<p>did your son sign up for a UPP mentor? if not, see of he still can. that will give him a small network of 2 - 3 freshman and 1 - 2 upperclassmen that he will “have” to meet with at least occasionally.</p>
<p>my daughter is a UPP mentor.</p>
<p>if he didn’t and can’t sign up, maybe he could join in if they meet for a meal or something.</p>
<p>Yes…great idea. </p>
<p>even if the class is full, I would contact Dr. Sharpe in honors and tell him the situation and get him added in to that class.</p>
<p>Or contact Dr. Morgan, she’s the asst dean.</p>
<p>I also think that once all the classes are in session, including labs, that will help. Last week there were a lot of classes that were cancelled. And even if not cancelled, everyone was focused on getting to classs and figuing out the routine. Not meeting people. And I met some of my friends in labs and classes where we worked together the most. Like the engineering classes that were cancelled. So I expect that being a full week of class, having the interactive classes meet, and decreased anxiety over the who/what /where/when of classes will help too.</p>
<p>First Year Honors might be an option, too. I know those classes are meeting for the first time this week. I’m pretty sure there are still spaces open in all sections. I believe my son is in the Thursday class. He is a non-drinker and is also looking to meet other students.</p>
<p>if some of you have kids in sort of the same situation and your kids are not partiers, maybe you could set them up to meet for a meal or something.</p>
<p>Also, on Friday night I saw a group of guys in a study room of my dorm having what looked to be a LAN party playing WOW or Starcraft. The point being that there is non-drinking stuff to do.</p>
<p>If he likes concerts, several of the concerts at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater have $15 student tickets. The regular price for these tickets is $25-$70. Granted, there is drinking at these concerts, but not underage drinking.</p>
<p>I hope things get better for him. There are lots of non partiers out there looking for friends and hopefully he will find some soon. </p>
<p>Too bad we can’t set up play dates anymore b/c it sounds like there are a lot of kids on here who should meet up.</p>
<p>It took me a semester to get over being homesick. There can certainly be an adjustment period since it is a big change. Someone mentioned get on board day which is scheduled for August 30th. It’s a good way to find a group that might share similar interests and make friends. </p>
<p>“We are currently gearing up for one of our annual and largest fall events-- Get On Board Day. Get On Board Day will take place on Thursday, August 30, 2012 from 5:00pm-10:00pm in the Ferguson Plaza and will feature a festival-like atmosphere with the main feature being the 450+ student organizations represented at UA. Get On Board Day offers students an opportunity to interact with involvement opportunities, local non-profits and businesses, as well as UA departments. We hope you plan to join us!”</p>
<p>I met most of my friends through volunteer work in the community. There are many ways to make friends at the University :)</p>
<p>My son had one roommate that drank to excess. The other two didn’t. The following year, the 3 who shared values moved on together, leaving the foolish one behind. There is a ‘tomorrow’ :)</p>
<p>So sorry!!! My son is not a partier, but he has a strong network of friends. He is Catholic and attends the weekly Mass at Saint Francis, but his friends are mostly from an evangelical group called Navigators. They are incredibly close-knit and supportive. I wish he could find something like that at St. Francis, too. But we had dinner with several of his Nav buds last week, and they were wonderful, so I’m not complaining.</p>
<p>Hope your son finds kindred spirits soon!!</p>
<p>Although Catholic and attends St. Francis, my son’s two closest friends at Bama are not Catholic, and attend two different churches. While it is clear that all three share “values”, there is no prejudice among them about their religion. We also got to have dinner with them this summer, and they are just the nicest kids I have ever met. Whenever things get tough at school and son wants to come home, I always remind him that he would have never met those two had he not gone to Bama, and if all he gets out of his time there is the friendship he has with those boys, it will have been time well spent.</p>
<p>Can’t stop thinking about the OP. Hope and pray this young man will quickly find good friends and fellowship. A huge school can be overwhelming, but thankfully UA has so many opportunities for forging bonds – clubs, activities, religious fellowships. I second the recommendations re Get on Board Day.</p>
<p>We’re Methodist, but my D and a group of her friends attend Calvary Baptist. They have a thriving college ministry called The Well (thewellua.com). The Wednesday night college service is nondenominational, they have a contemporary service on Sunday mornings, and life groups that meet throughout the week all over campus. </p>
<p>I’ve given the OP my daughter’s email address. D has requested OP’s son contact her, and they’ll be happy to take him to church with them. I think they operate a pseudo-taxi service, picking friends up all over campus to get them to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. Abby always manages to have a huge crowd of friends wherever she goes, and UA has been no exception. She’ll be able to introduce OP’s son, and anybody else, to many, many people. Sometimes it seems like she must already know at least half the students at UA!</p>
<p>Give it a semester – the students who only party will have flunked out. Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>there are plenty of people who party all the time and keep coming back semester after semester.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>There are some people who do manage to party a lot, but manage to keep from failing…this happens everywhere. A student who manages to get homework done in the afternoon/early evening and then goes out at 9pm is less likely going to flunk out. </p>
<p>But, the ones who are ridiculous partiers often do either flunk out or their grades are not acceptable for their parents to keep paying. They are socializing from the minute that classes end (if they even go to class). They stay out too late, drink too much, have hang-overs and then often can’t drag their hineys to class the next day…or at least the earlier classes.</p>
<p>However, many frosh arrive on campus the week before school starts and enjoy their “freedom from the folks” a bit too much at first. But, as classes get underway, assignments are due, tests need to be studied for, many kids calm down and get down to business.</p>
<p>I think that M2CK is right that the “freedom” aspect gets to some students initially. They feel free to experience some things that were normally forbidden by parents etc., but that will probably calm down as the semester starts in earnest.</p>
<p>Perhaps your son might be interested in getting a job on or off campus as well. I know that many students like to earn a few dollars by working, but it might also provide a diversion for him as well, helping him to get involved with other people especially if he works on campus. Usually students who work and have regular classes don’t have much time to party.</p>
<p>Also, see if you can get him interested in a recreational activity on a regularly scheduled basis. The Rec Center has many opportunities to work out or take a sports related class. The endorphins that are produced could make him feel much better. Does he have a bike on campus? There are local bike clubs that get out and explore the surrounding area which might help him connect to the place and people.</p>
<p>Get On Board Day is August 30th., have him attend. There are over 450 organizations…including many with volunteer activities.
Hopefully he will find something he enjoys.
Best of luck to your son and I am hopeful that he will be happier and busier in the next few weeks.</p>
<p>I wish DS had used roommate finder. He didn’t decide on his school until late and then based on chats with friends he roomed blind. I think it is/was a huge mistake. I’m actually kind of worried but I tend to worry easily.</p>
<p>I remember as a transfer student into a large state school, I got a job in the bookstore. Not only did I meet people I worked with but so many coming in for supplies. Younger visiting brother could not believe how many said hi to me walking around campus. I had to admit that they knew my name (nametag) but I was lucky if I got theirs. Getting plenty of "hi"s is a nice way to put a smile on one’s day.</p>
<p>Even with a roommate finder, there is no guarantee that the roommates will be compatible. </p>
<p>More often than not, the roommates will have varied class schedules, job schedules, different interests, different religious affiliations, different housekeeping habits and different exercise habits which will all impact the living arrangement situation. The questionnaires found on roommate finder sites simply do not ask the most pertinent questions. Future roommates are concerned with finding a “best friend” rather than just a roommate. Is it really so important that the roommate likes the same music or TV shows that you do, if he can’t stay out of your food, or if he/she leaves the fridge door open, or doesn’t do laundry/dishes and the place stinks?</p>
<p>Questions like “what kind of music do you listen to?” can become less relevant in these situations. If I were creating a roommate finder questionnaire, it would focus more on questions about creating a comfortable, sanitary, safe, respectful living arrangement. I would be less concerned with the “best friend” questions. But then again, that is probably because I’m a mom.</p>
<p>It is not unusual for roommates to “not” become best friends but they can live comfortable together if they respect each others property and space.</p>