After finishing my freshman year of college and realizing that my university wasn't a good fit for me, I decided to transfer to a new school. It was one of the scariest and most unlike-me decisions I've ever made, but looking back, I don't have any regrets. Transferring taught me so much about myself and what I care about as a student, but I had a lot of doubts while going through the process.

Applying to colleges for the first time back in high school was pretty easy in the scheme of things. Everyone around me was going through the same exact experiences as me and I had a bunch of people I could rely on for help.

Transferring was different. I was basically redoing the same exact process, but this time it was all on my own. I felt like there was a bridge that guided me from high school to college and ensured a smooth transition, but this time around, that bridge was gone. So here are a few do's and don'ts that I wish someone had told me during this tumultuous time in my life:

DO expect to feel like a freshman all over again.

It's inevitable. It doesn't matter if you have one semester or two years of college under your belt, you will definitely feel like a freshman again at some point. You'll have to find your way to unfamiliar buildings again, make new friends, frantically make last-minute advising appointments when you realize you have no idea how to register for classes, and you'll probably be thrown into some freshman-level classes during your first year.

DON'T assume everything will be the same as your old school.

I noticed a lot of differences in how my new school functions compared to my old one, especially going from a private to a public university. Attendance policies are different, class sizes are larger, and there are different procedures for how exams are distributed. I assumed finals would take place during regular class time because that's how it worked at my old school. Turns out, my new university makes a completely different school-wide exam schedule we have to follow. Every school is different, so pay attention to the details.

DO look for opportunities to make friends.

One of the biggest reasons I transferred was because I was extremely lonely at my old school. Once at my new school, I felt so much more comfortable and tried much harder to go out of my way to make friends (trust me, that is NOT easy to do as a socially anxious introvert). The few friends I've made this year have made my transition so much easier. I can always go to them for advice and they make my entire college experience so much more enjoyable. You may miss the friends you made at your old school, but the fact is that they won't be able to help you where you are now, so don't hang on to them as a lifeline.

DON'T think it will be easy.

Unfortunately, you can't simply transfer schools with the click of a button. You have to re-sign up for Common App, find out what your new school requires you to submit, contact your high school for transcripts, and get your college credits evaluated. There's a lot of tedious and repetitive work, credits that don't transfer over, lots of waiting, and payments and deadlines coming at you constantly. It's not fun, but if you are doing it for the right reasons, it will all be worth it in the end.

DO ask questions.

Being a transfer student can often make you feel like an outsider, but know that you are not alone. Look for other transfer students, ask your professors about classes they'd recommend, seek out advisement services, and don't be afraid to inquire about anything you're unsure about. It's always better to ask questions and risk sounding "stupid" than to drown in your own confusion and do something incorrectly.

DON'T feel bad about transferring.

When I decided I wanted to transfer, I felt guilty and ashamed. I felt like I had "done college wrong" and was an idiot for not being able to get it right on the first try. I felt guilty that my new school was more expensive than my old school, ashamed that I was going from living in a dorm to moving back home, nervous that I was making a huge mistake, and angry that despite everything I loved about my old school, I still didn't feel at home there. But at the end of the day, I knew that transferring was the right decision for my happiness, education, and future. You just have to do what's right for you.

There were rocky points in my transferring process -- times when I felt like I had genuinely no idea what I was doing, and when I questioned entirely if I should even be going to college -- but ultimately I made it out alive on the other side. Not only did I survive it, but I'm thriving where I am now. Transferring isn't for everyone, but it definitely was for me. Take a step back and assess your priorities, and in time your head and your heart will tell you where to go.