<p>While a post from a transfer student at UIUC would be great, I welcome others too. About a year ago I was getting ready to go to UofI but found out that I wouldn't have enough funds to afford all four years. So I started out at my local CC <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>I still have another year to go at the CC, sadly. The social life here is practically nothing. I believe the average age of a student here is around 27. I hate how dumb some of the classes are and then I start bringing myself down to that level.</p>
<p>I can't wait for UofI, it can't come soon enough. But how is life as a transfer student? Is it a bit awkward being one of the few people your age who doesn't really know many people? Do you believe lasting friendships can be formed pretty well over two short years compared to most of the population's four years?</p>
<p>Really you are complaining about having to go to a community college and how there is no social life for you there? The classes are cheap generally up to par with the lower division classes at any big university and when, might I ask was the last time you were in a lecture hall with 150 or more people in the same class? I think you may need to take a second look at the value you are getting for the money. Also at UIUC things probably won’t be that much different for you in the social scene.</p>
<p>freshman year is when most of the long lasting friendships/bonds are formed. people form them because everyone is going through the same experience together, and for many they are living together in the same dorm buildings or else they are starting off activities together as newbies like sports/clubs/etc. by soph year the cliques become ossified. but it’s not like circles of friends are static entities, people come and go, and as a transfer you will have your opportunities with so much going on in uc.</p>
<p>and as a transfer you have a better chance at it because you are new and interesting and not one of the old faces they didn’t find interesting the past couple years. also, you have a fresh slate and won’t have social baggage.</p>
<p>but here’s the problem, junior/senior year most people aren’t living in campus dorms but instead renting apartments/houses with groups of friends. so if you are going to live in a dorm as the loser junior transfer with no friends and has to tag along with all the frosh/sophomores that might not help you out in the social ladder. my advise, find an apt./house on craigslist of people who go to uiuc who need a 4th or 5th roomie etc that is near/on campus.</p>
<p>and if you thought cc was too easy and brought you down, you have to realize uiuc is a big public state school, even though it is ranked relatively high, you will still be blown away by how stupid some people are. it is like that at every college no matter how good it is. also, uiuc is big time Division 1 sports, so you have hundreds of jocks who have no business being there other than bringing in $ because of the sports programs.</p>
<p>The college experience doesn’t end after freshman/ sophomore year! If you actively get involved in a wide variety of clubs and activities you will meet tons of people and have a great time. I have plenty of friends that I’ve met in the last 6 months that I’m much closer with than people I met my freshman year several years ago, and this will continue for the rest of my life I’m sure. College is a time for revolving friendships and constantly new beginnings - enjoy it!</p>
<p>A large public school means that there will always be TONS of people that are forming new friendships every day, and you will be completely indistinguishable from somebody who spent the last two years there. I don’t know about you, but when I meet somebody on-campus or off-campus I don’t ever once consider “dang, if he/she doesn’t have any other friends nearby then I certainly don’t want to talk and become friends with them, I better be careful!.” No way, you launch straight into talking and finding out who they are and where they come from, for everybody has an interesting story - including you! Don’t stress about being a transfer, just enjoy your classes and the people that you meet =).</p>
<p>I was a transfer student. Some of my best and closest friends I did not start hanging out with regularly until my final semester of college. You can make friends easily, especially at school like UIUC with some 45,000 students. And if you cannot, you might want to start saying ■■■ a lot.</p>
<p>I know that some people say that college is what you make out of it- but there are two sides of this.</p>
<p>While I myself just finished my two years at CC, I first attended a different school where I wasn’t involved at all. Didn’t know anybody, and didn’t care to either. Then I went to the school I just finished and I started to explore my options. </p>
<p>It really helps to find activities where you think you’ll meet like-minded people. I joined the Honors program at my school because I wanted to meet people that were serious about school. I also started a softball club because I wanted to get to know people through a friendly game.</p>
<p>All in all I met people that I’m still friends and hope to be for as long as possible. So explore your options. If your school has a student life office- that’s the place to start. If not, maybe they have a student government or clubs or maybe you can even start your own. </p>
<p>If your school really doesn’t have the resources, usually cities have resources in their official websites.</p>
<p>I think that this is correlation and not causation. The students with the strongest social skills form friendships in their freshman year, and continue to do so in later years. Likewise the students with weaker social skills don’t form friendships early on and may fail to do so throughout their education. </p>
<p>But this doesn’t imply that a student with strong social skills couldn’t meet someone as an upperclassman.</p>