<p>I have pretty much given up on finding any real friends at the college I go to. I have one or two truly interesting, funny, smart, inquisitive and genuine friends at my college. The rest, especially my hallmates, are absolute idiots. Uninteresting and uninterested, they are completely depressing to be around. They have absolutely no class (and I don't mean this in a "manners" or fashion sense...they are rude, loud, vulgar, homophobic, mysoginistic, and genuinely suck). I miss my old friends from high school, who, for the most part, had the qualities of the few friends I've made here. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, I have no choice but to eat with them, go out with them on weekends---although this trend is waning---and endure their behavior 24/7. Thank god I'm transfering.</p>
<p>The era of intellectual exploration is over. College, save for the elite institutions, is no longer a time reserved to discover one's self...it is a time to sit through boring lectures to get a BA in business or something to make a ton of money, while in the meantime getting drunk, getting laid, gettin rowdy and for all intents and purposes being a total zombie. </p>
<p>Some one cheer me up (as the guys next door are playing Creed).</p>
<p>I wish I could talk to my floormates in rez about anything remotely intellectual, but most of the time they just get drunk and talk about getting drunk. It drives me mad. </p>
<p>At the same time, however, I don't think that the "era of intellectual exploration is over". You just need to look harder to find it. Join clubs or start them. Go to your prof's office hours because a footnote in your reading intrigued you or you just want to talk. One of my profs goes to the arts coffee lounge every other day after class and invites people just to come talk - it's great, and you meet people who really want to be there to learn. You just need to explore what your school offers, and usually they are more than happy to find someone genuine.</p>
<p>While your post was overall a little over-the-top, I can relate to many of its points. Would you care to share which school it is that you attend? I'm curious.</p>
<p>If you have two good friends you trust and connect with, you should consider yourself lucky. And re: lack of intellectuality, yeah, you really, really have to look, and you certainly will not find any in your peers at intro level courses.</p>
<p>You are a smart person to transfer. I believe a huge part of the learning experience comes from your peers in college. If you are at a school where students are not intellectually driven enough to discuss what they are learning and thinking with each other, and do not wish to share something other than drunkenness with each other, you are truly missing out. I commend you for expecting more out of college than what you are experiencing now. You verbalized a large piece of what people should consider before they choose a school...who will they be with for four years? Good luck to you at the school you have chosen for next year.</p>
<p>I agree, there are many places where intellectual exploration is still alive and well! I hope you are headed to one of those next year. A hint: look for a place with no Greek scene.</p>
<p>Four of my friends from high school who go to UIowa are transferring because they don't like party scene that much. There's still some partying up here in Ames but not near what Iowa is and the non-drinking crowd is NOT hard to find at all. I love the people in my dorm too.</p>
<p>But like most Hawkeyes, you probably won't become a Cyclone. Just like I would never be a Hawkeye. ;)</p>
<p>BTW can I ask what dorm you live in? because my friends tell me some at Iowa absolutely suck b/c the people are rude and obnoxious and others are cool</p>
<p>I think momo is right. To the UP, have you tried the honors program? and what is your current gpa? I am equally disappointed at my school, people here are not as intellectual as i hoped them to be. And yes, conversations usually revolve around drinking or hooking up, which isn't my personality. Anyway, most state schools will be like that and you should have expected this from the beginning. Also, I bet a good number of people share the same attitude as you, even though the majority of the student body might be silly. I go to psu, so the partying atmosphere here is huge, and still I know a few people that are focused in academics. yet, I know that living in a hall with a bunch of party animals can be somewhat misplacing; personally, I don't drink or go to parties, so I have had a hard time fitting in. My advice is to transfer or apply for the honors program. Just don't transfer to a state school and expect the students to be erudite scholars, unless your are going to berkeley and so forth.</p>