College is different than high school. This is a fact that no one will deny. One thing that I expect from college is a fun and interesting way to meet my fellow classmates.

I have not seen anything like this from Sacramento State. When I started high school we had classes specifically for freshman that got you introduced to your, hopefully, future friends. We also had a lot of clubs for students that met during the lunch hour.

This summer we had Freshman Orientation. It was a great way for us to meet some people in our own major and get helpful pointers for registration. Then that was it. We have nothing else to get to know our fellow classmates.

The administrators would argue that since they have those blocks of classes for freshman we have plenty of time to get to know each other. Maybe administration didn’t notice, but almost all of those classes were filled up before June 26, my first possible day of registration. Therefore, I lose out on the only possibility of making friends in the classroom setting.

Freshman can’t deny their loneliness. I have seen it everyday at lunch since school has started. Many students, not just a few, are sitting by themselves looking around and staring off into space instead of having a conversation with a friend like the older students. Sure, some of those students are working on homework, but the vast majority could be doing something more productive with their time.

The problem that I see is that we aren’t used to this way of school. Last year we used to be able to go into class and talk to our friends. Now we are running from class to class, trying to get through a sea of people we have never seen before. As soon as we get to class we are quiet and sit there taking notes until the 50 minutes are up. Then it’s off to the next class. All of a sudden it is lunch time and you haven’t talked to anyone.

When we have a passing period I see a few groups of people walking together. Mostly, everyone is in a hurry pushing their way to their next class.

This is not the way I expected my freshman year to start. Last Wednesday, I was walking to my last class and I saw a kid from my high school. We had the usual small talk, and then I asked him if he had seen anyone else from our school. His response was that he had, but just in passing. He said that he usually just goes to class and never talks to anyone.

That is when I decided to talk to other freshman I met. Sure enough, they mostly had the same story to tell. Unless, they were in the residence halls, part of the Greek Society, or had randomly bumped into someone they know, they were all alone.

I just can’t keep going to class and then home. I might as well take online courses at that point. The reason I came to a university is for the atmosphere. If I wanted just classes and grades then I should have gone to American River College for my first two years anyway.

If we want to get the full college experience we are going to have to start taking risks. Whether it is talking to someone you have never met or joining a club of some sort we have to make that conscious effort to make our situation better. Come on, we did it in pre-school, now its time to start all over again.

This is our chance to meet people who are interested in what we are. So maybe next time we go to class, let’s get their a little earlier. This way we can talk to that person who sits next to us and might make a new friend.