<p>@restlessabandon</p>
<p>Be very well aware (you seem to be aware) that there are two different types of adjustment that you will have to go through at SC - social and academic. Depending on the rigorousness of your high school and the social atmosphere of your high school, as well as your major and dorm choice, you are certain to find one more difficult than the other.</p>
<p>Coming from a nerd HS that was an absolute bubble - we had little to no problems with alcohol, drugs, weapons, fights, etc etc - SC was quite the adjustment; high school prepared me incredibly well academically but very poorly socially. I found my courseload (full 18 credits) easy and I had time to go to the gym, read out on McCarthy, take 1 or 2 naps, and procrastinate nearly every day. But socially, I was utterly unprepared for what I guess is the “real world” as I’ve experienced it at SC:</p>
<ul>
<li>Drinking is prevalent, partying is common</li>
<li>The hook-up scene is dominant, sex is no taboo topic</li>
<li>Somewhat lax view on… spending. </li>
</ul>
<p>But really, this “culture shock” was more a result of my high school than anything else. I think if you had the “typical high school experience,” you will have a fine time, if not an absolute blast, adjusting to SC socially - I didn’t drink a drop in high school. President Nikias wants to tone down the craziness and further bring up USC’s cred as an elite academic institution, so this’ll only get better. Academic adjustment will depend on your major, but common consensus from many of my (non-myHS-friends) friends also seems to be that college is easier than HS. I have not heard many complaints, even from TO kids. </p>
<hr>
<p>@10ninja </p>
<p>Hm. Well, let’s work for now with the assumption that the spring semester will mostly be like the fall semester. </p>
<p>I’ve noticed that people are very outgoing, very open to meeting and getting to know and hanging out with (and doing?) anyone and everyone for the first three or so weeks. This is your time to meet lots of people, build lots of connections (get lots of numbers), and find your “core” group of friends. But then it seems to me that after those weeks, peoples tighten/narrow their “vast” social circle, and start to only really hang with their core group; people you would say hi to the first few weeks you fall out of touch with. To put it in a judgmental way, by the end of those first few weeks, people have set mental stamps upon who they find “cool” or not, and control their interactions as such. </p>
<p>But beyond this, in the big scope of things, I’ve found most very nice and open to meeting new people. </p>
<p>If you would like me to provide an outlook… well, I don’t think that the beginning of the Spring semester will be quite as wild or “open” as the beginning of the Fall semester. It’ll be a little less crazy. I think you’re gonna actively have to try to “reach out” to people and groups to get involved and find your “crew.”</p>