<p>I get how you feel too, I'll be turning 17 in May of this year and I'll be just turning 21 when I graduate college. I definitely think that it's all in how you carry yourself and act. There are plenty of 18 year olds who act 15 and vice-versa. People find out all the time that I'm actually 16 and they're always really surprised xD Just don't lie about it to fit in, if they don't accept that, or they think it's weird, I suppose that's their problem. You shouldn't let it be a detriment to making friends though :D</p>
<p>I'm 17 and will pretty much finish my first year before I turn 18.</p>
<p>How has being a year younger than everybody effected my social life? Not too much really, I go out often, meet and talk to lots of people, I even have a tendency to hang out with even-older sophomores. My biggest problem is finding females interested in younger guys.</p>
<p>It's actually kinda nice knowing I'm really privileged for my age. I'm outperforming most of these people that are older than me and I'm still able to take advantage of social opportunities that surround me.</p>
<p>I don't think its that weird. Remember no matter what your freshman year you will be in the youngest group to the school anyways. Its like high school, when your a freshman you know your kinda in a feeling out phase, because your small and what not. For me I'm in the same boat as several other people are. I'll graduate at 17 and turn 18 in September. Basically I'll be 18 about the week I start school and I get along with my sisters college friends, and her boyfriends college friends. Not really that weird.</p>
<p>I graduated high school at 17 and will graduate college having been 21 for only 4 months. Practically speaking, when all of your friends start going to bars (which is what you will need to be 21 to do), you can just get a fake id. Im not advocating this. However, if it is important to you, go for it. Before your friends turn 21, there should not be a big deal. Most of the time they'd be drinking in a room or in a house off campus, where id is obviously not required.</p>
<p>I was like you OP - Started at 16 and graduated at 19. It was fine. You are probably used to hanging out with older kids anyway, just don't mention your age right away. Once you make friends nobody will care.
Eventually word spread in my dorm that I was younger and most people were impressed, not unkind. And they threw me a bash to remember for my 18th birthday!
The only time it really was an issue was when there was a housing shortage my freshman year and the housing office was hesitant to put me in a co-ed dorm ( the only available space) due to my age. LOL I assured them it would be fine and they did want to speak to my parents first to be sure LOL It turned out to be the best dorm on campus and an upperclass dorm as well, so I was with a lot of sophomores and juniors. It turned out great and I stayed there for 3 years!
Don't worry about age too much - IMO it's no big deal.</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about it too much....but then again I assume if you are going to college at 16 you're not planning on getting hammered</p>
<p>purchasing a fake id is a violation of state and federal law...I'm surprised the punishment for this is so lax...</p>