Feeling like I don't belong at this college

enfieldacademy
Wed, 06 Oct 2010 04:54:57 +0000

Your initial experience is probably perpetuating your feelings of not belonging. While It is true that many of the students may be more academically qualified, it’s also true that there are a significant portion (around 20% is what I would say) that are not. There would be plenty of laid-back people that you would run into.

However, given your current outlook and apparent reluctance to seek friendships – you say your roommates aren’t the types of people you hang out (that they’re too studious), yet how do you know just yet this to be true? and furthermore what makes you think this would make a friendship impossible? – it may be worth considering to transfer. I’m not exactly sure what role your shyness is playing in all this, but if you think there’s a chance you may not make friends at all, then switching to a University where you know you will have friends, or maybe more importantly feel comfortable in, might be a good idea.

I’m not sure what to advise, but I would say to give things a little while longer. Though you run the risk of lessening those friendships you do have the longer you wait (and making integration more difficult if you do transfer), I think it’s your best bet. Because you certainly do have the potential to find people you like where you currently are and make friends. From your post you don’t come across any less intelligent then the typical student you’d find at a first tier UC, and in fact you seem quite nice and contemplative and thoughtful. I think you can/will succeed in all aspects at this college, but if transferring is feasible then that will probably work out great too. What’s a priority over academics or anything else is that you do regain friends.