Being A Transfer Student

When you pick out the college you want to go to, it is a great feeling. You feel that you have found your new home, where you will make millions of memories. You can see yourself making new friends, going out at 2 or 3 in the morning for a food run, working out in the gym, enjoying the classes you choose to take and graduating from the school. You are so sure of your decision that you don't even think about what would happen if the school wasn't really meant for you.

This is how I felt when I was about to go off to my first year of college. The only things I was worried about were: will my roommate like me, will I make new friends and am I smart enough to go to college. When I got to my first college, my first few weeks there were some of the best times of my life. My roommate and I quickly became best friends, we spent most of our time together. I had a group of friends in a matter of days and everything seemed like college was going to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me. The classes I was taking were fun and challenging. It wasn't until later in the first semester when I started to not see the college as a home anymore.

Later on in the semester, the classes seemed unbearable and I decided to change my major. I thought that the reason why I felt so sad and overwhelmed all the time was because I didn't enjoy my classes. I liked the new major I was pursuing and could see myself having a future in it. This didn't fix the loneliness, stress and depression I felt on a daily basis. The group that I thought were going to be my friends for life vanished other than my roommate. I had a few other friends outside of my roommate on campus. My roommate was the first one to see how unhappy I was. While she grew into her new home, I began to slowly drifting away from the idea of this place being my home.

I complained to my mother and called her almost every week. Even though we were about four hours away I felt like we had become closer. I constantly complained about the food, my classes, having nothing to do and feeling like I didn't really have that many friends. She was the one that told me I should look into transferring. When I thought about transferring I didn't get a good feeling. Mostly because I don't like to give up, I felt if I were to leaving this college I would be giving up. I soon realized that I wasn't giving up on the college, it just wasn't the right fit for me. The hardest thing for me to do other than choose a new college was to tell my roommate and the friends that I was closest to. I felt awful for leaving them, especially my roommate. I love them all so much and miss them every day, but I knew that the best thing for me was to leave.

I toured two schools until I found one that I knew would work for me. I applied and soon heard that I was accepted. Starting a second semester at a new college, with a new roommate that I didn't know was terrifying. I hoped with all my heart that this college was going to be the one. Luckily it was, I have found some of the greatest friends, I enjoy going to my classes, I am involved on campus and during the summer I absolutely miss it. I never thought that I would ever say this, but I can't wait till school starts again.

Being a transfer student was hard for me, especially when I came to the realization that I wanted to leave my old school. Going to a new school was just as terrifying as the first few weeks at freshman orientation. When you go on tours at colleges, they make it seem like their college is the greatest place to be. They don't tell you all of the things that wrong with the school because they are trying to let you see the school they way they do. They see the school as one of the best places in the world. They see it as their home, where all of their friends are. You have to think for yourself though is this going to be the right home for me. Is this a place that I can see myself at for the next four years? Even if you go to the college you think is right for you and you find out it isn't, there is nothing wrong with that. Many students transfer and there is nothing wrong with that. You have to find a place where you can say "I can't wait for school to start again."