<p>Hey there Firax (and other folk),</p>
<p>I've been at Berkeley now since the Fall of 2003, so almost 4 years. I think all the suggestions about transferring schools are a little extreme, and honestly I think would be a big mistake.</p>
<p>I came to Berkeley extremely shy and unconfident...in addition to that I developed severe depression my second semester of freshman year (I lived in Freeborn hall - the substance free dorm.., unit 1).</p>
<p>I have had some of the "worst" times of my life at Berkeley. I moved into an apartment sophomore year and after a large amount of drama with a female apartment-mate, I was diagnosed with genetic bipolar disorder. It was during this period that I met one of the greatest friends of my life and he was briefly my roommate during the summer.</p>
<p>If you're really shy and you want to learn not to be shy, you're going to have to put yourself in a situation where you are surrounded by people...almost forced...in a way.</p>
<p>If you're more into the traditional type of college living situation, I would say go for the frats/sororities.</p>
<p>I have a very good friend that I went to High School with. He transferred here a year and a half after I came. He is half japanese and very active in a group called Nikkei student union. Many students find comfort in cultural groups such as these. He was also a little shy coming to Berkeley, and suffered a rough first semester. Now he is graduating and wishes he could stay longer. He says he has met the greatest, closest group of friends through Nikkei studen union and the various activities they put on. I agree with the above poster, if you are going to join a group join just a very few and be active in those.</p>
<p>If you identify to a certain group like him, that would be great. Although I am of the opinion that people should also branch out and meet people associated with other cultures as well.</p>
<p>My friend recommended to me the co-ops, and this is the way I went. The co-ops are there if you're looking for something different...They are often stereotyped as very dirty and uncleanly, and there is some truth to this. However, don't let one be your first impression (big ones like Casa Zimbabwe and Cloyne are ..quite dirty) as they are all very very different in appearance. The people I have met here are all very friendly (sometimes extremely so) and above all very tolerant and open-minded....perhaps drugs are more prevalent than in other living situations (lived in freeborn, can't compare to dorms), but there are a good portion (at least here) who just drink alcohol or completely abstain.</p>
<p>I wound up in a mental hospital, in Berkeley, a few weeks into 3rd year...(most probably not going to happen to you). I came back to find out my first roommate at my new house was experimenting with a very large number of drugs and leading a very "alternative" lifestyle...I had withdrawn from the semester, and spent most of the time sleeping due to heavy medications..</p>
<p>I re-enrolled for spring (barely got approval from tang), and had a pretty good semester, despite a several week relapse (hallucinations)...The next semester was rougher, and this semester I actually feel very good, except I'm not really getting my work done due to severe procrastination and sleeping problems....</p>
<p>But you know what? I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had for a stellar GPA, great grad school recs, hard nights of studying endlessly in my room.... Most of them have been completely out of my control, but it has all placed me a very good distance from the timid, insecure, bashful, lonely, freshman I once was....</p>
<p>Not sure if this will help or just scare you.....But it is my Berkeley experience. </p>
<p>The thing to remember is that at Berkeley, everyone's experiences here are VERY different. It may be rough at first, or for the whole ride, in my case. </p>
<p>But the Berkeley ride is one very much worth taking. Honestly, I think transferring to another, smaller, school will do very little if nothing to helping your sense of alienation, in fact I think it might increase. There are like and very differing, but open-minded minds for you to get to know and learn from at Berkeley</p>
<p>However, at some college the size of your old High School, definitely not so.....Escaping a problem is rarely more effective than challenging it, taking it on...especially social anxiety (you can go to tang center and get paxil for social anxiety disorder, if you have it). College is a time to advance in wisdom and maturity by a very large leap, don't short yourself...</p>
<p>My major is Physics, btw. Not sure if you're interested, but I can tell you about the department/classes if that's your bag.</p>