<p>Yeah, I got waitlisted for Pennquest and was very ****ed, and I was nervous that it would negatively impact my social experience during NSO. The preorientation programs are very small, and only a small fraction of the class will have participated in one. So don’t worry about that.</p>
<p>I guess my advice is to…put yourself in situations where you will be comfortable and happy. I went out with my hallmates the first few nights, and I realized that I wasn’t really into the frat scene (I found it to be overcrowded. We always seemed to walk into a frat, get a drink, and then leave fifteen minutes later in search of a “better” party that we were never able to find. So 80% of the time was spent walking from frat to frat, and only 20% was spent at an actual party). So I found a group of people who felt the same way, and we tossed a glow-in-the-dark frisbee, watched movies, and did other PG stuff. Later in college, I became a passionate consumer of alcohol, and I became more comfortable in frats/bars. But during NSO, I just wasn’t quite ready. It is perfectly acceptable to try new things, make mistakes, push your boundaries, and learn about yourself. But don’t keep making the same mistakes over and over again.</p>
<p>It is really hard to do, but be outgoing. Knock on doors. Invite people to lunch. Go with a few hallmates to a football game. Explore Philadelphia. There are very precious few times when you get to be on campus with friends and you don’t have to worry about the stress of exams, problem sets, papers, etc. (after finals, everyone packs up and leaves immediately). So make the most of it!</p>