Hi Everyone! I was admitted to the school of nursing at UT Austin. I was at first so excited about this, but now I’m starting to fear such a big school environment. I know a lot of people love it, but I am scared of feeling lost and not making friends. I’m not a huge introvert or anything, but I just have this huge fear that I’m going to be lost in this huge school.
So to sum up my question, how is the environment at UT? Do a lot of people tend to feel “left out” in such a large school?
Am I freaking out for nothing?
People at UT tend to be… picky… about who they choose to be around. It’s not because they are shallow, humans just have a limit to how many meaningful relationships they can commit to. With some classes having up to 500 students, it’s hard to just “be friends with everybody”. That being said, its common for people at UT to have trouble finding a place in peoples’ coveted social circles.
It’s not like high school where you can gauge the personalities of your 30 classmates by the end of the period on the first day of school. In college, you won’t even have time to socialize with the person sitting next to you (students tend to arrive as close to the start time and leave as soon as possible).
Those who feel “left out” tend to be the ones that have an expectation that complete strangers sitting next to them will extend their hand out in friendship (the whole “I’m not going to say Hi unless they say Hi first” mentality).
Organizations (greek life, service orgs, student associations, hobby clubs, etc) is where people usually find the friends they will keep throughout their 4 years. Joining one lets you know that everybody in the room has some similar interests as you. You can be friendly and talkative with people in your class all you want, but many times the only thing you will have in common is the fact that you are both taking the class. Sometimes that is just not enough to continue a meaningful friendship.
I have an introverted son at UT. I worried about him at such a big place and was secretly hoping he would choose a smaller school, but he was dead set on UT. It has worked out for him socially. This is what he does: smaller major so knows more people, intramurals, religious organizations, academic clubs, music groups, job, attending events put on by dorm. He doesn’t sound that introverted when I list all that, but he is, believe me.
You have to put yourself out there. Be willing to try different groups until one clicks. It has been hit or miss for my son. Some of the groups he tried out freshman year he let drop.
For you I’d suggest nursing groups, religious orgs (if you are religious), a single sex dorm (I am assuming you are a girl; it might be easier to make friends in a smaller, single sex dorm), intramurals (these are big), volunteering, one of the spirit groups. I confess I don’t know much about the spirit groups, but that seems like a good way to meet people. Some are single sex, some are coed. They go to sporting events (duh) and also do volunteer work. This son isn’t a spirit group type, but his brother would be. You could go Greek if so inclined.
Are you from Texas? Stay in touch with your high school frieda the first few weeks. Be bold and try to get them together for Gone to Texas, the big freshman event.
You could be really brave and try something completely different: there is a group that rides to Alaska to raise money for cancer. I thought that would be cool.
The School of Nursing is one of the smaller (by enrollment) academic units at UT Austin with an attentive advising staff, physically located at the southeast edge of the campus, so Nursing students tend to have their own microclimate. Sure, during your freshman year when you’re taking general education courses and only one required Nursing course it’ll be like the mall during the holidays. During your sophomore year when you’re transitioning into more major courses (5) it’ll be like the mall on weekends. During your junior & senior years when you’re taking exclusively Nursing courses (and one Pharmacy course, but it’s a small school too) it’ll be like attending a small college.
Did you attend the recent event for admitted nursing students at UT? If so, make an effort to keep in touch with those new Longhorns so you have a friend group started before you get to Austin. Good luck!