Mostly that I don't have much commonality with those around me. Everyone seems to be focused on getting the "right" internship and studying, while I'd like to have meaningful conversations about intellectually intriguing topics. Plus, my general lack of social skills and nerdiness at a school which is decidedly not nerdy.
What you describe socially/environmentally sounds a lot like the typical Ivy League experience. Gossip, politics, inner circles within inner circles, who-you-know, etc.
Fortunately, social skills are something you can improve, if you set your mind to it. That's one reason I'm really glad I did my college experience in the order I did. I don't think I could have truly taken advantage of my grad school experience if not for going to undergrad someplace where everyone wasn't constantly jockeying to get ahead.
I'm sure you have more commonality with people than you think. Being adept socially is all about finding those commonalities. Usually, that means being able to step out of your own head to empathize with what other people's social needs are. The most social people I know have a way of making other people feel like the most interesting person in the world.
It sounds like you've got a lot going for you, and if you're a sophomore now, you've got a lot of time to figure everything out. Best of luck. Drop me a line if you want to grab a coffee or something. I went to NYU for my second grad school experience :)
What you describe socially/environmentally sounds a lot like the typical Ivy League experience. Gossip, politics, inner circles within inner circles, who-you-know, etc.
Fortunately, social skills are something you can improve, if you set your mind to it. That's one reason I'm really glad I did my college experience in the order I did. I don't think I could have truly taken advantage of my grad school experience if not for going to undergrad someplace where everyone wasn't constantly jockeying to get ahead.
I'm sure you have more commonality with people than you think. Being adept socially is all about finding those commonalities. Usually, that means being able to step out of your own head to empathize with what other people's social needs are. The most social people I know have a way of making other people feel like the most interesting person in the world.
It sounds like you've got a lot going for you, and if you're a sophomore now, you've got a lot of time to figure everything out. Best of luck. Drop me a line if you want to grab a coffee or something. I went to NYU for my second grad school experience :)