Across the nation many college students struggle with the question of: “should I transfer schools?” The answer to such question depends on a multitude of variables of the situation and person, but hopefully my experience of transferring will help someone out there decide.
Not too long ago I transferred from Appalachian State University to North Carolina State University. All of my friends, family and acquaintances ask the same question when they learn this new: “why?” To my acquaintances I often say “don’t worry about it,” however to my friends and family the answer is often a long discussion and explanation.
All in all, I transferred for academic reasons. I found myself foolishly looking 10 or 20 years down the road during my freshman year, wondering where my political science and history degree would take me. What degree of success could I achieve? Is this the best way to get where I want to be? These are a few of the questions that everyday college students stress over each day. To be honest, I started App State knowing I wanted to transfer because a degree from else where could do me better in the long run. However, since then and now I have been taught a few lessons I did not know at the time.
I found that things get better, that is, if you let them. I still question myself if I want to transfer back to App, because that place is now a home to me. The people, the mountains, the feel of community moves me to joy, and I cannot say I feel that way about my current institution. I often ask myself why I am here, what do I like about NC State, and the answers are usually minimal. I look to my past and the memories of happiness instead of the future of what could be. I regret transferring, and yet, by coming to NC State all sort of new doors and opportunities have been presented to me. I love this idea, but what am I sacrificing by obtaining them? Am I sacrificing anything?
These are the questions that ring in my head each day, but one holds caliber over all others. A question I am sure that all students and adults have ring in their ears: “am I happy?” It’s a question that holds weight of a mountain on our shoulders. A question that we either live by or completely ignore for hope of the future. I know for me pushing this question off has been much of my lifestyle. I always think to work and struggle in the today so that in a distant future my success and happiness will outweigh my past struggles. I have also found that life cannot work this way. We owe it to ourselves to enjoy the moment, the present, so we as a human being can feel fulfilled. That life is far more than that question of “what about 20 years from now?” It is about a balance of life and legacy. That is what it is to transfer. That is what it is to live. I was wrong about App State. That institution is where I am happy and feel fulfilled with adventure, friends and community. My academic pursuit of attending NC State has not given me the same fulfillment, however, it might one day.
This is what you must ask yourself when transferring. What is the balance of the one day and the now? I have lived by “keeping your eyes on not what is seen, but what is unseen,” and yet, I have found we must keep our eyes on what is seen, because, simply, that is what life is about.
