Senior year of high school is full of equal amounts of stress and excitement, most of which are a product of being faced with your biggest life decision yet- "Where am I going to college?" If you plan to go straight to college after high school, the decision of choosing between thousands of prospective colleges/universities can be incredibly daunting. Even if you already know where you want to go, you still have to wait and see if that school wants you back- potentially the most heartbreaking form of unrequited love.

Some people say that undergrad is irrelevant, that your higher education is what really matters to employers, yet after being at my university for one year I can already tell how significant the name value of undergrad alone can be to future employers. I'm definitely not saying it is the only thing that matters, but first impressions are everything.

After you thoroughly weigh all your options and finally arrive at the school of your choice, it is possible that it may be exactly where you are meant to, even if you are not immediately head-over-heels in love with it. It takes time to acclimate and adjust to a new environment, something everyone will experience at some point first semester. First semester is full of new experiences, people, and learning curves, yet once you get used to your new routines, you wouldn't want it any other way. Be patient, and let things fall into place naturally.

After first semester, however, is when you should start looking for signs to transfer if you are still truly unhappy. Everybody is different, and while a school may seem perfect for someone on paper, the social, location, or academic factors that cannot be fully experienced until you are actually living on campus may make you realize it is not the right fit.

As we quickly approach move-in day, if you can't think of anything that you are excited about for the upcoming year- whether it is a class you want to take, a club you are passionate about, a game you wouldn't want to have to watch on TV, even a special someone who always brightens your day when you see them, you probably aren't in the right place- which is OK. Transferring is not the end of the world. In fact, it is probably just the beginning of the rest of your exceptional life.

Do not be afraid to make bold decisions that could change your life for the better. Undergrad is the first stepping stone into the real world, so you need to make it count. You (and your parents) don't want to waste four years of precious time, money, and energy staying at a place that doesn't make you happy.