concerts, and my weekends are spent writing, sleeping, and doing overdue homework. Admittedly, I didn’t have the cool and exciting college experience that most people expect to have.

I was always the quiet type, even back in high school when I was one of the few non-Catholics at Archbishop Ryan High School. I didn’t have many friends, and didn’t go to many social gatherings, so most of the interactions I had with people were at after school clubs and events like the Kairos retreat.

When I got accepted to Temple, I was so sold by the idea of Temple being this fun party school close to Center City that I thought my lifestyle would change. I was completely wrong.

I barely talked with anyone beyond my classes. The way that high school worked was that you were forced to see certain people every day for longer periods of time, so you got to know them. In college, semesters are shorter and people have jobs and other obligations to take care of.

I attempted going to a party once or twice, which was filled with me being swallowed up by large crowds of people I didn’t know well. I danced awkwardly to all of the music and tried to avoid sketchy guys, which didn’t always work. After unfulfilled nights and one scary experience, I decided that maybe I wasn’t cut out for that scene.

First, I was disappointed, because I thought something was wrong with me. I couldn’t socialize the way that most could, and because of that, I was often alone on campus. Then I realized that being an introvert was a part of who I was and could be a good thing if I looked at college differently.

Extra-curriculars may be a resume booster, but can also be a great thing for introverts like me to meet people with like interests. One of the first things I joined on campus was Insomnia Theater, where I met fun loving actors, directors, and writers. I even acted in a show during my freshmen year. That same year, I watched an acapella show at the Alumni Circle with some of the actors.

I joined TABJ shortly after and continued learning about media long after I changed my major from journalism to English from people who viewed the industry from my point of view. This semester, I became a part of Temple Student Government, where I get to hear about events on campus that I wouldn’t know about otherwise.

The same can be said about interning. When I started interning for Phawker.com last semester, I did it to fulfill an English 3000 level requirement. I never knew at the time that it would lead to me phone interviewing actresses like Jill Marie Jones, co-star of Ash Vs. Evil Dead, Teyonah Parris, leading lady of Chi-Raq, and even Rosa Parks’s niece. I even got to publish a short fiction story on the website.

I made myself go to public spaces alone. We all fear being the one person who is eating by his or herself, but I realized that I could never be exposed to other people by sitting in my room all day. So I ate alone, and went to shows and events alone, with open plans for the night. Some of my best experiences have been the ones that weren’t planned, with people I didn’t always expect to have fun with.

I created college memories that differ from what most expect, but are still memories that are important to me. These were all experiences I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t Temple Made.

Finding your way in college is hard, especially if you’re the type of person who stays to his or herself and isn’t into the party scene. However, the full joys of college extend beyond the concerts, parties, and sports games, so if you miss out on those things, there is always something on campus to do that is special and unique to you.

Join the extra curriculars. Go to the movies at the Reel. Walk around randomly on campus until you find something interesting. College is best spent not pressuring yourself to party or to be someone that you are not. Stay true to yourself and focus on doing things that are best for you.