When I chose to go to SUNY Oneonta, a lot of people reacted in the same way: “Wow, that’s a party school!” I brushed that off every time I heard it, which was a lot, and kept telling myself that every school is a party school. It’s college. When kids are away from home, they can and will party.

After a few months at Oneonta, I quickly started to feel like l made a mistake. I love SUNY Oneonta’s campus and the fact that it’s an affordable state school. But, I felt like I didn't fit in. I went to frat parties during rush week and had a good amount of fun, but I didn't understand why people want to do it multiple times every week.

Then, I felt super isolated when friends would ask if I wanted to go out to the bars with them. I don't have a fake ID, and I’m not saying there's anything wrong with having one as a college student, I just would rather spend my time doing something other than getting obliterated in a bar, throwing up, and not remembering the night before.

I’ve obviously never been much of a partier, and luckily my roommate felt the same way. It’s not to say that we don't like to have fun, it’s just that we didn't feel the need to party extremely hard as soon as we were away from home. Neither of us had super strict parents and I think that’s why we didn't want to join in the “fun” everyone else was having when they went out so much.

Basically, if you aren't going to any of the five bars on Main Street in Oneonta, you don't have much else to do in the small, Upstate New York town. When I started to go home every other weekend because I was so bored, I decided that I should transfer. I would rather go to a school and have a good time without having nothing to do when I chose not to go out.

I think transferring can be scary but I also think it’s going to be worth it if you really don't like where you are going to school. College is supposed to be the best four years of your life so if you aren't enjoying it you should make a change. I’m excited to start fresh and make friends in another school who feel the same way I do.