Moving into a sorority house with 60 girls and not knowing a single one was one of the best decisions I ever made. For the fourth time in my schooling career, I decided it was time once again to transfer schools. After the never-ending process of applying, transferring and moving in to a new house for the fall semester of my sophomore year, I began my new life as a Husker.     

Deciding to transfer schools is one of the hardest decisions you can make. I already made all new friends freshman year of college, joined a sorority, and familiarized myself with the campus and teachers; why would I want to leave? As hard as it was to leave my best friends behind, the school just wasn’t for my major or for me.    

Even though I didn’t travel far, 45 minutes to be exact, great change was expected. After being the new kid four times, I could write a book on all the valuable lessons I learned about transferring.

It’s vital to remember that all new faces does not mean you should reinvent yourself. You are who you are; it’s better to accept it and find the right friends. The people you are friends with in the first month might not be the same friends you finish the year with, and that’s okay. Once you start making those new friends, don’t burn bridges by gossiping.   

You can’t be the shy, quiet kid. If you don’t go out of your way to talk to anyone, don’t expect others to do the same. Most people won’t know you’re a transfer. You have to put yourself out there and be unreserved. Countless times people will ask you why you transferred. Don't let it be the most impressive thing about you.

You will get lost. A lot. You will look like a doe eyed freshman and that’s okay too. Don’t be afraid to ask people questions. Who cares if they think you’re a freshman anyways? Who wouldn’t want a second freshman year of college?   

Inevitably, some days are going to really suck. You will miss your old friends and the familiar surroundings. You expected everything to effortlessly fall into place. It doesn’t. Questioning whether or not you made the right decision is natural. It can be hard finding those who you can trust with your bad days, but you will get there eventually. Give it time. Until then, your mom is only a phone call away.   

The hardest and most meaningful lesson I have experienced after transferring is that life constantly changes. You can’t resist the transition. You promise every friend at your old school that you will come visit. But you won’t because you will make new friends and grow busy. You will learn who will put effort into staying close with you. Figure out how to let go of the way things used to be. Starting a new chapter in your life means moving on.