How hard is it to adjust for OOS?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
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<p>so I know this is a frequent discussion (the whole IS vs. OOS stuff) but I keep seeing so many back and forth answers that I really don't know what to think and it is super important to me because UNC is pretty high on my list at the moment and I'm running out of time to decide...</p>

<p>Alright, so basically my question is how hard is it for OOS students to make friends and adjust to Carolina? I know that everyone is super nice at UNC but how much of it is an extension of high school (since 82% of students come from the same state)?</p>

<p>Also, I ask this because of my own experiences...I live in Texas and have lived here my entire life. I've grown up hearing all the hype about UT and A&M for years and years and I also know soooo many people that go there from my high school and neighboring high schools. However, it seems that the people who go to UT and A&M only hang out with the same people from their high schools. Sure they might meet a few other friends but it is mostly the same groups of people from hs. Also, a TON of my hs friends always go up and visit people who go to UT/A&M on the weekends (even though it's about a 3hr drive to austin and 2hrs to college station).
I'm wondering if UNC is like this because of the 82% IS and that NC isn't a super big state (or at least not like TX lol)
I know that joining a bunch of clubs and activities is a good way to meet people (I plan on going greek too) and I am somewhat outgoing/somewhat shy, but HONESTLY, how hard is it for OOS to make friends?</p>

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<p>it’s really not that hard. From what I am witnessing, most of the people I know do not want to room with their friends, but rather with the people they met during visits. On the other hand, some people entering UNC know a lot of people there so they will keep in contact with them. However, even these flocks of students long to make new friends that pertain to their major. I know from multiple resources that you make friends your first year at dorms, asking people what their major is. This is a good route to follow since many students are technically distributed randomly. This makes for a great small niche to hang onto and be friends with your first year (and perhaps even more years to follow too ;))
I actually know only a handful of people at UNC, and I am an instate attendee. I doubt I’ll see my HS friends since my classes might be quiet different than their classes. You’ll fit in just fine, and we all are just as apprehensive to making good friends at UNC as an OOS student.</p>