<p>I'm a freshman at Williams and really like my entry as a whole, but I can only see myself being good friends with one or two of them. I know people in other entries who are already really tight with their suitemates or entrymates, and my JAs said that their best friends now were all in their entry freshman year. Do most people stay really close to their entrymates all four years and not really make other friends? I'm afraid that I won't have a close group of friends because everyone else will have just their entry friends after spending most of the year together.</p>
<p>My Eph has several different groups of friends: not only those from the first-year entry, but also those from extracurricular groups my Eph's involved in as well as those from my Eph's major and Williams summer research positions.</p>
<p>Don't worry -- give it time. Classes started just two weeks ago, and the whole year is ahead of you: there's still a lot of time to meet a lot of new people/do a lot -- not only with those you know but with those you don't know yet, too.</p>
<p>First year can be rough if you don't fit in with your entry. I know I didn't. It's not an uncommon problem. Try going out and joining some clubs - I did marching band, which is great because it's really casual and everyone is extremely friendly. If the deviants@wso listserve is still active, they organize movie/game nights etc. and welcome new freshmen to the "alternative" social scene.</p>
<p>No one is close to <em>all</em> of their entrymates. If you become good friends with just a few of them, that's about par. You will meet people through other activities; I've heard some people say that they didn't meet their closest friends until sophomore or even junior year. </p>
<p>Keep trying to make friends in your entry - it's nice to be on good terms with the people you live with even if you don't think you have much in common. But make an effort to go out and do other things and meet other people. Hang out with the kids in neighboring entries, especially if you're in frosh quad. Sports teams and acapella groups are quick avenues to another group of potential friends, but if those aren't options for you just try to do what you're interested in. If there's not already a club for it, start one and invite people who share your interests. You have to work a little bit harder to make friends outside of your entry, but such is life.</p>
<p>Williams11: My d was not close to her entrymates her first year. She was busy with sports and other activities and often had other things going on outside her entry. Her closest friends are not in her entry, though she finds they are nice, her interests are just different.
Her friends live in various places on campus, and some have very different interests. She met them in class, study groups, friend of friend, ...
Just before she went to Williams, we had a get together with some other Williams students and alums. One alum actually said that your JAs and entry mates may not be your favorite people, so even though the system is good, it is not perfect for everyone. I thought it was a great piece of advice, since some of the other were a little too zealous.
As someone on this list mentioned, if you haven't already, join a service group, go to religious service where food is served, workout at the gym, ... and get involved and just be friendly and open to meeting new people. First semester is definitely the hardest with so much to adjust to as well as a heavy workload.
Despite what your JAs said, not everyone becomes best friends with their freshman neighbors and stick together for 4 years. You'll be fine.</p>
<p>And look again for new opportunities in Winter Study (when people have more "free" time and often start new activities and try new paths) and again at the beginning of second semester (when some people who have been away for a semester will return and some fall athletes will have their schedules ease up). Those are often good times to meet new people.</p>
<p>It may not feel like it, but you may be in a position of strength. Some people rush out and cling tightly to the first group they meet. You are likely to find a wider (and probably much more interesting to you) group of friends over time. You may also gain a lot of confidence that will stand you well in other times of transition.</p>
<p>Went to entry get-together with S yesterday. There were several kids who brought their parents to S's entry even though they don't live there. They just clicked with his entry. You may find the same, but perhaps you have already made new friends.</p>
<p>Hope this weekend is fun for you.</p>