What is the big deal behind partying anyway? What exactly is so appealing about getting plastered or high as hell at midnight in a room full of strangers? I wish I could say that I’m better than that, but I’m not. I’ve had my own fair share of partying, but not exactly at college. See, where I go to college at (For the sake of the blog, we’ll call it ZSU), there isn’t a party scene. Unless you are in a frat or sorority. That can get you in immediately. Either that or be a woman with tits. But the only true way to get in anywhere, no matter a man or a woman, is by having connections. Which applies to most places in corporate America anyway.
As of recently, I have found myself in my ”party girl” era. After a 1-month long situationship with a charming man named Juan, we went home for the summer. I had hopes of making it work as he would be moving back to ZSU’s campus for summer classes after a month. We had talked nearly every day and claimed that we were committed to one another. Turns out Juan had different plans, and by that, I mean ghosting me for 4-days and then calling to say he “realized he wasn’t ready for a relationship”. I am not going to lie, I was crushed. How could I have allowed myself to get attached to a 1-month long situationship? I am lucky that my friends and family were there to tell me it would be fine. Juan is also in his party era too, at least so I hear. But this is where my story starts: I have started my party era.
But along with this newfound version of me, it had me questioning: why? Why do we, young adults, love to party so much? Is it the different hormones that take over us when we feel intoxicated? Is it the depression we feel, and partying allows us to forget about our stress for a little while? I decided to get some input from one of my best friends, Trent. He and I go back 3-years and now, he is like the older brother I never had. But Trent parties all-day every day when he has the opportunity. He is that one friend you would take with you to a party, but expect to be DD. He had one three-month relationship two-year ago, and then some hookups in between. Trent is currently single, but is in search for, hopefully, a long-term girlfriend.
”Alcohol is better than a relationship,” says Trent. ”There is nothing wrong with liking to party. It’s better than love.”
Then, it had me thinking more. On a level, single people party significantly more than people in relationships. Which makes me wonder: do we party, drink, and take other substances because we’re chronically single? Young people party to fill the void of not going to sleep beside someone at night. But then again, I’ve seen plenty of couples go to parties together.
So, leading back to me, why do I like to party so much recently? Perhaps it is because I’m chronically single and that’s my reason why. If I can’t have lover girl summer, I must have party girl summer. Is partying only a coping mechanism though? I never knew just how confusing the party scene was until recently. That’s when I decided to ask my good friend Madeline for her point of view. Madeline has dreams of becoming a teacher one day and having a big family. She has been dating a man named Kameron, a quiet and nice guy who adores Madeline immensely. They have been dating for seven-months-now. What did she have to say about the party scene while being in a relationship?
”It’s true, people in relationships don’t want to party as much as single people. We enjoy just spending time with our partner rather than going out. It isn’t needed.” Madeline declared.
Based on evidence I found, I believe ”party people” are truly just lonely and sad people who use the party scene as a coping mechanism. Even couples who go to parties together may have some hidden stressors that make them want to get fucked up together. It is only a temporary distraction for everyone, men and women alike. I think I may even be doing the same thing. I want to escape my own troubles for one night, until I am forced to face them again in the morning. Also, I believe we see partying as a forbidden fruit. Before we know it, there will not be time to party, and we must work that 9-5. Spending the weekends partying and being able to do what we want is practically sacred to a college student. So, we enjoy our youths and partying as much as possible.
Maybe one day when I meet my person, I won’t feel the need to party as much as I do now. But for right now, I’m going to embrace my new era. I’m only 19 after all. Might as well live it up!