Made it to my top grad school/program of choice, I'm in my third month of my very first semester, and I have no friends despite my program's very small size. We all know each other, but a combination of my introverted nature and odd cohort dynamics have left me on the outskirts of bonding as other students grow closer; I'm questioning if I can find genuine friends here now. I'm trying to be friendly and interact positively, but so far have yet to see any payoff. I had no idea it would be so difficult to find friends when we're all ostensibly here for the same reason; I don't think I've ever had this much trouble before, and it makes me long to move back to cities where I've made real and abiding friendships.
There are maybe three or so "ringleaders" to whom most of my colleagues flock. Cliques have formed. The atmosphere is somewhat petty and secretive. The three ringleaders take part in exclusive group texts that about a third of my cohort regularly participates in -- during one of our required courses this is especially apparent, when looking around the table one sees people making eye contact and then texting, smirking at one another over their laptops as they hold a hilarious private conversation about something or other (while the professor lectures). This is constant.
I am not part of this ongoing group conversation. I'm torn between feeling sad and left out, and feeling somewhat nonplussed that so many of my colleagues aren't paying full attention in class/are participating in what is kind of immature behavior. Mostly, I'm disappointed: I didn't think it would feel so impossible to forge a connection.