There’s a lot of good to college, and that’s what we usually like to focus on here at Every College Girl. But, let’s face it, it’s not all a cake walk. One of the things I found most challenging at college was standing up to the pressures of college stereotypes. If you like to drink, party, and have casual sex (or any combination of the three) you’ll have no trouble fitting in. However, if you’re not as down with any of these college cruxes, read on for tips on dealing with the pressure at college:
Drinking:
I’m no angel. I got drunk for the first time when I was fifteen, and I’m not a non-drinker now. However, unlike many people I meet at college, I’m simply not into getting my drink on every weekend. I have many reasons (one of them being the fact that I get killer hangovers), but regardless I prefer to spread my drinking out to special occasions every 3 or 4 months. If you also prefer not to drink, don’t feel obligated to explain to anyone why. It’s a personal choice and, honestly, there’s no reason they even need to know you’re staying sober. Grab yourself a virgin drink and join the party anyway, and just ignore anyone who doesn’t get that you don’t need a BAC of .06 to have fun.
Drugs:
A lot of people experiment with drugs and college, and I’m not here to place judgement on anyone (hey, alcohol is a drug, too). But if your choice is to avoid illegal drugs, stick to your guns. It might feel awkward when you see everyone in your dorm passing a joint your way, but a simple shake of the head and a hand held up should do the trick. If they press you, and you don’t feel like explaining your reasons, fib and say that you’ve tried it before and it makes you sick, or make you fall asleep and you want to stay up with everyone and have a good time. If you want to avoid the situation altogether, don’t feel bad about choosing a new group of drug-free friends. There are plenty of people on campus who will feel the same way you do, and your old stoner friends will probably forget you were even there in the first place.
Hooking Up:
Maybe you’ve got a boyfriend. Maybe you don’t believe in sex before marriage. Or maybe you just don’t want to graduate college with a BA and an STD. Whatever your reasoning, the pressure for casual hook-ups can be a major annoyance. The best way to curb this pressure is to be up-front and clear with a guy from the beginning. Since many girls at college are up for hooking up, he might make assumptions about you that aren’t true. Don’t get yourself into a compromising situation, either, by inviting a guy up to your room if you really do just want to talk. It can be difficult, but by being honest and clear with a guy, you’ll avoid any awkward situations, and you might just find a guy who respects you so much he sticks around anyway.
Skipping Class:
With the new surge of independence college brings, you might start to feel so confident in yourself that you believe you can do it all, without having to do much of anything. While it might be tempting to stay in your dorm for a Boy Meets World marathon with your floormates instead of going to that three-hour lab, get your butt in gear and go anyway. Skipping one class often leads to missing more and more, and lectures are truly an essential part of the learning and studying experience at school. Trust me, there’s nothing you’ll miss in your dorm that’s worth failing your first midterm, no matter how much your floormates insist.
What Do You Think?
How do you deal with the social pressures of college? Do you ever get annoyed with social assumptions? Leave a comment and let us know!
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Zoe 
Alice22 
Great article. You hit the various pressures and responded well. Definitely helpful to new students.