Hi Ben:

<<  My concern is .... that I will become the "freak" of the dorm hall because
I consume raw meat.>>

Great great post!! And the previous one too!!  Thanks for your honesty!!! ;-))

Sounds to me like you get to learn how to:

1) Make REALLY good friends with 2 or 3 other guys, so you have a "gang" of
buddies who hang out in your room, who YOU are the "center" and leader of the
group, and who you do fun stuff with like go to parties together as a group,
movies, pick up girls, etc

2) Get on the "offensive" by INITIATING contact the first week with the other
guys on your floor, or dorm, and showing them from the beginning that you've
got courage and are not going to be scared of them or intimidated into hiding
in your room to eat your raw meat or for any other reason. Make it like you're
a virtual ANIMAL with blood and guts running down your chin, super macho
monster,  raw meat puts hair on your chest, all the great fighters and Rocky
Balboa eat raw eggs, that kind of thing. Do it at the beginning - establish
yourself as really VISIBLE and strong from day one.

3) Go to the gym, put some muscle onto your body, build your head up so you
think you're a studly monster machine.

<< Perhaps it sounds a little weak of me.  However, I don't usually consider
myself a weak person. >>

Doesn't sound weak, atually, it sounds brave for telling the truth. It reminds
me how rough it is to be a guy. I sure am glad I'm female.

<< What the issue seems to be is that I simply tend to shut myself away from
people who ridicule me, in turn becoming incresingly independent. >>

Do NOT do that. My strong advice. Change things from now on - let this be the
beginning of a whole new identity. From day one get out there and in their
face, and if anyone is going to be ridiculed, its gonna be them, not you.  If
you're forced into having to fight (I'm talking verbally - but this most
definately goes for physically, too), thnk of yourself as Conan and hit em
hard at the beginning, on the offensive, don't get on the defensive.

But I wouldn't recommend this kind of "fighting" interaction, if you can avoid
it.

I don't know enough about the rules for male interaction to know if something
like a sparring is required to show who's who, and then blows over, or, if it
can be avoided and maybe more subtle forms of showing courage and power can
establish you as respectable there, and then you can relax and make friends.

But you have definately got to show that you DO NOT GET INTIMIDATED - if
anybody gets intimidated, its gonna be the other guy. Right from the
beginning.

 << Maybe I'm just worrying a bit too much. >>

Not at all - definately not. This can establish how your whole college
experience goes, and what patterns you fall into there, and what patterns you
fall into as an adult, and how you choose your mate, your job, etc etc etc.
You're really really smart for thinking about this beforehand, and asking for
help.  Be a monster.

<<  I'm also a little worried about dating too. >>

Get the respect of the guys, and a gang of guy buddies, first. Girls are easy
to get.

Will you be able to be on the internet, and this list? I'm looking forward to
hearing how its going.

Love, Liza
[log in to unmask] (Liza May)