Coming from a community college and transferring to a 4-year university has its perks, I can't lie. I'm no longer terrified of starting somewhere new, I have a pretty good idea of how things work and I don't have the same anxieties I did first starting out. However, there are also some downfalls. Here are a few things that aren't so great about being a transfer student.
1. "What year are you?"
Technically, I'm a senior when it comes down to credits. But I'm only beginning my second year at the 4-year university I'm attending. So this means it's weird sometimes explaining to people that while I have a ton of credits, I still feel like a newbie on campus.
2. People in your major have had several classes before already
This past summer I took a Communication Studies course that was required for the major. I knew one other person in the course. Everyone seemed to know each other already from having classes together in our major (CMST). I definitely felt like everyone was already friends and I was entering into some kind of party a couple hours in...awkward.
3. You leave behind another community
I don't deal with this one as much since I work at the college where I earned my associate's. However, I still miss being a student where I first started college because that's where I made most of my friends and got to know some awesome instructors that ultimately helped me change my life for the better.
4. Comparing, comparing
I feel like I find myself comparing my current experience to my experiences before. In some ways being at a 4-year college is pretty cool because there's always stuff going on and campus doesn't just shut down at 6pm every night. On the other hand, sometimes there's so much going on that it becomes a bit much for someone coming from a quiet community college.
5. The 'Introvert Challenge'
For those who are celebrated introverts, it can be difficult enough finding your niche or even finding a few friends you can talk to and rely on. That challenge seems to be magnified in a 4-year university with groups of people who came in as freshmen together and already have a rapport built up.
Being a transfer student has its share of peaks and pits, just like being a freshman student right out of high school. Can you relate to any of these?
