Would a shy kid struggle at UA? honest advice needed

beth_s_mom
Tue, 21 Apr 2015 00:12:29 +0000

My D was shy and quiet in high school, to the point that many people (including her teachers) didn’t know who she was or remember her a year later. She was also not blown away by her visit to Bama - she didn’t feel like she wouldn’t fit in, but she also didn’t come away saying this is the place for me, and she was concerned about going so far from home and going to a warm climate (we’re in the midwest). She wanted a big school so that she could fade into the woodwork if she wanted to (not what a parent wants to hear!) and only applied to large state flagships. I pushed Alabama because it seemed to me to be more student-centric and to have the smallest feel of the large schools D was looking at.

Fast forward a few years . . . D is finishing her junior year at Bama. She’s not as shy as she was in high school, although she’s still not very outgoing. She has a group of friends and a couple activities that she enjoys. She was not interested in Greek life and didn’t join a sorority, but she did join the professional business fraternity and participates in their activities (both professional and social). I’m sure she would have had more opportunities had she been willing to put herself out there more, but she’s doing fine. She did apply to CBH and got in from the waiting list. She did Outdoor Action at the beginning of freshman year and it was one of the best things she did in that it helped her to acclimate quickly and meet people before everyone was on campus. I cannot recommend the Actions (either Outdoor, Alabama or Black Belt) highly enough, especially for a kid who is shy and doesn’t know other kids going to UA. Many of the people she hung out with freshman year were kids she met at Outdoor Action or through the OA kids. She has no regrets about her college choice and has never considered coming home. She doesn’t fit into every group on campus, but she has her niche and she’s happy.

In short, my shy kid is happy and doing well at Bama, and she has not struggled.