<p>I'm not a social person. I don't party, I don't drink. I like to read, and play music, and watch movies, and spend time in small groups, and that works well for high school. I'm just afraid of college not being like that, and that the social focus will be on going out and parties. I'm going to a big state school in the fall (Rutgers, New Brunswick) and the accepted students page is filled with "can't wait for a crazy fall," and "three more months and we're all going to get hammered," and I'm afraid that I signed up for somewhere completely different from where I thought I was going.</p>
<p>I go to Michigan State. Huge school. Huge party school. I could have written your first three sentences myself. I have been to two parties (both smallish cast parties) in the 2 years I’ve been here.</p>
<p>I have a wonderful social life, great friends, an amazing boyfriend (both of which I didn’t know until college), etc.</p>
<p>You’ll be fine. Do not worry.</p>
<p>Since you’re going to a big state school, there will be people there like you. You may have to push it a little to make friends (like joining clubs and things) but you should be fine.</p>
<p>I’m scared as well, but I’m going to go from a local community college where I know people from high school to a huge university where I don’t know anyone at all. I’m more worried about what my potential roommate is going to be like more than anything else, and whether we’d clash (I can easily tolerate other people’s living preferences so long as they at least clean up after themselves when it comes to food), especially since I’m the kind of person who likes to sing along to whatever I’m listening to.</p>
<p>^You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who’s okay with you singing all the time. You might have to contain it when your roommate is in the room. I would be unbelievably annoyed if my roommate was singing along to music she was playing all the time.</p>
<p>Rapping is another story though…</p>
<p>I’m not a party person, not a drinker, and small groups suit me better over large ones. I go to a school of 30,000 and found a better fit than in high school.</p>
<p>Just go with an open mind. It’s a new start, embrace it. Chances are you’ll find your niche. Don’t judge an entire experience by what a few people have said.</p>
<p>You’ll be fine a lot of people get jitters when they’re about to start a new journey in their life. There’s nothing terrifying about college at all. All you have to worry about is passing classes. Everything else is given to you like access to food, clean bathrooms, and place to live. You have very low amount of responsibilities so enjoy it while it lasts because starting fresh out of college in the real world sucks as I’ve been told by many people. </p>
<p>I graduated High School in a small town where my graduating class had about 80 some people and now I go to a 40,000+ state school very far away from my high school friends. It was a big change and I didn’t know anyone here at all when I started but I found a lot good friends and such and I’m glad I picked my school.</p>
<p>Don’t worry. I am very similar to you, socially. I go to Pitt. It’s a big school, so there’s plenty to do and plenty of people around with various interests. At first, it might be overwhelming because most people around you are obsessed with partying. It’s college. If you’re interested, go for it, but if not, just wait a while. You will find people who prefer to spend their Friday nights watching movies or checking out what the campus has to offer. My only advice is to have an open mind, try new things, have fun, and try not to let yourself settle into the same old thing week after week. College will be great and I’m sure after a few weeks your fears will be eased and you’ll feel comfortable in a new place. :)</p>
<p>Hey, UF…formerly the number 1 party school in the nation. Bottoms up, right? 
I’m in a social sorority as well (think Animal House), but I don’t go out more than twice a month maximum (on weekends too, never on weekdays) because I’m into school and my lab much much more. Granted, I envy those who do go out just because sometimes I feel myself getting burnt out, but I always just schedule a mental health day for these occasions.
Like you, I was very quiet in high school. I refused…REFUSED to drink in college for the first 3-4 months until I felt comfortable (you know that whole “everybody does it” thing? Well, it’s true in Greek life. Fortunately I found my best friend in my sorority who still doesn’t drink much still). I don’t smoke (marijuana) still.
About the freshman on your “Class of '15” page…I mean, kids say these things out of excitement I feel. A good majority of them will “get hammered” and have a crazy time, but the important thing to consider is that you need to experience college life at the pace you want to experience it at as well as at the level you do. Whenever you come across a crazy partier it’s just easier to say, “Sure.” and feel comfortable with what you’re doing with your own life and realize that what they’ve chosen to do with theirs is totally fine, but maybe not what you’re looking for. This kind of perspective comes with time, I gander, and I’ve always been an independent kind of person, so the outlook came to me more readily than others I feel.
Good luck and have a great time! :)</p>
<p>I’m terrified as well. My biggest worry is, how do I pay the monthly housing fee? Do just I pull money out from my financial aid and use it to pay or something? Where does the money from my financial aid package go? I’m a total newbie at handling money, since I’ve never done anything much with money except use it to buy school lunch. D:</p>
<p>Don’t worry about parties and stuff, those are not mandatory. Universities are full of diversity and you’ll find your match. Besides if you are not a party person it would help with your grades.</p>
<p>I go to Rutgers, and trust me there’s nothing to be scared about! It’s a big enough school where you can separate yourself from those partiers you referenced on facebook and make friends that have much in common with you 
Everyone I’ve met here is really nice and college has been the time of my life. Let me know if you have any questions!</p>
<p>As everyone else has said, you’re not the only person who feels this way. I never went to big parties when I was in high school because I was uninterested in drinking/smoking and didn’t really enjoy the company of those who did. However, in college I made a conscious effort to socialize more, so I started going to parties (drink responsibly and avoid getting wasted; I drank before college so I knew this) and just talking to more people in general. Drinking can be fun, but when you’re “hammered” you have no control of your actions and generally don’t remember parts of that night when you wake up the next day. Moderation is key.</p>
<p>don’t worry OP, i’m sure there are many people out there (like me) who are a bit frightened of the transition to college, but ultimately i think everything will turn out alright. nothing is black and white so you’ll find your niche like i will.</p>
<p>Also, the party scene at Rutgers is kind of overhyped. Take those facebook pages with a grain of salt.</p>