<p>Well here's the thing. I feel like I can get into quite a Few good colleges, and they seem so perfect to me: athletics, nightlife, good academics, weather, everything.</p>
<p>But none of my friends would ever apply to an out of state school just cause they have a ton of friends who wanna go to ucsb, ucla, sdsu, etc. (im a Cali resident)</p>
<p>So here's really my question.
What's it like when you get to college? Considering the fact that I am quite shy with people outside of my friend group. Will it be easy to make friends with the people around you? Your roomate? Easy to get involved?</p>
<p>Well, I’m going to be honest. I was pretty homesick when I got to my school. I really loved it, but I knew almost nobody there really well. But I told myself, “Look, if you hole yourself up in the room, you’re not going to meet any friends.”</p>
<p>You’ve got to put yourself out there. Joining clubs, leaving your door open, talking to random people are all great ways to get to know people. I was also pretty shy when I went to school, but one thing that helps me is asking about the other person’s life a lot. Many people love to talk about themselves.</p>
<p>None of my friends go to UCD–many of them preferred to stay in SoCal. Yet when I came here, my suitemates, roommate, and I (To differentiate, my roommate is the one who sleeps in the same room as me, and my suitemates are the others who live in the same suite as my roommate and I–our dorm is in a suite configuration so there are two bedrooms in our suite) all bonded easily with each other. It depends entirely on who you meet. I was lucky enough to end up with such great roommates. I, too, am also shy, and honestly beyond my roommate/suitemates, I really don’t have a lot of friends here. It’s easy to get involved if you join clubs or participate in any events your dorm floor may have. This Thursday, my floor is having Karaoke Night, for example.</p>
<p>It’s going to be really scary for me too (applying right now to all oos schools except my flagship as a safety), but think of it this way; you can’t have your friends follow you all your life, so college is a good opportunity to practice making new ones. It could be pretty hard to do but you’ll figure it out, and it’ll be a really good skill to learn to become comfortable around new people.</p>
<p>You’ve hit upon a very basic question for many people. How to make friends?
Clarinette is very right. You have to put yourself out there, be a bit vulnerable and put an effort into friendships. Common interests form a basis and thats why clubs and classmates are cited as important. Some of your most long lasting friendships will probably be formed in college.
Knowing others need and want to make friendships too is a good start. Learning to make friends is really a valuable skill.</p>
<p>I think most people who go to college make friends with people they did not know in high school.</p>
<p>I went completely alone, no one from my high school will probably ever come to my school. I made some really amazing friends who I don’t know how I ever did without. I think most people have a similar story. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You will have to make an effort, but it’s really NOT very hard. If I did it, you can! :D</p>
<p>I was one of I think three to five people from my high school who went to my college. I didn’t know any of them, and I never see them around campus here. However, college has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Knowing myself, an introvert and loner, I was determined to change that once I came here. And I did, to an extent. I totally understand that you’re shy around people you don’t know, but after a while, I realized that my school has twenty-seven thousand people in it. There’re too many people to be discouraged by a few people, or to be so fixated on a few friends that you won’t make more. To be honest, once people go off to college, lives diverge. One of my friends that I’ve known since fourth grade I hardly talk to now that we’re in college. Even he and his friends that went to the same college aren’t as close as they were in high school. People move on and start to discover themselves. Everyone’s going their own way, and you need to get used to that. So here’s my advice.</p>
<p>If you hang out with other people and, like previous posters have said, don’t hole yourself up in your room, you’ll meet people really easily. Make yourself available and friendly. Talk about other people, and ask questions about them. Go to events. Invite anybody and everybody to go to eat with you. </p>
<p>It was a scary transition for me, since I didn’t talk to many people in high school–even top people I’d known for a long time, and suddenly I was surrounded by people I don’t know. But I put myself out there, I talked to people, I asked people if I could join them for lunch. And I’ve made better friends here than I’ve ever made in my life. People understand that I’m weird, generally quiet, and insecure, and they are there for me when I need support because they know they have their own problems, and they can count on me to support them when they need it. People here are more mature than they were in high school. They aren’t afraid to be themselves, and they understand people’s differences. All you have to do is be open about yourself, and you’ll find someone you can click with.</p>
<p>Good luck with your last year! Feel free to message me if you have any questions!</p>
<p>These scary steps are a rite of passage. Might as well face them now instead of later. In case of serious homesickness, it’s just a few hours’ flight away.</p>
<p>Our dd made all of her closest friends during the orientation activities…make sure you go to these as well! Try community service for something where u r meeting people who will reach out.</p>
<p>I’m a college freshman, and I choose to go to a college where I knew absolutely no one. I’m from Washington State, and I go to school in Wisconsin. I’m actually the only person from my senior class in the whole state of Wisconsin, let alone my college. And I won’t lie- it’s pretty scary. </p>
<p>I flew here on my own, and I remember getting to campus and seeing everyone milling around with their parents and not knowing a single person anywhere and just feeling “what the heck have I gotten myself into?” And the first weeks kind of sucked. I met a lot of people, but knew all of them only superficially and I felt really lost and alone without the support system of my friends from high school and my parents. Everyday was a little better, though. Making friends is hard and scary and stressful, but also wonderful and fun. Go to club meetings, talk to people in your classes, even sit with random people at dinner. (This was okay at my school for like a week and a lot of people (me included) did it, now it’s not so common).</p>
<p>The first month or so was really difficult for me, and all I really wanted to do was go home and give my mom a hug. I’m also pretty shy, and not naturally outgoing. But I just had to force myself to get past that, because I knew I could do it, that I had done it before, and that I had to do again. Just put yourself out there. The beauty of knowing no one at college is that you have a completely fresh start. If you think the college is right, take a leap and go. It will suck sometimes, but it’s worth it.</p>
<p>I’ve had school anxiety for as long as I can remember. It’s something I still struggle with as I am forcing myself to complete a bfa. I’ve been in and out of post secondary studies since my late teens because of this problem. You’re not alone… :)</p>
<p>I was one of the shyest people you’d ever meet, back in high school. Yet here I am after a year of college in a totally different country, with a decent group of friends I’m happy with, and random acquaintances to boot. It’s a great test of independence, or development if lacking, to go off somewhere unfamiliar and forge a path for yourself. But if I can do it, you can too! Just don’t be too quiet and be open to new experiences; you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>Dude I’m a Cali resident and at community college. I’m seriously considering transferring to a school on the east coast where I would know absolutely no one. And its 10X worse as a transfer since everyone your age already has their groups of friends. But hell, I can do it.</p>