In the fall of 2017, I transferred from SUNY Binghamton to Appalachian State University, all the way in North Carolina, as an incoming junior. My decision to transfer took a great amount of deep thinking and a huge leap of faith. The first step in this process was coming to the realization that I was unhappy at Binghamton. Even so, my unhappiness was not a good enough reason to leave. It wasn't until I made the choice to trust myself that I was able to begin the process of searching for a new school.

I spent months seeking out the perfect school for me. It was terrifying to think about the possibility of choosing the wrong school or not being able to choose at all. Although the time and effort it took to get me here was immense, my decision to make a necessary change in my life has proved to be a continuous adventure.

Not only am I a transfer student, but I am also from New York. I was born and raised in Westchester County and lived in the same neighborhood my whole life. When I first went off to college, I moved two and a half hours away from home to Binghamton, NY to begin my college career. After deciding this was not the school for me, I began my search for a new school, disregarding the distance and focusing on the schools themselves.

I had not originally planned to pick up and move to North Carolina, almost a twelve hour drive away from my family, but in the end I could not find a school more fit for me than App State. I remember mulling over the idea and seeing an article online that finalized my decision. The article discussed the topic of the student body at App State and asked the question, "How would you describe the typical student at ASU?" Students took a survey and the end result named "unique" the most popular word students used. In reading this, I knew I was making the right decision.

My first semester at ASU was an incredible experience. When I moved here in August, I did not know a soul. Familiar faces were halfway up the coast and I was experiencing culture shock while adjusting to the southern lifestyle. I noticed multiple differences between living in the north versus the south, such as accents in speech, friendliness of strangers, cost of living, and various others. Despite this culture change, I found comfort in the town of Boone almost instantly. The people at Appalachian are kind and inviting. I never felt like I didn't belong, even prior to getting to know people and making friends. Upon moving to Boone, I immediately felt at home.

Transferring schools is a huge decision and not an easy one to make. If you are on the fence about transferring, ask yourself these questions:

Am I happy where I am currently?

Imagining yourself remaining where you are until graduation, what feelings come up?

Do I like my school more than I dislike it? Vice versa?

Will staying allow me to become the best version of myself?

In addition to questions you may ask yourself before making the decision to transfer, there are many thoughts and misconceptions that arise. For instance, you may be worried about making friends. You may be thinking, "everyone already has their friends because they have been students here since freshman year" or "no one is going to want to be my friend." In truth, making friends comes naturally if you put yourself out there and work towards building new friendships.

I could not be more pleased with my transfer student experience. The extensive research and difficulty of moving far away from home have been well worth it. Transferring to Appalachian State University has been a great experience thus far and continues to excite me with each new adventure that arises.