Hello,
I know a number of my classmates - perhaps 10 or 15 - are going to UW - Madison (and a couple are even majoring in the same subject as me), and I was wondering what your experience has been so far as running into high school classmates is concerned. How often might I see them on the street? It’s a big school, but how many classes might I share with them?
There are over 6000 first years at UW. You may see them in passing, on occasion. Chances of class together? Maybe you could have a 150 person intro class together in the major and might see them across the lecture hall, but the chance of being in the same discussion section (20-24 person seminar format) is very small.
Eons ago a HS classmate and I from Dane County were in the same small Honors English Lit class (pre AP days, required two lit courses for graduation). He went on to become an English prof, I was a Chemistry major. Never saw each other nor spoke with each other as we traveled different paths, just like in the many classes together in HS. Neutral towards each other.
Even if you share classes you do not need to socialize. College is not HS. No cliques, people caring about who knows who, does what… You shared a childhood experience but that is your history, not your present. All of you will travel your separate paths. Even if you end up in the same discussion group for a class it is no big deal as I found.
As far as running into old HS classmates on campus. It rarely happened if at all. I lived on campus while many commuted freshman year. After a year at home my next door neighbor then had an apartment and we never saw each other our four years on the same campus that I recall. We had so many HS classes together but again led different lives, even in HS.
Do NOT worry about it. You will meet new people and so will they. HS becomes ancient history. You are adults now. You all can leave behind any unpleasant and/or embarrassing moments as a part of your childhood. A fresh start.
I also recall being busy enough getting from one building to another among thousands on the streets between classes that noticing someone specific was unlikely, even my college friends. Not noticing someone is not a snub (if you/they even cared). You can be friendly but no fears of anyone interfering with your enjoyment of UW on your terms.
Let’s just say this. My friend and I from high school attend a much much much smaller school than UW-Madison (I did attend here at one point).
Same building for major. Only saw twice in the past 3 years while walking past each other. Too busy to say anything other than “hi” and move on. So unless you are actively looking to meet your high school friend, chances are, you won’t see them if at all for 4 years (and they got better things to do like worrying about their own lives at this point).
If you really want to meet up, you will have to make lots of initiatives. Otherwise, those kind of friendships from high school just disappear.