<p>Why am I so unhappy? I've been in school for 7 weeks now, and I feel completely unsatisfied and miserable. I exercise regularly, am very social, active in campus activities, and taking a relatively light courseload. The campus is socially dead thanks to only 2 years of guranteed housing, sprawl, an anti-alcohol/pary policy, and the residential areas being split into 6 divisions all 15 minutes apart. I'm also a politcally driven person...unfortunetly I ened up in one of the most apathetic campuses in America because it happens to have an outstanding Engineering program. This is all topped with an attitude of non-stop studying on campus, and a complete lack of campus pride! What dawned on me is the odd feeling of how a week seems like an eternity, but the past 7 being here feel like a blur. Its disheartening to see so many of my peers enjoying their time here, and completely content. The best summary of the situation would be if a university were completely run by an all controling corperation, where everything is sterile clean and new, yet so effecient it removes the factor of humanity in communication and limits interaction beyond the group of people one is arbitrarly set to live with..Actually a better question would be, what do I do?</p>
<p>My best advise for the time being would be to stick it out for the spring semester. Things might perk up. If not, perhaps look into a transfer. College should be wonderful!</p>
<p>I feel the same way about my college. I think I'm just homesick. It's okay, but I thought I'd be having the time of my life. I dunno, maybe after I'm further adjusted it will be better.</p>
<p>Definitely a normal thing that happens to many people. Don't feel bad about it. Like someone else said, see if by around spring time you still feel the same way. If so, might want to think about transferring. In the meantime, perhaps you can go see a school counselor about it?</p>
<p>College should be wonderful, period. Of course there will be ups and downs, that I agree to. I feel like I'm in pergatory (limbo) though. The school is world class when it comes to academics, but in terms of alumni strength, pride, social life, and culture it's a notch above a community college. Transfering is sound like a better and better option...I take it with that in mind, I should keep my GPA nice and high. I go to a public school currently, and if I were to transfer it would be to a private school (something that has a good mix of politics and engineering). The difficulty in that is getting recommendations to transfer out in one's first year, and how much high school is still weighted. With regard to this being normal, I agree it is to some extent. I have a choice of either accepting this misery as the statis-quo or looking for greener pasteurs. The former is impossible, for me in particular, as I came to college to both learn from the academics, but to also learn from the life experince the campus offers(something my HS lacked enormously). A counselor seems like a good idea if it werent for the bureacracy (they can only talk about certain subjects...none else...go figure). I'm hesitant to list the University for obvious reasons. I would appreciate advice, personal experince in being a freshman, or ideas as to a solution.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Actually a better question would be, what do I do?
[/quote]
Don't rush into anything. Start by asking yourself how you got into this situation. Did you visit the school before enrolling? Talk to current students? Read the student newspaper? Look it up in one of the college guides? Did you have a serious list of criteria you used to pick a college to attend? For that matter, do you have one now?</p>
<p>Until you understand, REALLY understand, how you ended up here you're likely to repeat the same mistake. One tongue-in-cheek definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. And, to be honest, casting about for suggestions here doesn't seem like a promising start to picking a better college.</p>
<p>This is just my honest and personal opinion, it kind of goes against what other posters are saying, but I think someone should say it...</p>
<p>I truly believe that you know if you're unhappy at a school within a very short amount of time. Some adjust, some don't. If you think you'll be happier somewhere else, you should give it a shot. Worse case scenario, you don't like the new school either. I agree with mikemac, until you understand how you ended up there chances are high you'll repeat the same mistake. But there's no point in staying somewhere that doesn't make you happy or somewhere that is unsatisfying to what you want from a college experience.</p>
<p>Just my two cents.</p>
<p>(I should probably add I'm currently in the process of transferring from my college because I find it socially and academically unhappy)</p>