As college students we feel an immense amount of pressure. Pressure to do well in our classes. Pressure to be perfect. Pressure to represent our families.

But no one ever talks about our solution to the pressure. The release valve we so desperately need. We tell people we are okay and then dream of the weekend.

Wildcats as a whole are well performing students. The average GPA is 3.27. People come from all over the globe to be a part of this family. According to the campus website there are students from 43 nations, 34 states, and 1 U.S. territory.

The administrators seem to want to advertise that we don’t party and those days are behind us. When I decided to transfer here I went to “Choose Chico.” I sat through the big spiel about how awesome Chico State is. I remember them putting a huge emphasis on how that “bad” reputation of being a party school had stuck, but wasn’t true anymore.

They lied. But I am not sure why. Whats so bad about having students that are enjoying their time at university? When I moved up to Chico, I went for a drive on my first Friday night here. I had never seen so many people walking dimly lit streets in groups. Laughing and talking, connecting in a way I hadn’t really seen before.

That group was their new family. A home away from home. We all come here for schooling, but it doesn’t mean we have to stick to the library all the time.

My first semester I had a professor who would wish us all a safe weekend when he he concluded class. Everyone knows our tendency to party. Yet they go on campaigns to convince themselves and other that we aren’t what we were.

While I’m sure that is true to a certain degree, we still party hard. There is nothing to be ashamed of. We are still showing up to our classes, we are still putting in the work. So why should we feel like going out is a bad thing?

Even if you aren’t waiting till the weekend, its okay. This is the only time in our lives that this behavior will be okay. When we “grow up” and have careers and full blown responsibilities we will not have the opportunity to do this. Not without the harsh eyes of those in our lives.

Even if you need a little buzz just to feel like you can go to class. Its now or never. If you miss it here and end up developing those tendencies later it can ruin you. Be aware of what it means to be an “alcoholic” because that is a dangerous path. However, don’t let someone shame you and call you an alcoholic just because you enjoy going out.

The two things are not really connected. But our propensity to party and still get shit done, is. If you don’t party that is cool too. But, you aren’t better than someone who does. Just because you stayed in and had slippers on at 8 pm, doesn’t mean you have life more together than someone who doesn’t.

Shaming someone for living a different lifestyle than you isn’t cool. You just look like an ass. Mind your own business or join the party.

Rachael Bayuk can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com or @BayukRachael on Twitter.