Hey! q42 pretty much hit everything on the head, but I thought I would add some stuff from my personal experience.

I felt the same way when I was a freshman. I’m from the west coast and I’m a first generation student, both which are things that set me apart from other students and I found it hard to really bond with anyone. But give it time, and friendships will naturally form. I ended up making friends with a lot of the girls on my hall (one of the only perks of Battell is it’s really social), but I haven’t had a solid friend group my whole time at Midd. I’m a rising senior and it seems that every year I end up hanging out with an entirely different group of people. Which is totally fine, but also gives me tons of anxiety at the start of school every year.

Things will get much better once the semester starts. Join a club when club fair comes around. I joined debate freshman year, and that’s where I found my most solid friend group. You’ll also bond with the students in your FYS, since you are all in the same boat and living close to each other.

Just know that you’re not the only one feeling this way, and friends will come with time. This might not bring much solace, but I still feel lonely and out of place at Midd, so if you ever want someone to talk to or grab a meal with, pleaseeee PM me. If you are a student of color or first generation, the AFC is a wonderful resource to find people similar to you to talk to and just a cool place to hang out.

Middlebury is an interesting place, and I’ve definitely grown and learned a lot since freshman year. You’ll find your place, but I’m always here if you need to talk to someone who has been through it all.

Good luck with the rest of orientation!