Ok, I’ll say it. I really cannot handle the Tulane lifestyle. Work hard, play harder? More like work hard, play harder, sleep hardest. As a 93-year-old grandma living inside a 20-year-old’s body, I have a really hard time understanding how so many Tulane students are able to rush through their work on a Wednesday night, funnel three shots of tequila and a gulp of Four Loko, get dressed, put on makeup, and get out of the dorm by 10:15pm to rage at the Boot. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Students parade around bars and fraternities at least four nights a week here in the Big Easy, getting back to their dorms at 12:30 at the earliest, get into bed, and don’t even snooze their alarms in the morning before their 9am classes! Someone explain this madness to me!
Personally, I’ve always been a homebody. I like staying in, drinking tea, and snuggling up under a cozy blanket while watching a good movie. My favorite type of night is a board game night with my family when I get home over breaks. Literally, that’s what I asked for on my birthday…a board game day. It might sound lame, but if I have to go out on any given day with the clear knowledge that I’ll have to take notes in the morning, I will probably visibly gag. That stuff just kills me and I have such a respect for students who are able to finesse that type of lifestyle because, frankly, I just can’t even.
Although this is probably more of a rant than anything, I’ll say that for all y’all that think you’re alone when all you want to do is stay in and talk with friends instead of getting trashed and dancing on ~elevated surfaces~: you are not alone. There are people out there who agree with you, even if they’re hard to find on this campus. Going out doesn’t have to be a normal thing—trust me, you can have just as much fun if you choose to spend your time staying in, or even just going out sober. Maybe even try an adventure, go to Julia St. or Frenchmen, or get Creole Creamery with a friend…the possibilities are endless! Just remember that going out isn’t the be all end all and that, after reading this, know that you don’t have to get plastered on a Thursday night at F&M’s to have fun. Even if you’re convinced that you’ll only enjoy yourself if you can’t remember anything in the morning, just think about how you’ll thank yourself the next time you stay in and retain all of those sociology notes Friday morning in class.