Blast from the Past: This article was originally posted October 2009
I have a confession. No, not an altar boy, murderous plot type of confession, but a confession nonetheless. Somewhere between college graduation and the fourth season of America’s Next Top Model, I became a party girl. Not a coke snorting, no panties wearing party girl, but a girl of the night nonetheless.
I lived for going out, getting dolled up and consuming insane amounts of alcohol, only to dance myself into a frenzy and ultimately nurse a hangover the next morning. I went out during the week, on weekends to every bar/lounge/nightclub imaginable. While my partying wasn’t interfering with my work life; I managed to be on-time and productive most days, my partying wasn’t contributing much to my life either.
It was like Cheers, “where everyone knows your name and they’re always glad you came” except after a summer of incessant partying, I wasn’t sure why I came. I began to feel time spent going out religiously could have been better spent creating lasting things in my life like a solid career path, my own business or a memorable relationship. I felt lost amidst my fellow frequent party-goers
After that dizzying summer 3 years ago, I abruptly stopped “clubbing” . The fun had ceased and I became extremely decisive about where I went and who I went out with. Friends called me to go out and my answer was always ”No thanks”. I didn’t see the point in doing something as unproductive as partying. I had been doing it for 3 years and I was no closer to my goals than before. I went out maybe once every couple of months and never had much fun (probably because of my attitude toward it) and resigned that I was done with the “partying” life.
It wasn’t until I became a total hermit that I realized maybe it wasn’t the having fun and partying that was a problem, maybe it was the options and places I frequented. Last weekend, after what seemed like 6 months of not going out, a gal pal and I went out. I needed to dance, drink and have a good time, so a nightclub seemed the natural option. While I didn’t have the earth shattering time of my life, it was actually fun.
I put the notion that I wouldn’t have fun in the back of mind and freed myself up to have.. a good time. It certainly wasn’t like old partying days, but it satisfied my urge and even opened my mind up to what being a “reformed party girl” means.
I’ve come up with a “Reformed Party Girl” Creed. If I ever feel the urge to party I can address it, get out and boogie and not worry about having anything but a good time.
Proud of you!
@LisaLove: Thanks! I’ll see you Monday!!!!
Definitely. I hate clubs to be honest with you. I partied myself out in college and the two years after.
@ Alicia: Same here, I’m burnout on clubs. I’d take a nice night in any day of the week.
A retired party girl here… I say retired because I never reformed, really… I just moved away from a good night life. That being said, I miss the energy & exercise I had from a great night on the dance floor and the epic stories to tell the next day… but as I’ve gotten older, I realize more the delicate balance between being a hermit and total Party Girl.
a party girl phase is looming in the horizon for me. there’s nothing i can do to stop it. hopefully i will find some balance. my current state of hermitude just isn’t working.
Hahaha, I am TOTALLY a reformed party girl. I used to go out every flipping night Somehow I did still managed to be quite productive during those years, but man, the extra drama being all over the scene created really took a toll on me. I look back and have no clue how I did it all.
Actually it may have damaged my brain … seeing all those typos in my post above. HA!
Lol! Girl partying probably fried my brain! It sure was fun though!
“Sometimes the hottest club is the one with only 4 guests: You, your bed, remote and TV.” Love this! Great advice for a young college girl like me who needed someone to tell her that you don’t need to party hard to have a great time!
This is really like a page out of my book! I clubbed my life away in college and grad school. At this point in my life the club has no allure. I do like getting out, meeting up with friends for happy hour or dinner when we can actually hear ourselves
I love this. I’m a reformed party girl. I started young… but now I’m the girl in college who loves to stay in and relax. Don’t get me wrong, I love socializing, but I also love sleep.