Help..

bleach94

I live in Cork, and am considering going to UCC next year after Leaving Cert. However, I am wondering if it will be a bad decision as I don't have many close friends and literally EVERYBODY I know is part of some clique/group, I feel on my own. Basically, i've met very few people my age in Cork I actually like. At All.

Question is, basically, will going to UCC just be a continuation of this (i do feel like i've improved my social ability over the last few months, been more friendly etc) with me on the edge of the many students from the city who all know and hang around one another, and if so should I just bite the bullet and go to Dublin or something? I can make new friends there and be more independant rather than sitting home with my parents. Any opinions?

By the way, I know UCC has a massive number of students, don't worry. I'm just worried about what I saw at the open day today. Nobody really interested in talking, everyone in their own select groups.

Also, no need to advise me on 'choosing where the best course is', I have a decent idea what i want, but this aspect of college is very important to me having been not very social or popular in secondary school. I only have this opportunity once, I don't want to waste it.

wnolan1992

First off, the obligatory "choose a college based on the course, not the social life" advice. But it seems like you know that already, which is good.

Secondly, college is completely different to secondary school. You'll meet so many people in college through your course, through clubs and then through mutual friends. People you normally wouldn't have even talked to in Secondary School will become some of your best friends throughout college and after.

I went to school in rural Cork, about 50 people in my year, of which TWO went to the same college as me (UL). It can be daunting at first, but by the end of first year I was hanging out with a whole bunch of completely different people.

You say you haven't met people around Cork that you like, well (and this is going to sound very condescending) you haven't been in a University then. You'll get to know people from all over the country that have similar interests to you if you join clubs and societies.

Don't judge people based on the Open Day. If it's anything like the UL Open Days, then schools come in, and people from each school hang around with each for the day, while all the full-time students bugger off for the day. Believe me, the same people that you thought were sticking to their own groups won't be like that when they go into first year because that tight little group they were in all during Secondary school will be blasted apart and scattered to the four corners of the country.


TL;DR -> You'll be grand! Just force yourself to get out there in the first few weeks of the college year and have an absolute ball.

Procrastastudy

Going to University with a completely new set of people is the best thing that can happen to you. Secondary School is exactly that - School. You're done with School - University is something completely different with a completely different set of values. You're going to have to start thinking for yourself, something School doesn't prepare anyone for!

Pick something that really interests you, do as many extra-circular activities as you can and enjoy the social life now and again. Don't go picking a course on - I want to X when I grow up or social life things will change massively over the next 3 - 5 years.