Moving from the UK to SD, will I make friends? (San Diego: home, university)

[oweeny1000]

Sorry for all the abbreviations, this is my first post so please go easy on me.

Later this year I'll be leaving my home in London to head out west to study at the University of San Diego, planning to stay at least a year (when my course finishes), but who knows possibly longer.

I have only been to San Diego once before a few years ago and even then I was only there for a couple of days. Whilst I enjoyed myself in a tourist capacity, think San Diego Zoo, Downtown etc, quite understandably I wasn't really able to get a feel for the place and the people in it.

So before I make this life choice, my BIG question to all San Diegans and past residents out there, how easy is it to make friends in your fair city?

If the prospect of meeting new people and making friends is an unattainable goal for a young British gentleman like myself, then PLEASE let me know about it. Save me from making a terrible social and fiscally draining mistake.

But on the other hand if you reckon based on the limited personal information I've shared with you, it could actually be possible, just shout.

If people could share their experiences with me or lend any advice it would be hugely appreciated!

[oddstray]

How easy is it to make friends where you are? That's how easy it will be to make friends wherever else you go.

[oweeny1000]

That's a good point and I understand where your coming from with that comment.

It is my fault for being so vague, so what I'm getting at really is in general how easy do you think it is to make friends in San Diego based on your own experiences or from what you've seen?

Also being from a different country will that work against me in terms of making friends?

[LuvSouthOC]

You'll have no problem.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Welcome to San Diego! You will have no problem. Be friendly, put a smile on your face, and you're good to go!

[nightlysparrow]

Do they have Meetup in the UK?

Here's just what's within 10 miles of SD:

http://www.meetup.com/?allMeetups=tr...A&sort=default

[oweeny1000]

That looks awesome, I'm definitely going to check out Meetup when I get there.

By the looks of things it also exists in the UK but I haven't come across it.

Thanks for the suggestion nightlysparrow!

[Clark Fork Fantast]

My advice is to move in with a couple of roommates. That's easy enough once you're here--there will be websites where students are looking for roommates in the beginning of the semester. It may actually not be all that easy to make true friends, because so many people are here temporarily, but with roommates you will automatically be drawn into the social scene of San Diego, and everybody will love your accent, anyway!

Coming here to study is very different from being here on vacation. Don't let the new requirements and change of pace overwhelm you--you'll adjust, and you'll find your stride. And then you may never want to go home!

[Pedro2000]

If you make friends easily, doesn't matter where you live. The challenge is always your circle and your hobbies. If you do a lot of things alone, have a job that is more remote/virtual compared to an office or you work in an industry/job where most people are older/younger/different cultures than you and besides work share nothing in common, and you aren't exactly a bar or mall person, then you might not meet that many people.

If you move to SD and aren't much of an outdoor person or beach person, it might be harder to meet others as that is a big part of SD. But again, what do you do and what do you plan on doing? If you're at college, thats the best time to meet others. If you work in huge offices with a ton of different people, plenty of opportunities.

[T. Damon]

Most everyone here will be entranced by your British accent, or at least intrigued, so that should help out. Americans are suckers for an accent.