<p>I was an American living in England (my Dad had been transferred there) at the time I went to college (some 35 years ago…). I applied to colleges having never even seen most of them. It was kind of scary going off on my own, even though I had relatives in the area so was at least somewhat familiar with it. I quickly made friends with some people in my dorm, even though it wasn’t an all-Freshman dorm. Overall, I had a great experience. I suggest that you live in one of the RAP’s or themed First-Year dorms at UMass. As lavieboheme notes, Amherst is a beautiful area, and there’s a lot to do. Get involved with a club or a sport, meet some like-minded people, and it will become “home” to you too.</p>