With the end of my university career quickly approaching I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the past four years. Sometimes I think that I didn’t have as much fun as I should have and I didn’t let loose enough. I’m a bit of a homebody and I certainly didn’t party as much as many of my peers over the last four years.
An hour looking through my Facebook photos last week was enough to remind me that I’ve had some amazing times and met some amazing people.
Reminisce with me, will you?
Prom party, Grade 12 (Senior) year.
Trip to Edmonton, first year of college.
Me with my roomies from first and second year college.
19th Birthday. 2nd year of college.
Halloween 2007. 2nd year of college.
My last night in GP before moving away after my second year of college. Miss these days! (Ignore my belly hanging out)
Staff Party at my old restaurant job. Loved this job and all the girls I worked with!
And this is the craziest drunk photo of me I’ll ever post, even though I do have way worse ones 
This was the summer between 2nd and third year of college.
The swang (sweaty bangs) is my signature look after a long night out, apparently. I believe this was the night that Eric picked us up and took us to McDonalds and then I ended up passed out on the toilet. There’s a picture of that, too, but I won’t be sharing
Third year of college, house party!
Third year of college, ’80s party!
Fourth year of college. Go say hello to Danielle, over here.
So, well I may not have partied as much as a lot of people do in college, I partied and let loose my fair share. And you know what? I had an amazing time and I have no regrets. I’ve found a balance between living it up and living healthy that I’m happy with.
What was your four years of college like? Do you wish you partied more or less? Do you look back on it with fond memories or regrets?
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Is all I can say about the picture of you “pole dancing” after our drunkin fiasco in fsj…god i miss u
xoxox
Haha awesome pictures- I can’t believe how different you look now!
I used to worry (during college) that I would look back and wish I partied more. But I never do, sometimes I actually look back and wish I was more healthy during that time haha- or I just wish I worried about what I should’ve been doing (which I thought was partying all the time) less often! I definitely did a lot lot lot of ridiculous things during those 4 years, but nothing I regret either way.
I think I spent the right about of time being social/partying. It really seemed to decrease as I progressed through college, but I definitely spent quite a bit of time socializing my last semester of college – and I do not regret that one bit! Plus my grades were exactly the same as the semesters that I didn’t party.
I definitely miss my college lifestyle. Even though I was working 2-3 jobs (30-35 hours/week) and taking a full load of tough classes (Calculus and other fun stuff like that), my schedule was still way easier to manage back then. I always had a light Friday schedule and it was so easy to schedule in doctor or dentist appts, etc. And there was time to take the occasional Friday afternoon nap. Don’t get me wrong – I like my life, now. I just sometimes yearn for the days when I didn’t have to wake up at 5:15! And I hate being gone like 12-14 hours of the day!
But I guess that is part of growing up!!!
I think I definitely had the right balance. I didn’t get too wild and crazy because I was a resident assistment for 2 years but my 4 years of college were definitely great. Looks like you have some great memories. (Of if you don’t have the memories, you at least have the pictures!)
LOL thank you for sharing these, it looks like a wonderful time!!
I was only in university for two years and definitely did not do any partying
Although I did meet my now-fiance there, so that kind of overrides that 
Hahahahaha, I love those pictures especially the pole one. Hilarious. I think we all have those pictures (and worse) somewhere untagged on facebook. I definately erred on the side of partying in college and in retrospect wish I spent more time in the classroom, but no regrets cause those are the nights you remember, not the boring lectures.
This post makes me miss college, actually. I had a fantastic time, though. I started out super shy and not a party girl. At all. By the end, I was out having drinks and dinner with friends most every night of the week.
I wouldn’t have done anything differently with my college experience, but I do wish that I had enjoyed my last semester more.
I’m like EP – I started out super shy, super focussed on my studies – but by the end, I was out with friends almost every night! I don’t regret anything about my university experience, except maybe getting mono during my last year. That really sucked …
I’m jealous you were able to balance both…now me on thje other hand. haha!
I know I’m going to regret not “living the college life” more but I think it’s just in a “wonder” way. I know I don’t really care to party too much and like the life I have now.
It is AMAZING to see how much you’ve changed, weight wise, in your four years of college. WOW! Great job, Amber!
Look at your long hair! lol
You know, I think I partied just the “right” amount. I feel I went out enough to make people think that I’m not a complete homebody, but I stayed in enough to not be spending all my money on booze. I think my liver thanks me for not partying every weekend.
I certainly miss university and the ability to socialize better.
I just miss the different waking times I had on different days. I always gave myself at least one sleep in day during my week. ahhh.. I also miss the being able to go out on a random week night and being able to bounce right out of bed and go to class /work/ or teaching in classrooms because I was still young ha. Now if I go out on a random week night I am done for the rest of the week. I like my sleep more now.. or just got used to getting more. I used to function quite well on a lot less sleep. The random dollar Tuesday nights and Thursday night with Applebees with my girls I miss a lot.
I was socializing a LOT, but not too much in my opinion. It was hard not to when I had 5-6 roommates throughout college AND i was on the club lacrosse team. That = a lot of time around crazy fun friends. I also worked on campus and was a part of a few other student organizations, a student run PR agency, an athletic supporting group (Pit Crew!) and helped organize a few Take Back the Night events. That meant I was busy so I had to really buckle down when it was time to study. Lots of times this meant going to class most of the day, going to lacrosse practice, working at the library until 11pm and then doing homework until the wee hours of the morning. It wasn’t perfect, but I think I balanced everything well. However, I know when I go back for a masters I’ll be much more focused since I’ll be paying for it myself and I’m more mature now.
I partied more freshmen and sophomore year, then not much at all junior and now senior year. And I’m fine with that. My memories are sad for me. Since I spent every waking hour with my boyfriend and now my senior year is my only year single. It’s just hard because any memory I have of a coffee shop, bar, hangout spot on campus is all with him. I wish I would have made more of my own friends rather than just hanging out all the time with him and his friends. Don’t get me wrong, they all are great, but now it’s just awkward. Wish my besties went to school with me!
haha, love these pictures! it is fun to go back and reminisce…
being in a sorority in college, I did do a bit of partying but I really didn’t let loose until I turned 21 (I was a good girl!) and by that time I was so busy in the newsroom that I didn’t have much time for partying! plus, I had a serious boyfriend back home (45 minutes away from campus) so I often would go home on weekends to Simi him. so while I did have fun times and have great memories (especially from my semester in DC, woo hoo! haha) I still wish I had let loose a little bit more. but you can’t change the past so I just cherish the memories and the photos I have. and who says you can’t party after college?
I loved my university years after I moved houses and got rid of my crazy house mate! Although I was working every weekend, I still had fun with my housemates and wouldn’t trade those years for anything!
I can be quite the homebody myself, but I still managed to have a lot of fun. Like a lot of the other commenters, I think I had the perfect combination. And I didn’t really party till I was 21 and even then it was more likely to be at the apartment with my roommates and friends or out in a big group. I loved my time in college. I actually visited campus when I was in Texas over the holidays. It was New Years Day so there was NO ONE around but it brought back so many good memories I got all teary eyed.
Well, my first year in college was spent missing my boyfriend who lived an hour away. So, every chance I got, I drove to see him. Poor choice.
My second year, I got a job as an Resident Assitant in the dorm’s – best decision I made because I gained a lot of friend’s and had a lot of fun experiences…which led me to joining a sorority the Spring of my Sophomore year. Which…lead to TOO many parties, clubs, dropped classes, and eventually…me staying in college a year longer than I should’ve. But, I graduated and had fun along the way. I just wish I would’ve concentrated a little more on my grades than the sorority. And.. maybe less credit card using too. LOL
I had to wait until I got home to read this because the pictures wouldn’t load at my stupid office!
Love them all!
You are so cute!
I stayed at home for pretty much the entirety of my first year of university…then said no more. I went to work, made a LOT of fantastic friends, and suddenly was out almost every weekend. I wouldn’t change a thing. Whoever says you can’t have the time of your life and still get As never met ME!
i love all the pictures!!!
i also love strolls down memory lane! puts me in the best mood!
I partied on the weekends with friends, but never the night before a class. I never pulled an all nighter, never skipped a class. Luckily there are no Sunday classes, because most of my partying was done on Saturday nights.
I am very happy with my 4 years of university life.
I definitely look back on college with found memories, and love looking back on pictures. While there was quite a few nights where I stayed in, there was still a good amount of craziness as well.
I wish that I had been more social my first year of college. I still have 3 semesters left, but sometimes I feel like I lost my best opportunity to meet new people. I was really shy freshman year and only met a few people and sometimes I feel like it’s too late. But I’ve got a great group of friends that I really like, and as the years have gone by, I’ve become more outgoing and explored different opportunities, so I’m working on it.
It looks like you’ve had a really great time in college and I think that what it really comes down to, homebody or not, is whether you’ve had fun, so hopefully you can graduate with some really great memories.
I love looking back at pictures! Although sometimes it makes me sad to see people that I used to be friends with but am not anymore. I mostly liked my four years of college. I only wish I had made better girl friends and maybe hung out a little less with my high school guy friends. But I think I had a pretty good balance of studying and partying. For me anyway.
Oh, college. I miss it sometimes.
I definitely did my fair share of partying, mostly the first two years. Fortunately most of my party days were well before digital cameras so there’s no way to document it!
Considering it was so long ago (seriously, I graduated FIVE years ago) I don’t remember everything I did but I know there were parties, big nights out, themed parties, house parties, volunteering, focusing on the studies and much more!
The Swang?? lol
Oh my lord. We need to meet someday. I think we would really get along =D
I’m glad you had such a great time at uni- I didn’t party enough either, but you really can make up for it later! Especially when you don’t have studying clogging up your mental energy. =)
I loved this post! I just might have to copy you.
My four years of college had plennnnty of partying too. I definitely have a lot of pictures that I will NOT be sharing either. Looks like you had a great time though, all of those pictures are great and it sounds like you have a great group of friends!
Thanks for sharing!
Ah, the memories!!!
University is just a such a great time… and you meet such great people. I wish I had gone to an 80s party though, it looks like fun!!