<p>I know #freshmanproblems, but I wanted to see your input. I feel really weird and alone at college. I'm over 1500 miles away, and my best friend of 10 years goes to a school nearby, but they're so busy, we can never hang out. I'm hispanic, and so is everyone else where I'm from, so I'm used to that culture. I can "speak their language" in terms of what is acceptable to say, I know how to make friends with people, etc. This is a whole new world for me.</p>
<p>This is only the first week, so I know it's common to feel this way. I just don't know who is being nice, who is just using me for me to do things for them. People here are cold, and I hate it. I feel like such a stupid idiot, because I'm here typing/crying in the middle of the student acitivites building. There's no one here, so I decided it would be a good spot to do homework. I had met some people who were nice, but I don't know, I get this vibe off them that they get offended by everything I say, or that I'm already annoying them. There were some girls who I thought were being really nice to me after orientation ended, but since I turned them down 3 times already to go to frat parties or just walk around getting drunk in the city, I don't think they'll be my friend either.</p>
<p>I'm starting to regret my choice of coming this far. I love my school, so far I love my classes and my professors, I just don't think I'll fit it, even with clubs and whatever. Everyone here is from the general area, nothing less than 300 miles it seems, so they all have things in common...</p>
<p>A whole new world is great though, it’s an opportunity to grow and spread out. Uh, though I honestly have never had the feeling people are using me… If it’s “can I see you’re homework,” no, they’re not friends. Other than that, I have not seen any manipulation, so don’t worry too much about that I think. They’re probably not cold, but reserved. I feel like Hispanic culture (UNFAMILIAR, sorry for stereotyping) is very loud and familial. Very bombastic and passionate. A lot of other cultures I think are much less so. </p>
<p>Anyways, do you want to be friends with drunkards? No, you can afford to have better friends. You deserve better friends. They might be nice people, but it seems like you have different priorities. </p>
<p>Talk to people in your classes before classes start (get there early!), say hi, make friends in your dorms, join clubs, talk to your professors. Maybe see if your college offers counselors you could talk to. Even the kids from 200 miles away probably feel a lot like you do.</p>
<p>Get a job on campus, or join an intramural sport just for fun, and you will meet lots of people that way. Relax and give your self time. Friendships take a while to really develop. When you were younger, you were with people all from the same place, so that made it a bit easier. This time you have to work a bit just to find common interests, etc. with others. There may be many times you have to meet new friends as an adult, so this is actually really good to learn now. You could go to grad school, live somewhere else for a job, be transferred, etc. You just never know where life may take you! Take this time to get to know yourself, and have confidence that you are someone worth getting to know. Smile, chat with others, get involved in things and stick with it for a while, leave your dorm room door open when you want company, and just relax…you’ll be fine! Good luck!</p>