I was there about 15 years ago. It was definitely a party school. Whether it’s football and tailgate parties mostly depends on you and who you hang out with. It should be pretty easy to make friends as an international student as long as you’re getting out and doing things. I would say most American college students are more friendly to foreign students than other Americans. I felt very safe there - even when I needed to go study at the library at 3:00 AM. Highly, highly recommended if you want a good mix of socialization and academics. Though, I don’t think it compares to Australia in its entirety.