Transferring schools is absolutely one of the best decisions I have made thus far in my college career. It has given me the opportunity to have a fresh start in a place that I love, studying for a career I enjoy, with friends that I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to know. Yet, when people hear that you’re a transfer student, there are usually some common misconceptions that follow about what it’s like to transfer schools …

1. Nobody ever transfers.

First of all, this is a completely false statement. It isn't that “no one ever transfers," but much more likely that people just aren’t talking about it. For whatever reason, the idea of not being happy at your first school and considering transferring is one that kids don’t really talk about with each other. In an age where so much is focused on social media, it is easy to feel like you are the only one who feels the way you do about your college or university, but it is important to remember when you see how “happy” people are at their institution that people only show their highlight reels. It is much more common for someone to post an Instagram about how happy they are in life than to post one about how upset they are at their new school. So remember you are not alone, and you’ll be surprised at the amount of people who seemed “happy” that don’t return for a second semester or year. Don't let the idea of doing something on your own stop you, not even for a second.

2. You’re not going to be able to make friends.

This was one of the first things people would say to me when they heard I was transferring schools; usually phrased in the form of a question, “But what if you don’t make friends?” Upon arriving at Rutgers, I have never once found myself feeling alone. The only times I eat alone are the times I choose to do so. The only times I sit by myself in class are when I choose to do so. I have found that people are as friendly as you are to them. If you introduce yourself to your classmates and go out of your way to attend things like a student involvement fair, it is impossible to feel alone. The most important thing to remember is that friendships don’t form overnight. If you’ve been at your new college for a week or so and feel like you haven’t made any real connections yet, do not stress.

You’re in a new place full of so many different people, and you are bound to find things in common with some of them. As long as you make every effort to open yourself to the opportunity of new friends, it will happen for you. I am living proof of this.

3. You’re never going to adapt to the big university atmosphere because you’re going to be a “little fish in a huge, gigantic pond."

This one is simple. You can’t make a small school bigger, but you can make a big school smaller. How well you adapt to a school is dependent on your willingness to be involved. The more you open yourself to new opportunities, the greater chance you have of feeling at home in your new environment. Sitting at the front of large lectures, introducing yourself to your teachers/ TAs and even the people around you will automatically start to help make you feel at home in your new place. And since you don't have excessive amounts of hair to wrap yourself up/ hide in ... this is kind of your only option.

4. You’re going to get lost more times than you can count. (Shout-out to the RU bus situation).

Okay, not gonna lie … this one is kind of true.

But just remember that people are friendly and Yahoo Answers is definitely not the answer. If you are on a bus and aren’t sure of a stop you need to take, or you’re walking to class and don’t know where the building you need is, don't be afraid to ask. A person passing by you won’t know that you are in need of help unless you ask them, and chances are, if you do ask them, they will have no problem pointing you in the direction of your class/building/bus stop. (Or all of the above if you're me).

5. You aren’t going to feel any different than you did at your old college.

This was one of my biggest concerns and something I worried about from the minute I applied to RU up until the minute I stepped onto campus on moving day. What if I was making the wrong choice? What if this isn’t where I’m meant to be? As a young adult, it is important to remember that while the decisions we make are important to our future, they are not the “end all, be all."

College is supposed to be the best four years of your life, but it is still just four years. This may seem like an eternity now, but it will fly by in the blink of an eye. You can’t spend these years worrying about every decision you make. Once in a while, you have to trust that you know what is best for yourself and go with it. Just remember that you can learn a lesson from every choice you do or don’t make, and it is better to look back and say “I could have done that differently” than to look back and wonder why you never did it at all.

6. You won’t be able to find your place.

Chances are, if you’re reading this piece, you already feel like you haven’t found your place at your current college (Or you’re my parents– Hey guys!). If you feel like your first college wasn’t the right fit, you have to ask yourself what you really have to lose in transferring schools and trying again. There is nowhere to go but up in this situation. You weren’t happy at your first school, and maybe this will be true and you won’t find your home at the school you transfer to. However, maybe you will find everything you wanted in the school you transfer to and you’ll spend the rest of your college career the happiest you’ve been since it began.

… And that is a chance I’m willing to take.