I am in my second semester of freshman year and I am really miserable at the school I’m at. My first semester was ok, I made a few friends, joined a lot of clubs, but felt I hadn’t really find my niche. I didn’t mind though since I thought spring semester would be better. Well spring semester is almost over and I’m still in the same boat. I tried rushing a sorority in the hopes of getting a solid group of friends but it didn’t work out. I made a lot of acquaintances through clubs and classes but I wouldn’t consider them friends. Everyone here already has their group of friends and I feel miserable and that I just don’t fit in. I realize that I am not the most outgoing person and maybe it’s my fault I’m alone but it’s really depressing. My roommate and I don’t get along either. I go to a state school and most people are from the same part of the state and I’m not and I feel like an outcast. I honestly cannot bear the thought of coming back in the fall but I’ve already missed the transfer deadlines. I was thinking of doing a semester at my community college but then I realized that’s pointless and I might as well just come back to school then. I was thinking of taking next semester off and maybe I could volunteer abroad or do something meaningful if I take a semester off. Has anyone done this? Are there opportunities for people who take a semester off whether in America or abroad? I don’t want to make it seem like I’m running away from my problems but I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to tell my parents unless I have a solid plan of what I’m going to do. I am posting this in the parent’s forum since I’m hoping some parents out there will have some good advice
You raise some probing questions and state some important feelings “I hadn’t really found my niche.” “I just don’t fit in.” “It’s really depressing.” Your campus probably has a counseling center. Try to shoot them an email and set up a visit with a counselor. Then you will have a place to sort all of this out. It is confusing when everything doesn’t fit together. Both my DD and DS used the counseling services on campus and found it very helpful. Do this now. After several sessions, you will be able to identify more of your feelings and figure out a plan that will work for you. Great that you are asking for help. That is the first step.
YES!!! My D felt exactly like you do. So she took off a semester,1st half of soph yr. She did internships in her planned career. She returned to college in the class that was 1 year behind her. Now, she has found friends and is having a good time. Even though she had previously been involved in a ton of ECs, she didn’t feel super close with anyone. She is still in the same ECs. But her group of close friends are outside of the ECs. So she will either graduate in mid year, or will take off another semester, so that she can graduate with her new, younger, friends. She took the semester as a leave of absence, so that the spot at the college was still held open for her. And her resume looks awesome from all of the internships that she did during her semester off.
I don’t know if I want to return to my current school. I am looking for volunteer opportunities but i don’t know where to look and as for internships, I am not sure if I could get one because I am still undecided about my major
Sounds like you are unclear as to what you want to do with your college education and for a career. In addition to counseling to help you to cope with your feelings and make a plan, most colleges have excellent career centers where you can do some exploration as to what you might be most interested in doing and which majors relate to that. This way if you take time off, go to community college or intern, or simply have a job while you apply for transfer, you will have more focus on what you want to do. Also, the career center might be able to help you to find internship opportunities.
How are your grades? How big is your school? Have you tried to talk to people in your classes? Have you tried to get to know people in your group projects?
I am definitely unsure of what I want to do in college after graduation but I absolutely do not want to go to a community college. I have gone to the career center but I still don’t have any ideas. I want to find something meaningful I can do so I don’t have to come back here next fall
This is all assuming my parents would agree to me taking a semester off which is another can of worms
http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps
Check through the various programs. http://www.cityyear.org/ might work for you.
I know a number of people who were miserable at their first college/university, then went home and commuted to the local CC for a year or two while they figured out what they wanted to do with their lives. Most eventually transferred again and finished up at a 4-year college or university. Some found a career-prep program at the CC, completed it, and then got a job. Read through the websites of the CCs you can commute to from home. You may find good options for yourself there.
Remember, you don’t have to decide now what you want to do for the rest of your life. Most people change career pathways several times over the course of their working lives. All you need is something that you would be happy to do for the time being, and where you could make enough money to support yourself.