I hate college. What do I do?

Question

I'm a freshman at a small private school in Chicago. It was my last choice, but I tried very hard to approach it with enthusiasm. However, I have no friends here. At all. I don't even eat dinner because I don't want to eat alone. I hate my classes. None of my professors even know my name, and they don't explain anything and the tests are insanely difficult. I can't motivate myself to study because I hate this place soooooooooo much. I cry all the time. I go home every weekend and work, under the guise of needing money, but really, I just can't stay here and sit in my dorm room all weekend alone. This place is so expensive and I can't afford it at all. Why am I staying? Because at this school I can be a Psych major, bio minor, bioethics minor, and study abroad. But I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate it.

What can I do to make it better? Should I live at home next year? Should I transfer? I don't know what to do and I'm seriously miserable.

I'm not going to quit, and yes, I have tried making friends.

I've tried keeping my door open, but I'm at the very end of the hall. No one comes down here.

I've looked into transferring to UIC. I'm scared of transferring because it'll be difficult to start over. Do people actually befriend transfer students, or do they just stick in their own cliques?

I have talked openly with my mother about how I feel. She went to the same school, but was very understanding until I said I wanted to drop out and go to art school. I won't do that because I don't see a future in art, but I'm having a lot of difficulty doing what I'm doing now.

I go to Loyola.

I did make friends. Two groups actually. I'm very outgoing actually, I just feel very defeated right now because both groups stopped talking to me completely. Long story. But yeah, now I don't even feel comfortable walking down my hall.

I worked as a waitress for 2 years in high school, so NO WAY will I ever quit and do that. It was awful.

I looked into going to community college, however, I took so many AP classes that I've passed out of everything at community colleges. I'm already taking many upper level classes here.

Thank you all for all your help, and thanks to future answerers! Already from your answers, I've gotten conflicting solutions: transfer, stick it out, etc. I appreciate all your suggestions and will think about all of them!
-Nicole

All of your answers are so wonderful! I'm going to put it to a vote because I can't decide whose answer is best.

Answer 1

I can't say anything to you staying or quitting. But as an "old" man who's been through college and graduate school (twice), I can say this:

The person you are now is the result of the experiences you've had up to now. The person you will be, will be the result of the experiences you have yet to have.

However you choose to finish out your freshman year, this is it. You'll never be a freshman again. Loyola is a good school. Whatever happened with your other friends, you can confront it; or you can move on; or you can run away and hide. Whatever YOU choose to do, it is the first step to you becoming the person you'll be for the rest of your life.

My hope is that you reach out, talk to strangers in class, maybe bounce off ideas and theories and start friendships that way. Find the people who interest you, who amaze you, not because you "need" to be with them but because you WANT to be with them. Whether you do this in Loyola or UIC, part of the education you're learning at your age is how to foster mature relationships. You can use the skills you learned (you say you can make friends easily) but real life isn't like high school. However you choose to solve it, this will be a pivotal learning experience.

[I do know that running away to home is like crack - it doesn't solve your problem, it only gives temporary relief; and one day when you it's gone, when you can't run home any more, it will be a hundred thousand times worse.]

Best of Luck Nicole. In some ways I'm envious of you.

Answer 2

I Hate College

Answer 3

Transfer, and consider changing your major. Are you really planning to study abroad? Most students who see that as a bonus never do because of the expense. And if you hate the classes, you'll hate the career even more. Apply to state universities- you will find many familiar faces there, I'm sure. A private education is not all that great in the long run if you are unhappy.

Answer 4

Transfer no reason to go to a college that you hate. Dont go to a private college go to a university or just a community college.

To motivate yourself look into the future think about why you are they and what you are working towards. Be open talk to your professors ask for help ask questions if you do not uderstand something. To make friends just start up a conversation with someone ask them for help or just say hey. then you can say what do you think of this class so far. just strike up a basic conversation with the other students. but then if you still hate it then transfer.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
I hate college. What do I do?
I'm a freshman at a small private school in Chicago. It was my last choice, but I tried very hard to approach it with enthusiasm. However, I have no friends here. At all. I don't even eat dinner becau...

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
I hate college. What do I do?
I'm a freshman at a small private school in Chicago. It was my last choice, but I tried very hard to approach it with enthusiasm. However, I have no friends here. At all. I don't even eat dinner because I don't want to eat alone. I hate my classes. None of my professors even know my...

Answer 7

I hate that Colleges force all students to learn Algebra II and College English which are useless to most of the students

Answer 8

I hate college too, but more so because everything that i m doing in college I can do outside of college right now. Also there are no cliches in the Southern colleges (I live in Florida), save for the black, hispanic, white internally racist people.

Answer 9

i'd say transfer. although - why did you go there when it was your last choice to begin with?

unfortunately, college can only be as fun as the way you see it. when i started out at my college, i hated it so much because i had no friends and didnt like my classes. that was, until i joined a club and just starting talking - meeting new people and it fell into place.

have you tried joining a club? tried talking to a counselor? maybe the resentment of going to your last choice school makes you act as such.

the first semester is always the rockiest but after the spring semester, you still feel as miserable as you do now then definitely transfer - no sense staying when you hate it.

Answer 10

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I honestly hate it, I'm premed and have tons of work and basically have no life because all I do is study and I'm 10 hours away from home and all my friends....

Answer 11

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