Kira

The people at Lake Forest were nothing like me. I felt completely isolated and alone. I came into the school as a Freshman with an open mind and positive attitude. The school was private, and very small. I felt like a black sheep. Throughout the entire year I learned the stereotype of my school was that Lake Forest College was like high school. I can honestly tell you that it lived up to that stereotype. In the lunchroom, it was like a scene from mean girls and each clique would sit with one another and no one would leave that social network. It wasn't a place I felt happy at or fit in at, and I always make friends very easily.

Well first, I have to give credit where it is due. The professors are really great at Lake Forest. I feel as though I was challenged and accomplished many difficult things. On the other hand I felt completely ostracized, alone, and very unhappy. I came to the school with an open mind and it was so small and clique-ish that I felt as though I had no one. I went home everyday, and I moved throughout campus three times, on each of the three campus', to see if I could fit in SOMEWHERE. I began to have a very low self confidence and I felt really depressed. I'm normally a happy, upbeat person, who never has problems making friends. It felt like a ghost town and was very very exclusive. I wish I had a better freshman experience. Also, there were no parties, and no one really talked to one another at night. I would wander around the student center all the time at night alone.

The classes were very small 11-15 people. You develop a relationship with your professors. They challenge you A LOT and its a ton of work. But because they are very good professors its VERY doable. I got straight As and I was writing 10-15 pagers. I learned a ton at Lake Forest and there is a lot of pressure to know what is going on each day. But you can ask the professor one on one any time anything.

There were many students who came from private schools. I felt as though there was a norm on campus to not talk to one another. Many were entitled and everyone was in a clique because the school was so small. Everyone knew everything about everyone and talked about everyone. The school was wrapped around sports teams or clubs and they would stick together. Many were very rich and you could tell by the way people acted. Very snobbish. There were some people who were very nice as well. But I had a hard time finding my place.

At Lake Forest a lot of people were in sororities and fraternities but they were like small little cliques. Football, soccer, hockey, student gov't were popular They all stuck together and dint talk to anyone else.