<p>Not to burst the bubble for many prospective college students, but I really feel college is overrated. I just finished my first semester of freshman year and to be quite frank hated it. Well at least the social life? I don’t go to an ivy or anything, but a top 30 research university. Although academics are fairly tough, its do-able. But overall in terms of making friends..it’s just not working. I am pre-med so studying does take up most of my time but at other times I feel there just isn’t anything to do. I used to think dorming would mean having more (and close) friends, but I was wrong. I must admit my years as a high school student were far better. Also I go to a relatively small school with only 1,000 kids in my class year and it’s not even that diverse. I have however made a small knit of 3-4 friends but honestly I want to meet new, outgoing social people. Is that too hard to ask for? Lol. Also just to clarify things up, I’m not socially awkward or anything, I just feel out of place. Sometimes I just feel as if I made the wrong college choice decision. So anyone who has been in my situation, any advice? I was considering to transfer but I feel it’s kinda too late; my 1st semester gpa was not too high for me to transfer to a better school. Moreover, I feel maybe if I stay here..things would hopefully get better? Has that worked for any of you out there? Any advice?</p>
<p>If your GPA is too low to transfer you might want to have a back up plan for pre-med.</p>
<p>Otherwise, it sounds like either the school isn’t a good fit, or you aren’t trying hard enough. If it isn’t a good fit there isn’t really anything you can do but make the best of it or transfer, you have to weigh the pros and cons.</p>
<p>It took me about half of my freshman year to find my first best friend here. Now I have a bunch of friends. Try to get involved in a campus organization. You never know when you’ll bump into your new best friends.</p>
<p>You aren’t there to socialize… drop out and get a job or suck it up. Adapt and overcome.</p>
<p>I do agree with King Elite, I didn’t meet my good friends until middle of second semester and we didn’t become really tight until my second year. Some people just take a little longer.</p>
<p>I too agree that College is overrated. Yes, it is what you make of it, but I blame society for over hyping aspects of College. Well let me rephrase, I don’t think College is overrated, but certain aspects of it are overrated. To me, I think Social Life is overrated. Through out HS you hear that “in college you’ll make tons of friends”, “everyone is so open and willing to be your friend”, “there are no more cliques”, “you’ll meet your best friends for life here”, and a load of other BS. At least for me, none of this has proven to be true. Yes I do understand you have to try, but I tried quite a lot last semester and still came back with no results. Mainly, everyone was in their own cliques and weren’t interested in making new friends. </p>
<p>I’m not trying anymore to make friends, but I will not refuse friendships. When I say I’m not trying anymore, I mean I’m not going to sit at random tables like I did last semester, I’m not going to put on a fake smile when walking around campus, I’m not going to continue to be in dozens of pointless clubs just to make friends. I’m just going to do me. I’ll join clubs that I’ll actually like. I’ll do things that I like. I’m just going to be me. I will also put my face out there more, which is something you should do too. Just don’t study in your room, try to study in a hall, go to the library, etc. It my not help you make friends, but the fact that you get your face out there and don’t seclude yourself in your room. </p>
<p>Good luck my friend. I know how hard it can be. Just be yourself, put yourself out there, and do you. Actually do things that interest you, don’t just worry about making friends. Let what you love to do (whether that’s studying, ECs, sports, etc) direct you to friendships, don’t let your desire for friendships direct you.</p>
<p>No offense, but did I miss something? I was never led to believe that by attending a university, I would be at the pinnacle of all that it means to be human with regards to having friends and socializing. Maybe It’s because I graduated highschool in 2001 and got an idea of what reality is like. </p>
<p>I sincerely hope I did miss something though… OP, maybe you can pay people to hang out near you, making it look like you have friends.</p>
<p>If that doesn’t work, just be thankful that you weren’t born blind and deaf or with no arms and legs. G**ammit, prince radian the Human Caterpillar was born with a slightly imperfect body, but even he made the best of it… learned how to roll cigarettes with his lips ad became a popular carnival and circus attraction for 45 years, got married and had 5 kids.</p>
<p>“I’m just going to do me. I’ll join clubs that I’ll actually like. I’ll do things that I like. I’m just going to be me.”</p>
<p>I believe that is what you should have been doing in the first place, not pretending to be someone else and joining things you have no interest in.</p>
<p>I’ve had the same thoughts as you many times. I’ve felt out of place, thought of transferring, and I am not socially awkward at all. But think about it this way… you’ve already been here for a full semester. If you are to transfer, you have to start all over with making friends and getting acquainted to a new campus, which can be much more difficult. If you stay at your current school, at least you have your small group of friends to lean on AND you are more familiar with the school/campus so you can set out on making your social life what you want it to be. </p>
<p>I have what I guess you can call a lot of friends at my school, but most of them are just acquaintances, classmates, members of my sorority pledge class, or people that I live on the same floor with. </p>
<p>There are only several people at my school that I consider my best friends and spend a lot of time with, and it really bugged me at first that I wasn’t really close with more people. But now, I’m more content with that idea. I know many other people are in a similar situation as you and me and it’s honestly not a bad thing at all. Lots of freshman year friendships don’t last. During the first few weeks of school, I met, went out with, and hung out with tons of people. Only a few of their names still register in my mind, and I haven’t seen a majority of them ever since my first days at school. </p>
<p>As you spend more time at school and get to know more people, you WILL find your true friends. My mistake was worrying that it was supposed to happen instantly, but it’s not. It’s a gradual process. I’m pretty sure I haven’t even formed a bulk of my friendships here yet. </p>
<p>In the end, it’s really about quality over quantity when it comes to friends.</p>
<p>Does sadcollegestud remind anyone else of Kip Crombwell from Charlie Bartlett?</p>
<p>Anyways, I felt the same way as you do for most of my first semester. I just felt like I didn’t fit in and that I never would. My solution: go to parties, plan to go out to dinner with people every once in a while, and attend other social events. You’ll meet new people and some of those will develop into friendships.</p>
<p>And honestly, the one close friend I made at the beginning of the year ended up being a total “witch” (stupid CC censorship) whom I do not talk to anymore.</p>