Not to start the whole “millennials think they can do whatever they want” conversation, but when it comes to transferring colleges, I feel like it’s a lot more common for our generation. According to a study from the National Student Clearinghouse Center, 37.2 percent of the 3.6 million students who entered an institution as a freshman in 2008 transferred to another college within six years. That's over one-third!
Most people I know who are my parents' age went to the same college all four years. They either lived at home or never really went home. They got in, got their degree and got out.
And then there’s me: the girl who went from a small, private Christian university to a massive, urban college in downtown Atlanta and ended up at the school that was basically in my backyard for my whole life.
Attending a small, private Christian university just a few hours away from home as an 18-year-old was a perfect way for me to move away and start college. It was a slice of heaven, not a blade of grass unkempt; so many beautiful people who are somehow always smiling and a mostly fun, light-hearted environment. I joined the best sorority on campus (100 percent retention rates don’t lie people. Chi O til I die O.), didn’t have anyone to check in with and got to know so many people my age who were a lot like me.
I learned that you have to put yourself out there to make friends. You need to be approachable. But most importantly, you have to be honest and real with yourself and others. That was the biggest flaw of that type of environment- since everyone knew each other, you didn’t want to admit your flaws.
I think it’s safe to say that for most college environments, it’s competitive. It’s competitive about how you look, who your friends are, how many likes you get on Instagram, academically, who got that coveted internship, what you did last weekend, etc. It’s totally overwhelming.
Lesson 1
Try to be approachable and open to new friendships. But you still have to be honest with yourself and others, flaws and all.
Lesson 2
College is not everything. Being cool in college is not everything. There is a great big world outside of the college bubble and no one is going to care about which fraternity you were in and the “sick parties” you threw. Don’t peak in college, the best is yet to come.
Ultimately, I decided to move home to Atlanta for a few reasons: I missed my friends and family, I needed to immerse myself in a different environment and the competitive nature was just too overwhelming for me. It was clear that I needed not only a change but also a challenge.
So I found myself commuting an hour each way to downtown Atlanta for classes. I can still feel that mix of emotions- I was scared and nervous because I didn’t know anyone, but I was empowered and excited because no one knew me. So, I walked to class through clouds of cigarette smoke and the park where the homeless community seemed to have met with my head held high. I met some of the most interesting people, studied with students with similar goals and learned so much about other cultures.
But let’s be honest, Atlanta traffic wasn’t happening for the next three semesters. Cue college number three.
Lesson 3
Don’t be afraid of a challenge. That’s the only way you grow as a person, a student and a friend.
Lesson 4
Don’t be afraid of other people, especially if they are different from you. Embrace the differences and walk with your head held high.
Lesson 5
There will be days that you question your decision to transfer if not your entire college career. It’s normal (I think) to be uncomfortable. You have to ask yourself about your intentions to make sure you're on the right track.
My KSU story isn’t unusual. I grew up within five miles of campus for the majority of my life and it was the fallback school of all fallback schools in my eyes. Little did I know that it would be a perfect mixture of what I liked from the two other universities I had already attended. There are people like me and people who aren’t. It’s a melting pot of cultures but still has a sense of unity that I never felt in the city. There’s a sense of student involvement but also a determination to graduate.
Lesson 6
Attending the school that is the practical option isn’t a bad thing. If you have a lot of small reasons to attend a school like the commute, the environment, what you could get involved with and how far along you are in your degree all add up, it makes the transition that much easier.
Lesson 7
If you’re unhappy, look into your options. I was afraid of not graduating from my dream school, but I knew that I probably wouldn’t like it as much the longer I stayed. Life is too short and college life is too brief of a period in your life to be miserable. No regrets!
Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot in the past four years. Even though it’s been hard to be the “new girl” almost every year, spending hours with new people on an unfamiliar campus is challenging in the best way.
If you’re thinking about transferring, take it from the girl who’s been a bulldog, a panther, an owl and a few different majors within a four-year period. Life is too short to not make a change if you’re unhappy. And if that doesn’t work, you can always try it again, right?
