I've been in California for three months and I have zero American friends. Zero. I eat lunch with other Korean students. I speak Korean all day. My English is not improving and I'm so lonely.
In Korea, making friends is easier because everyone does group activities together. Here, everyone seems to already have their friends from high school or freshman year. They are nice but not inviting. I don't know how to break in.
I read about transfer students having similar problems. One article quoted a transfer student at Cal Poly who said: "going from a school where it was all people of color, all coming from similar backgrounds, to coming to a campus where everyone's white, it's definitely a transition" . For me, it's even more different — different country, different language, different everything.
Another student in the same article, Analí Salazar, said: "seeing a huge group of frat boys walking towards me... I am a five-foot little brown girl. So seeing a huge group of, like, 6'3" white frat men — not a great feeling" . I understand this feeling so much. Walking alone on campus, I feel like everyone can tell I don't belong.
I tried joining clubs but everyone talks so fast and I can't follow. I tried talking to people in class but conversations end quickly. My roommate (also Korean) said "Americans are friendly but not friends" and I think she's right.
For other international students: how did you make American friends? How long did it take? Is there something I'm doing wrong? Please help. I'm so lonely.
In Korea, making friends is easier because everyone does group activities together. Here, everyone seems to already have their friends from high school or freshman year. They are nice but not inviting. I don't know how to break in.
I read about transfer students having similar problems. One article quoted a transfer student at Cal Poly who said: "going from a school where it was all people of color, all coming from similar backgrounds, to coming to a campus where everyone's white, it's definitely a transition" . For me, it's even more different — different country, different language, different everything.
Another student in the same article, Analí Salazar, said: "seeing a huge group of frat boys walking towards me... I am a five-foot little brown girl. So seeing a huge group of, like, 6'3" white frat men — not a great feeling" . I understand this feeling so much. Walking alone on campus, I feel like everyone can tell I don't belong.
I tried joining clubs but everyone talks so fast and I can't follow. I tried talking to people in class but conversations end quickly. My roommate (also Korean) said "Americans are friendly but not friends" and I think she's right.
For other international students: how did you make American friends? How long did it take? Is there something I'm doing wrong? Please help. I'm so lonely.
