I never really pictured myself as a senior. I was chatting with my friends the other day, and we all came to the same conclusion that there isn’t anyone older than us on campus. We’re it. We’re the people freshman scurry around, and we’re the ones juniors don’t want to admit are intimidating. So we should be celebrating, right? We should be “making the most” of our last year of college, but what does that mean?
For a lot of us, including myself, it is the first semester where we can go to bars, and that seems to be the only thing seniors get excited about. Don’t get me wrong, the bars are a great time, but you can only go to Spoke so many times in one weekend before it gets boring. Believe me, I never thought I would be the person to say that I don’t want to go out four days a week – freshman year, I was the queen of “Thirsty Thursday” – but recently it hasn’t had the same appeal. I’m not the only senior that has shared this sentiment, as guys and girls alike have resounded the same feeling: they’re “over” going out all the time.
I have been having this internal debate with myself for a couple of weeks now. Is there something wrong with me if I choose to stay in and hang out with my friends instead of wanting to go to the bars? In my ongoing investigation (mostly conversations with a couple of my friends), I have been getting the same kind of answers. We all agree that hanging out with genuine friends beats screaming over the terrible music on the Spoke dance floor or waiting in the two-hour Stacker’s bathroom line. There is just something amazing about waking up on a Friday morning and not having a raging hangover as I barely make it on the bus.
Let me get something straight, I do like going out. I can promise you that I will never be the girl that chooses a face mask over a concert (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but the slight hesitation in going out is so new for me. I am usually the person that rallies my friend group and begs them to stay for “one more drink.” That is what is so frustrating. It’s senior year. I should be making the most of it, going out whenever I can and making memories, but I want to challenge that notion. I think you should have a good mixture of both because it’s those “boring” wholesome nights where you really make a memory and truly make a friend. Trust me, the bar nights and parties all blend together and while they’re fun, it doesn’t compare to an all-nighter spent with close friends.
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!