Party?

I'm finishing up my first semester at college, and there's something that's truly confusing me. And that is the importance of partying and drinking. I mean, I understand it's okay to get wild when your parents are around, but sometimes, too much of anything, especially something like this can be a bad thing.
Let's get this straight: I'm a commuter at my school. I go to classes, a club meeting, and go home. I basically hang out with the same people as I did when I was in high school. I've made some friends, mostly commuters like myself, and they are pretty chill people, if I do say so myself. However, I see and hear people, mostly ones that live in dorms, who seem to think college is a party.
Newsflash people it's not.
Honestly, I hate it when people put drugs/alchol/partying before school. First of all, we're here to learn. We're not here to party. And the worst part of it all is that I feel like their parents are paying for them to go here, just so that they can party. Now for nothing, college is expensive, of course state universities like the one I go to cost less then a private one. I understand that you can not soley work, but also you can not get wasted every night. Just think about it. There are some countries who don't have the option to go to school, and follow their dreams. We are lucky to get that opportunity, to be able to make something of ourselves. But, instead of relishing of the opportunity, and trying our absolute best, I feel like some of my peers abuse their freedom, and treat every night like a party. This affects your performance academically, in addition to your future. I mean, your friends have cameras, right? And Facebook. Now more and more of our generation is more technology advanced, meaning that future employes can use the internet to see what you were up to. And a picture of you holding a red solo cup with your sority/fraturnity? Yeah, umm not good.
In my first semester, I learned two things. One, college is an adjustment. It still sucks, but I think it will get better. And two, it's what you make of it. Make your college years, your best years.