Ohio University is without a doubt one of the best places for a party. With Halloween and Homecoming on the horizon, the social aspects of the school year are only just getting started. For many at OU, this is an exciting time full of opportunities for memories, fun and potentially bad decisions. However, this time of year is challenging for me and others like me who aren’t big partiers.
I have never been much of a partier. I feel like despite trying my best to give in to a traditional good time at OU, it has yet to be any fun for me. I’ve had a few good experiences; however, I truly am a 19-year-old grandma at heart and yearn to be in my bed by 11 p.m.
For some, going to a bar or party is the ideal weekend and that is perfectly fine, I never want to rain on anyone’s parade or their idea of a good time. I don’t believe I’m “above” being a part of the Athens party culture either. I would just take a chill night in with a few close friends over a hot, loud, sticky bar any day.
After being at OU for a year, the realization of how lonely college can be is extremely real, especially for people in my shoes. Additionally, I feel as though it is increasingly hard to find others who relate. A self-realization I had early on is that I am not as outgoing or as social as I previously thought. I am perfectly okay with being more introverted or even alone the majority of the time; however, the social environment here at OU is certainly geared toward the opposite. While that is something I can’t change, it still makes finding other non-party goers increasingly difficult.
Having this preference can additionally cause a fear of missing out, or FOMO. Even though I know I would not enjoy the party environment I see on social media, sometimes I still feel as though I am wasting my time. It can cause spiraling questions such as, “Why can’t I have fun doing this? Is this what I’m supposed to be doing? What am I doing wrong? Is my mom going to hate me if I call her for the eighth time this week?”
These spiraling thoughts are extremely negative, except for the mom one. (Definitely give your mom another call, I’m sure she would love to hear from you.) There is no blueprint for how one spends their time at college, and while it can feel like everyone around you has a party or bar squeezed into their schedule somewhere, it is simply not the reality. Trust me, I am telling myself this as much as I am telling everyone else.
Finally, you are not doing anything wrong. You are in a great place full of great opportunities. Finding your people can take a little longer, but you also have to remember you are your own best friend. Spend some time alone and hang out with yourself, because you are probably really cool.
The reason I am bringing this topic to light is because I know I am not alone in feeling this way. I know there are others who feel the same and I want them to know they do not have to feel alone. It can be easy to make that assumption, especially when spending so much time alone. However, there are others out there, we just all need to find each other. I say we start a club together where we can play board games and have silly little girl beverages.
Abby Jenkins is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Abby know by tweeting her @abbyjenks18 or emailing her at aj205621@ohio.edu.
