LSU often takes heat for its reputation as a party school. And I would dare say, in my experience, LSU students definitely do their fair share of partying, especially on gameday.Some people would frown on our ways, but they lack the foresight to see the benefit of this lifestyle.One of the central goals of any form of education is the socialization of the pupil. And by socialization, I don’t mean the spooky kind Glenn Beck always warns us about. No, I mean the kind in which students develop proper social skills they will employ in real life.Partying, drinking and going out are all great ways to acquire such skills. Sitting home studying that biology book — not so much.LSU provides a great place to develop communication skills.One finds evidence in this by analyzing the structure of corporate America.Corporate America is all about networking and relationships. If someone can communicate effectively, then that person will be far better positioned to advance than his or her peers.Effective people skills, notably the ability to command attention, will allow one to stand out.That girl you saw dancing on stage or that guy singing karaoke, they may not be prepping for that history test, but they are furthering their careers and themselves in other ways.A solid understanding of just how ancient Rome united the many peoples of Europe is great if you’re a professional Trivial Pursuit player, but I have to believe Exxon might value the ability to negotiate competently more than the knowledge of a dead empire.Take for instance, sophomore history major Mallory Morse. Instead of studying for her Friday exam last week, she decided to go out the night prior.Now maybe her test grade won’t be as high as she wanted it to be, but in going out and meeting new people, she is not only networking with her future peers but developing people skills which could help her one day impress a boss or prospective employer.I am not advocating never studying. I believe having a strong GPA is a great way to display to future employers competence and work ethic.But a great GPA is not a substitute for someone devoid of people skills. A prospective employer is far more likely to hire someone who can stand out in an interview and be personable, especially in jobs with a great deal of business-client interaction.School is all about the socialization of its pupils. The socialization aspect allows students to fully develop such skills which are essential in the world today.The partying aspect of LSU is one of its strengths and should be treated at such. The social benefits of attending LSU are why we, as future alumni, will retain a competitive advantage.I’d be willing to bet if there was a quantitative way to measure social skills, LSU graduates would fare far better than those of the Ivy League.LSU offers a unique educational opportunity because of its atmosphere and character.LSU academics are nothing to be brushed aside, but the combination of the educational aspects and the networking/socialization benefits raise the competitiveness of LSU grads in the workforce.After reading this, I would hope before you think about judging those of us who like to go out, maybe think about the benefits we are gaining.Stephen Schmitz is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from The Woodlands, Texas. Follow him on Twitter at TDR_schmitz.Contact Stephen Schmitz at [email protected]