<p>… I don’t think the library is a good place to make friends. Everyone there is usually pretty concentrated on their own work.</p>
<p>There’s a Best Buy in the Hampshire Mall, which is on the free bus route. I’d start there for video games.</p>
<p>Living in JA can be a very varied experience. Yes Umass does have every type of person and JA is no exception however since southwest does provide more urban style housing, (a lot of people closely together) it is going to to be louder than anywhere else with freshmen inevitably celebrating their independence in many different ways: namely partying. If this is unacceptable to you there are a few ways to switch living areas, I would post in the Umass amherst class of 2015 and ask if anyone wants to switch into southwest, room switches are extremely common in the first couple of months. Even if you do not like your floor or your building it is not the end of the world, Umass is big enough to find your niche. Joining a club is an awesome way of doing this even spending time in the engineering library (Lederle) will get you acquainted with the people you want to spend time with.
As for classes I strongly recommend taking honors classes, the math placemement test is extremely easy but taking calc 132H class was probably the best and hardest class I have ever taken. If you really want to focus academically I would take as many honors classes as possible. If your not in the honors department, usually emailing those professors explaining why you want to take those classes will get you in.</p>
<p>So, if I do my assignments in a library (do you suggest the engineering one?), will I be able to make friends?</p>
<p>I don’t think I really need to take honors classes. I’m a novice in psychology and political science, so I’m taking them for the first time in my life (my school didn’t offer them). Chemistry is only for the physical science requirement, and I don’t think I need to rip my ass off for 132H.</p>
<p>You might make some aquantainces in the library, but you’re not really supposed to talk there…</p>
<p>If you don’t like your floor your best bet for making friends will be your major (if its a small one) or by joining clubs/intramural sports.</p>