<p>Well, I'm two months into this whole college thing, and so far I've been disappointed. Due to financial stuff and time constraints, I could only visit one of the colleges I was accepted to (the top ranked one on my list) and I was really convinced that I wanted to be here. Now that I'm here, I think I should have been more careful in my decision making.
Honestly, it's just not what I thought it was going to be. All the kids here are so focused on getting a job that I don't feel like anyone is here to get a real education. And the residential college system here makes me feel socially confined without the networking benefits that come from a fraternity. The res college system also totally saps the school spirit, as everyone's SO proud of their res college that they don't seem to care about the uni as a whole. Everyone's so busy with their own stuff and the stuff in their residential college, that they don't have time for campus activities (plays, football games) besides partying.
I know that I haven't been at college that long, but I feel like I screwed up something huge and now I have no way to fix it. I'm trying to keep an open mind, but I feel like I let myself down. I sort of wish I'd chosen a less prestigious university where not everyone would be so focused on their futures that they'd actually be able to appreciate their university for more than just the name on a diploma, but I let my academic snootiness blind me and due to my dependence on financial aid I feel sort of trapped here. I'm trying to keep an open mind (I'm still active in clubs, I still eat meals with other people), but it's hard for me to shake this feeling that I'm totally out of place.</p>
<p>If you look heavily and carefully into transferring to another school (doing your homework big-time) you could consider transferring to another university and being there as a junior. </p>
<p>I don’t know where you go, but I know a school that seems to have the qualities you’re looking for as far as I am aware, but it would be ridiculous for an OOS student to come here. UCLA.</p>
<p>My D’s first year at college, she was miserable for many of the same reasons you cite in your post. (She also talked about wanting to transfer schools her first semester.) D felt a bit better by the spring once she finally made a few friends with similar values, but even to this day, she wishes the “culture” of her school were different. Now a junior, she has made peace with her situation because she knows the program she is in is very highly respected within her field and she is getting opportunities at this school that she likely wouldn’t have had elsewhere. I would advise you to give your current situation your best effort (hopefully you will also find friends with similar values), but if you don’t feel any better by the end of the year, you can always come back next year ready to apply to other schools.</p>
<p>Hey, I’m in a similar situation. Looking in hindsight, it feels like I chose the school for the wrong reasons (mainly due to financials, though it’s not too bad, and because it is so inconvenient to just have a visit home that I can’t really go back except for huge breaks). But, I think that this feeling is pretty common, and we have to just make ourselves part of the college and explore opportunities in it, I guess. I’d say look positively and just go day by day, or semester by semester if you feel. Most students feel a lot better by Thanksgiving, and then by Winter break, but I say hang in there, I’m kind of struggling too, but it takes time since its a whole new environment.</p>
<p>Being concerned about getting a job does not preclude one from being interested in getting a “real” education - the two are not mutually exclusive.</p>
<p>Give it some time. You’ve only been there for a month. Homecoming hasn’t come around yet - perhaps that will spark some uni pride. Some universities just don’t have university pride, and that’s okay. It sounds like the real underlying problem is that you want to do college-wide activities and no one seems game. Can you get involved in your residential college’s activities and then start planning some intracollege activities?</p>
<p>Also, I do want to add that the prestige and resources a university has mean a lot. I would be willing to bet that 5 years from now, you will place more importance on what your university has to offer you in those areas than university pride. I would weigh this carefully if you think about transferring, and make sure that you do not underestimate it.</p>