Transferring out of USC

I am currently a freshman in my first semester at USC, and I can’t help but think that I made the worst decision of my life thus far by coming here. As I’m sure a lot of people were, I was very excited to get accepted to a “top” school like USC and though prestige was never my top priority, it was very tempting to just go to the most prestigious school I was accepted to. Plus, I’m from northern California so USC is only an hour plane ride away from home and I enjoy the warm California weather. I really like my major program (environmental science) here and I feel like it’s better than a lot of other schools. I really liked that USC was so unique in that so many aspiring artists, scientists, journalists, and business majors go here.

but ever since i got here, i just feel like my freshman year has been so terrible. i wonder how it could be any worse. first: my roommate and I were paired randomly and because we just had such different personalities and upbringings, we never spoke to each other. we didn’t have any problems, but it was a little awkward living with basically a stranger. then, back in october, she decided to move out. so now, unlike most other freshmen, i live alone.

i haven’t made a single friend since i got to campus either. my friend from high school goes here and we used to hang out but we gradually drifted apart, as she started to make more friends separate from me. i go to ESA club meetings, go on peaks and professors hiked, i attended tons of the FYE events to meet people, and I have a work-study job. but i just don’t connect with anyone i meet. ppl stay asking for my instagram just for us never to talk to each other again.

then, i was so excited when i was hired to be a copy editor for the daily trojan… until i realized you barely get to talk to anyone and all you do is sit there and edit typos on a computer. being a copy editor isn’t really journalism and i was so disappointed bc i always wanted to write or even contribute to a campus newspaper in any way 😭

also i just don’t like the city of LA. i’ve never grown up around this much smog and it literally never rains here. it certainly doesn’t help that USC is located in a pretty boring area of LA.

anyway, i know this is long. but i constantly feel so depressed at this school and i keep telling myself it will get better but it hasn’t. i’ve been here for almost 4 months and nothing has changed. when i transferred to a new high school where i didn’t know anybody my junior year, i made friends so fast. so im just confused as to what im doing wrong. if i transfer out of USC, im pretty sure no one would notice bc nobody fucking knows me here 😒 but then i wonder if maybe it’s just a “me” problem and i’ll have a hard time making friends at every other college too. what should i do?