Hey everyone, I’m a freshman and I have been having trouble fitting into this campus. I came from Michigan with no familiar faces on campus so I was a lone soldier. It was really hard at first because not only did I have a girlfriend back in Michigan but making new friends and trying to fit in has seemed to be impossible for me. I grew up with all of my friends from an early age and I haven’t really changed friend groups since then so I haven’t really needed to go out and make new friends with people. I also didn’t really have any anxiety before coming to college but anxiety has been peaking lately. The first couple months at Butler where very scary, I didn’t know anyone and I didn’t really seem to connect with anyone. I really was all alone.
The summer before college I started to smoke weed a little bit more casually than what I did before and I didn’t think it would really affect anything. Plus I love it! I told myself I would limit myself more once I got into college but I’ve done the complete opposite. Ever since about the sixth week into college, I have smoked everyday. I know its not healthy physically and mentally but I feel the need to do it because my anxiety just keeps on rising because I hate being alone and I haven’t really hung out with a group of people that I’m comfortable with since I’ve been here.
Second semester of my freshman year is beginning tomorrow and as the end of the school year approaches, I’m starting to consider transferring.
I’ve tried getting involved in extra-curriculars like club sports and I even gave greek life a go but I didn’t get into the frat that I desperately tried getting into, hoping that I would meet a couple cool guys. I’ve also tried to mingle with some people on my floor and I’m always trying to meet new people but nothing seems to work. I feel like I just keep on losing.
I’ve been beyond depressed lately and I just don’t know if Butler is the fit for me. I go to class, come back around 4 when I’m done with classes and just sit around and mess around on my computer. It truly is such a depressing lifestyle especially when you are couped up in the dorm room all damn day. I don’t want to leave because I know it could be a lot harder meeting more people as a transfer student but I feel like I may have to transfer. I’m also giving up weed this semester to see if it helps but I don’t think it will. And weed is what got me through first semester. I’m really scared and really need help because I don’t know if I will be able to ride this semester out. I feel completely isolated from everyone else. This is supposed to be the best four years of your life right? It really doesn’t feel like that so far. I don’t know if its just me or what but I think I need some kind of help. I’d love for some advice if anyone is kind enough to give me some.
@AnonGeo so I know Butler is a pretty small school and campus. Rather than go sit in your room after classes are done, what if you were to sit in a common area or over at the Starbucks, or similar places? You chances of meeting people increase greatly when you hang out in places where people are. Unless your room is high traffic, you don’t meet people sitting in your room.
I’m a fan of doing things at student centers like the recreation area. I hear what you are saying about being alone. I too went away to school several states away and didn’t know a single person on a campus of 13,000. I was lucky to go through rush and get into a fraternity so that helped me a great deal. However, I also met a lot of great people in my major. Those friendships developed more once I got into my major area of study and out of the core electives. As I got more into my major, the same people were in classes with me and we just all started to bond since we saw each other so much.
I think the Freshman year is the hardest and only you know what is best for you but if you stick it out, time will work in your favor. Especially with a school like Butler that is smaller in size. But getting out of your room is key to meeting people.