Dear all Buffalo State students,

We all know attending this college isn't always fun and games. Dealing with the parking, getting up for 8 A.M. classes, and the stress of getting all of your assignments in at one time is enough to make us go completely insane. While college in general is not a place a majority of people like to be at, there are certain schools that make the college experience much more pleasurable than others. Believe it or not, Buffalo State is a school that excels when it comes to making their students feel welcomed, and genuinely care about how well their students are doing.

During the fall semester of 2014, I made the decision to transfer to the University at Buffalo from Buffalo State. While I absolutely loved the college I was at, I thought I would have more opportunity if I transferred to UB, especially in the nursing field. While in my heart I knew I truly did not want to leave Buffalo State, I felt like if I did not give UB a chance I would have always wondered, what if?

I started at UB during the spring semester of 2015, and from day one I felt lost. The campus itself is enough to stress anyone out. During my first week of school, I would circle the campus trying to find one classroom and that task alone would take hours. Then after finding my class, I would walk into a room that held at least 500 other students. I have never been a person that has had anxiety when entering new environments, but I can honestly say walking into these classes scared the s*** out of me! However, I knew I could not give up just yet. Even though I was experiencing the most terrifying week of my college career, I still had to give UB a chance.

After many attempts to adjust to the school, I came to the realization that I would never stop struggling. I spent an entire year at the college, changing my major three separate times, struggling with the amount of work, and having absolutely no one to talk to about my issues. And one day I finally realized that I was never meant to be a student at UB. I always belonged at Buffalo State.

The professors and students at Buffalo State differ majorly from those at UB. The professors at UB did not allot time for their students the way the professors at Buffalo State do. As a student at the university you are expected to teach yourself the information, and treat class as a review session. As a student who was already overwhelmed, this just made my experience at another school more difficult to deal with.

While there were many reasons I left UB to go back to Buffalo State, there was one reason that was the ultimate decider for me: the students. Students at Buff State are hands down the best people to be around. I could walk up to anyone at school now and just start a random conversation, and almost everyone would embrace me with open arms. At UB, I did not have this luxury. Starting a new conversation with just about anyone ended horribly, mostly because everyone kept to themselves and had no interest in interacting with other students. I did not feel welcomed the way I do now at Buffalo State.

Before you complain about your college, just remember how lucky you really are to be a part of an amazing community. While every college has their negatives, Buffalo State overall is an outstanding school, and I would never think to leave again.