I used to go to parties I didn’t even like. Not because I wanted to, but because I thought I was supposed to.

You don't need to pathologize your preferences.

When I got to college, I felt like I was supposed to like partying. If I was not going out, drinking, being loud with friends, I was missing out.

I went to so many parties I didn’t even enjoy—just because I felt like I should, like it was the right way to 'enjoy life'.

That mindset lingered past college. Even now, I catch myself wondering if staying in means I’m doing something wrong.

Yesterday, I had a choice between staying home and going to a small festival with some friends. I chose the festival. It was fine—but as I watched others dancing to the music, I wondered: should I be doing that too?

Part of me still wants to be that kind of person—light, spontaneous, ready to dance. But I've come to accept that I'm not—and that I enjoy dancing and going to concerts in certain settings.

Before, I'd jump straight to: there must be something wrong with me. I should be going out and having fun. Why am I not enjoying this like everyone else?

But maybe it's just a preference, not a pathology. Maybe I don't actually need to change.

I used to think disliking parties meant I was deficient. But maybe it just means I like different things. We don't need to confuse preference with deficiency.

Not all we do needs to go under the microscope of introspection. Sometimes we just like what we like.