As someone who has transferred colleges two times due to being unhappy, I am a huge advocate for happiness, which sometimes can only be found in a new environment. The decision to transfer is never easy and should include loads of research, but these 10 do's and don'ts of transferring colleges will hopefully provide some relief.

1. Do- Determine Your Reason Of Leaving

Lots of universities are the same. The universal college norms are that students party a lot, tuition is overpriced, some classes seem to be best self-taught, and campus food sucks. Finding a reason that's only relevant to your school may allow you like the new school more or realize the old one's not that bad.

2. Do- Talk To Your Parents

Likely they're the ones funding your college education, so they deserve to be part of what they're investing in. Even if you're paying for it yourself, keeping them in the loop can help you find a school that fits you.

3. Do- Visit Your Prospective College

Things look and sound so much better online. Only when you're on campus can you get a feel for the school and see the students in action. Try attending a transfer session and just going on the campus at random times to see if you can see yourself fitting in.

4. Do- Try To Transfer In The Fall

In the fall, everything seems to reset. Perhaps because there's a swarm of thousands of new freshmen, but regardless of the reason, transferring mid year only means that more things are already set and stone like clubs and friend groups.

5. Do- Make Sure Your Credits Transfer

The only thing that perhaps sucks more than being at a college you dislike is loosing a semesters' or years' worth amount of credits. Having to retake classes only postpones graduation date and means more money out of pocket. Check out transferology or collegetransfer.net to get an idea of what may transfer.

6. Do- Consider What You Like

Perhaps your parents choose your first college because of price or proximity to home. However, they're not the one's spending time on campus Weather, school size, and location are important factors of college that have an affect on your mood.

7. Do- Stay Positive

Things can definitely change, but you have to spark that change. Look at your behavior at your current university because you're the one factor that will always be the same regardless of where you go.

8. Don't- Feel Bad About Yourself

Thousands of students transfer colleges for whatever reason, so you're not alone. Deciding to leave somewhere that's not beneficial to your personal growth is a mature step. Don't worry to much about what future employers are going to say or ask.

9. Do- Plan Early

Transferring colleges is a process. Schools that have an "easier" application process typically require all previously attended university transcripts, your high school diploma, ACT/SAT scores, an application fee, and an essay. Also, prepare to pay a tuition and housing deposit.

10. Do- Listen To Your Heart

The most important item on this list. While money is important and transferring colleges isn't easy, feeling happy is so vital to one's academic success. If you heart is saying to leave, leave. There's no reason to sacrifice your happiness for a piece of paper, green or white.

As you can see there's a lot more pros than cons. The cons with transferring pretty much is that likely it'll cost more in the long run due to lost of credits, but the #1 pro is that you can be happy, which you can't put a price tag on.