<p>so how many of you are feeling concerned about how your kids will transition going to a college where they know noone? my kid is a non partier although
socially adept. i am anxious about how he’ll do.</p>
<p>Just encourage your son to join in all the orientation activites. It will be ok. If he has concerns/panic about his choice, if he will fit in academically or socially-this is not unusual.</p>
<p>Did he make friends in high school, even a couple good friends? If he is socially adept, able to talk to people and is willing to join some extracurricular activities or intramural sports, he’ll be fine. Don’t forget that the majority of freshmen are in the same boat — brand new and eager to make new friends. This is his time to shed some of the old h.s. skin and expand his horizons, try something different, and create new bonds with a new group of people. Tell him to keep his head up and smile a lot; he’ll be irresistible.</p>
<p>Yes, very concerned. Mine likes to be social, but has a tough time making the first move. I am counting on orientation to have some mixer activities which should help getting initial contacts going.</p>
<p>Orientation will almost certainly have some mixer activities – if only because the college feels obligated to provide alternatives to the alcohol-soaked activities that kids might find or plan on their own.</p>
<p>But kids will also meet each other in the dorm, in the dining hall, and during the various academically oriented orientation activities. It’s hard to NOT meet people during the first few weeks of college.</p>
<p>May I make a suggestion which worked well for my shy son? At the very beginning of freshman year I gave him a wicker basket of some sort which I filled with all kinds of wrapped candy. He stuck a sign on his door which said something like “Please stop in for some candy!” He had a steady stream of kids in and out of his room for weeks. I remember him telling me that it was getting expensive to keep replenishing the basket, so he eventually phased it out! But, it did do the trick. Of course your child will probably have all sorts of orientation mixer activities and will quickly develop a floor group which will travel in a “pack” to meals. But, I never met a college kid who didn’t like a piece of candy of some sort. ;)</p>
<p>Need2Know, it seems like you’re the anxious one, not your son.</p>
<p>How is HE feeling?</p>