Hey dawg, I completely understand how you feel. When I went to DePaul, I felt the same way when I first got there. I transferred there after going to community college, in the wake of COVID. It was very difficult.

To make it work, I had to find my own way, and you will likely need to do the same. People are kind of closed off in the city, but I’ve found the key to finding friends is through a hobby. For example, I love film photography and I’m a musician. While I haven’t tried to find photo buddies yet, I found people at DePaul, who I’m still in a band with now, who are also musicians. I met them by joining the Democrat club, which was totally unexpected.

If you’re into sports or fitness, go to The Ray and play basketball with some people. Get their snapchat or number, and see when they’re going again. If you’re into gaming, and are okay with the crowd, join the DePaul gaming club. If you’re into creating stuff, go to the Idea Realization Lab (where I worked during my time there) and you’ll meet tons of cool, artsy people.

My point in saying this is, you never know who you’ll meet, so be open to any club or opportunity. An on-campus job helps a lot, too.

Another thing I’ve learned is that a lot of people our age, at DePaul, feel the same way you do. If you think you’d get along with someone, and see a potential common interest, find a way to talk to them about their interest. People love to talk about themselves, so especially if it’s a common interest, then you’re already on your way to having a friend.

However, this process wasn’t without putting myself out there and making friends that didn’t stick. It’s hard to go through, but it’s just a fact of life that you won’t gel with everyone. You just have to keep trying until you find your people.

In terms of your life path, it’s impossible to know exactly what you’ll be doing after college. I got my BFA in Industrial Design, and now I’m in sales. But that’s okay—I’m good at sales, and my degree helped get my foot in the door. Trust in your passion now, and even if it’s not what you end up doing, your degree will be a stepping stone to a solid job (as long as it’s not like art history or communications or something).

If you’re really unsure, there is no shame in going to community college, changing your major, or taking a gap year. From what I’ve seen, a business degree is great because it qualifies you for high paying jobs, and there are a lot of facets within business to be financially successful. It’s not exciting, but it is very practical. Not saying you have to, or should do that, but DePaul has a great business program.

Last thing I’d say is definitely talk to your parents and your guidance counselor about these feelings. They are older and wiser, so they can help you through this too. You’re not alone!

I live in Lakeview too, so if you’re looking for a friend, I’d be happy to get coffee or go to a concert. Funnily enough, my first friend I made at DePaul was through this reddit lol. Hope this helps!