Hello,
I am going into my sophomore year of college and need serious advice. I hate my campus. My classes are interesting, and I love my professors, it’s the people outside of class that is making me doubt my life choices. I received a 3.8 last year, and it would have been a 4.0 if my school hadn’t have implemented a ± grading scale. I frankly find the academics a joke in comparison to the classes I was taking in high school. There is only a couple hours worth of homework a night, and most of it is not highly academic anyway. I am a member of my school’s honor program, and it helps slightly, but I still don’t feel challenged in my classes, or at least enough to distract from a mess that is the social scene within my major and college.
I have no friends, only people who come to me a day before a test looking for my flashcards and meticulously taken notes. I lost my roommate due to her constant substance abuse, and I find that everywhere I turn promiscuity, alcoholism and recreational use of marijuana are rampant. I do not judge my colleagues for their life choices, but all I can see are the consequences of their actions, and I don’t want any crazy night ruining my chances at grad school, so I stay far away from the parties and the drinking, causing a great divide between my classmates and me.
I am involved in extracurriculars on campus. I am active at the Center; I am treasurer for the a capella club, a member of both the select choirs on campus and work a very prestigious job with the opera theater on campus. (I’m a vocal performance major, so the constant competing against my colleagues doesn’t help, but they all seem to best friends without me) I know there is a binge-drinking culture on every campus, so do I just hate college? I have been dreaming about this place my entire life, and now that I am here it feels like my hell.
I have considered transferring, perhaps to an all-girls school (I went to an all-girls high school and loved it.) Now that it’s summer I am meeting up with all my high school friends, and hearing about how spectacular their years were makes me feel like I am missing out on meeting soul friends. All the charm I saw in my school when I toured here has disappeared without a trace. I am having frequent nightmares about having to return in the fall, but to make matters even more complicated, I love the faculty and staff, have a wonderful scholarship, and have been given incredible opportunities like trips to China and all across Europe and master classes with opera superstars.
I leave to play a lead role in an opera in Italy in 3 weeks. I am already signed on for this upcoming year, and if I meet someone to share the burden with, perhaps I can make it, but my real question is, should I start applying to new colleges? Should I stick it out where I am? I am so torn; please help!