I would like to address a problem, that until recently, I thought was only affecting me. I am talking about the idea that it is terrible and embarrassing to decide that the school you chose as a senior in high school is not actually where you should or want to be. That, shockingly, at seventeen or 18-years-old, you did not know everything. Students decide to transfer schools for a plethora of reasons. No matter the circumstances though, a person should not be scrutinized and shamed for wanting to make a change.
A student might not vibe with the people and the environment that their school has. It is essential to find a sense of community, and develop a mini-family away from your own. College is hard, especially the first year, and if you do not have people to experience it all with then you are S.O.L. Other students may not feel that they are reaching their maximum potential in the classes. If you decided to attend a large, state university, you might find yourself getting overwhelmed and discouraged. A friend of mine who attends the University of Nebraska- Lincoln agrees, and indicates that professors, with the exception of a few, do not care about you or whether or not you are successful in their class.
As I said before, I have experience with this. As a senior in high school, I fell in love with a school twenty hours away from my hometown. I enrolled and started attending in the fall, but as my first semester was coming to a close I came to the conclusion that I did not get what I wanted out of the university. I wavered between whether to transfer, or to stick it out for another semester. I did not want to leave my new friends or the place I had grown to love, but I knew that I had to do what was best for me. However, the factor that made me want to stay the most was the idea that I would be judged for coming back home.
I want to stress this to anyone who is feeling unhappy or unsuccessful at their school… do what is best for you! It has taken me too long to realize that other people’s opinions should not influence a decision as much as your own intuition. Have no regrets of your previous choices, but make a change with those choices is satisfying. You will be thankful you did so in the long-run.
It is important to remember that whether you are going to a prestigious university, a community college, or getting your degree online, you are working toward furthering your education. That is something that deserves a round of applause, not criticism. It does not matter if you choose to move across your state, half way across the country, or continue to live at home. I would simply like to encourage everyone to stop being so judgmental of others’ decisions and simply just do what is in your best interest.
I could not be happier where I currently am in my life. One year ago, this is not what I would have expected my life to be like. I made the changes to make myself happier, and I am so glad that I did. For anyone who is struggling with the idea of transferring schools the best advice I can offer is do what you believe is best for you, even when it is not the easy choice. It will all work out in due time.
