<p>So I just came back from my Orientation and I have to say that it was an intense experience. I briefly conversed with a lot of people who seemed nice but to be honest I feel like other people might have enjoyed it more than I did because they met people they would continue to know come August. A lot of the time I felt kind of alone while others were paired off. I didn't even get to talk to the people who were in my dorm or orientation group very much. </p>
<p>Anyway I was just wondering, for current USC students - did you continue to know the people you met at Orientation once you arrived at USC in the fall? Or will there be plenty more chances to make good friends?</p>
<p>Don’t worry staringintospace, i have two sons at USC. One is very outgoing and met friends thru a fraternity and the other is not and he has met many of friends in his dorm, his classes and organizations he belongs to. There are so many opportunities to meet at USC but it will take some work on your part to do so. By the way, are you a member of the facebook group for your class? That might be a good way to begin to feel connected to people before you start school. Plus there is another orientation before classes start that will give you another opportunity to meet people.</p>
<p>Haha, interesting question, and I have an interesting answer (and I agree with bbgg). Orientation is really only a smidge of what USC holds ahead for you. Some people will hit it off at orientation and will continue to be friends in the fall. Some people will hit it off at orientation and not really see each other in the fall because their paths diverge (different dorms, classes, hobbies, etc.).</p>
<p>It seems like for you, you feel like you didn’t connect with anyone. I guess I was in a similar boat. I was more on the quiet side, and met a lot of people, but it’s not like a made a bunch of new best friends. When school started, if I saw the people from my orientation group around campus, I’d say hi. And, months later, I actually started dating one of the girls from my orientation group. Anything can happen!</p>
<p>It might be interesting to reflect: Why didn’t you have the chance to talk to the people in your orientation group very much? Why did you feel alone while the others were paired off?</p>
<p>There’s always opportunities to meet new people and make new friends at USC. The key is that college is what you make it. Be outgoing, and you’ll make good friends in no time </p>
<p>Quickly, one suggestion about fb is that it is a great way to meet a lot of people, like people from your major, but make sure to arrange to meet up with them in the beginning of school. I talked to people on fb my pre-freshman year, and I’m living with one guy that I arranged to meet up with on move in day (imma be a junior). Yet there’s another guy that I didn’t arrange to meet up with, so then when we met face-to-face, it was awkward. If you don’t get what I mean, you’ll prob find out soon enough. But try to avoid it.</p>
<p>PS: Staringintospace, I hoped you liked the pep rally, it reminds me of fall, so I stopped by lol. Fight On!</p>
<p>^haha yeah, the whole fb thing… people knew of each other but no one wanted to make the first move (hey… i know you from fb!) even at orientation. However, once you do make the first move it’s really not that awkward at all.</p>
<p>I’ve so far met a bunch of current usc students as well as transfer students like myself matriculating this fall on CC as well as on the facebook group we all made. On top of that I’m sure I’ll make countless friends in class and in the clubs/activities I plan to get involved with.</p>
<p>So yeah I second the facebook notion. Just start adding everyone and chatting them up and you’ll see everyone is just as excited as you and interested in meeting new people before they make the move there :)</p>
<p>Usually if the other person is chill, then there’ll be some kind of recognition. </p>
<p>(I got turned off to it because there was one girl that friended me like 3 days before our orientation session, and wrote ‘Woo! So excited for orientation. Hopefully I’ll cya there :)’. This girl ended up being in my orientation group so when we were chilling and meeting each other I said ‘Hey, you friended me and it’s cool that we’re in the same orientation group.’ To which she replied, ‘O really? Who are you?’ like a *****. Moral is, keep it real, and if someone is like that girl was to me, don’t let it bother you and move on cause people like that aren’t worth your time.)</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments guys. Yeah I have talked to people on FB but I never really arranged to meet with them - that could be why I felt kind of alone at Orientation. Plus one of the girls on my floor that I had been talking to a lot already had a lot of friends there so she was kind of occupied with them.</p>
<p>I will keep an open mind and stay positive. I plan to get involved in as many activities as possible.</p>
<p>a lot of the people who were in my orientation group are just now people that i see around campus and smile and say hey to and nothing more. there was a lot the first 2 weeks of “hey we should try to meet up and hang out” but none of us lived in the same building so we didnt. get to know the people on your floor. that’s who you’ll end up being closest with</p>
<p>Honestly, arranging to meet during orientation is sort of pointless because you’re so busy. It seems like you’re still looking at orientation as the (for lack of a better phrase) end-all be-all. Believe me, if you put some effort into it you’ll make a lot of friends in no time come August. </p>
<p>Keep talking to the girl on your floor however you want to, and arrange to meet her move-in day (should be easy because you can just drop by her room number and say hi). I’m planning to have a bounce house at my apartment for move-in (my friends and I like to have a good time lol) so if anyone of you want to come, send me a PM</p>
<p>When I went to orientation last year, I didn’t really meet anyone new because dozens of other people from my high school went to the same orientation, so unfortunately I didn’t really branch out and meet anyone. I didn’t even really talk to my orientation roommate because the light in our room was broken, and so I just ended up sleeping in my high school friend’s room. But during the school year, I honestly didn’t really hangout with any of my high school friends, even though like 8 of them lived in my building alone (none on my floor though). My closest friends have become my floormates, because you literally see them ALL the time, especially if you keep your door open! And during welcome week activities you’ll probably be chillin’ with your floormates since everyone is kinda scared and awkward (I know I was) so you guys can go out to the activities together it’ll be fine!</p>
<p>I had one of the worst feelings about USC after orientation. I’m from far away and I went to orientation not knowing anyone at or much about the school. I had visited once before, and still got lost when I first got there (without any parents, since they couldn’t fly that far with me for just a 2 night trip). I didn’t get along with the girl I roomed with, many of the events were boring and I didn’t have anyone to sit with, there were less than 20 kids in my major, I was the only kid from my high school who went to USC so while some people there already knew each other I knew NO ONE, and when it came time to register for classes I was the LAST person to leave and I only left registered for one class because I had so many problems with registration. I had a long flight home to reflect on how bad it was. I did meet a few nice kids who I spent most of my time with and who I liked. I see them occasionally on campus now, but it’s rare. One remembers me and we often say hi to each other, chat, and talk about how we should get together soon. The other doesn’t remember me at all. One of my suitemates and a few of my floormates were in my orientation group, and we never met. My suitemate who was made a bunch of friends at orientation, talked to some of them throughout the year, and ended up not spending much time with any of them at the end of the year. </p>
<p>There are so many chances to meet new kids at USC. You have to remember that you only were at one out of 7 orientations so there are 6 other groups of kids that you didn’t meet, there are plenty of kids from your group that you didn’t meet, there are plenty of kids who don’t go to orientation that you didn’t meet, and there are plenty of kids who are not going to be freshman that you didn’t meet. Some of my best friends at school are a year or two ahead of me. You will meet people on your floor, in your suite/room, at activities, and in classes. Just make sure that you try to meet people. Introduce yourself to the people on your floor the first day or two even if you’re shy (I was, but I did this, and it worked out so well for me). Talk to kids who talk to you in your classes and start conversations with them as well. People are friendly, especially at the beginning of the year. Join activities and/or get a job and talk to the people you see there. There are really so many ways to meet people. And don’t think if you haven’t made a whole group of friends within the first few weeks then you won’t ever. Keep trying, friendships take time, but they’ll happen at USC if you let them. If someone who had as bad of an orientation experience as I did can end up LOVING USC, anyone can!</p>
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