Why College Students Feel the Need to Party

On weekend evenings, the streets of Durham, New Hampshire fill with hoards of students yearning to unwind from the madness of their studies. The campus itself is almost as busy as it is during common exam time in the early afternoon weekdays. Men wear jeans and Polo’s while women wear fancy dresses and short skirts.

Madbury Road is the University of New Hampshire’s central artery when it comes to partying. A plethora of fraternity and sorority houses decorate the road like gas stations on a highway. For students who like to party, these houses adorn their giant Greek letters proudly like “welcome” signs, inviting anyone in for good time.

American collegiate institutions are notorious for their scandalous portrayal of binge drinking, drug use, and sexual activity. For some reason, students feel the need to let loose and take a break from their studies by trekking downtown to the bars for a drink, or escorting themselves to the nearest house party.

Michelle, Randy, and Conner, a group of twenty-something’s from Manchester, New Hampshire, are heading to their friend’s apartment. They are interested in attending their friend’s party, because, they presume, it will be fun. They plan to drink, play Beirut, and make new friends. Their favorite part about the typical college atmosphere is meeting new people, since party-goers tend to be outgoing and very friendly, especially when consuming alcohol.

The cycle of various groups of people jumping from party to party will presume until the wee hours of the morning. Drunken students will babble and curse as they stumble by. Police cruisers will ultimately race past in fury with their flashing lights and blaring sirens to hunt rule-breakers and prohibit mischief. 

College allows students to gain knowledge through academia and social encounters via parties. Additionally, partying can provide individuals to live their youthful college lives to the fullest. Albeit, “fun” can be interpreted in numerous ways, especially sobriety speaking, most students desire to abstain from trouble. Students just want to be safe and have fun, especially after a long week of classes.