Starting the new school year can be tough for freshman, but it can be equally as hard on transfer students. As a freshman, you're starting out in a new place and well, it's a "fresh" start. What I noticed and experienced as a transfer was that not only was I starting over in a new place for the second time, I felt very isolated compared to my experience when I first started school. Much of the outreach for new students was focused on freshman and the transfer students seemed to be glossed over. These are a few tips I wish I had been told when I transferred to Portland State last year and I hope they're able to help you, the reader, in even the tiniest way possible.
1. Leave your room
I stayed in my room probably the first two weeks of school because I had no friends and I can be super introverted. The only times I would leave would be to use the community bathroom. Sure your room can be your place of safety but it can also become unhealthy. While I had a meal plan I rarely used it because I didn't want to be seen eating alone. However, I'm sure many people feel the same way. Leave your room, explore the new city you live in. I crawled out of my room one day and went to an honors lunch and ended up meeting someone who introduced me to so many people and helped me emerge from my shell.
2. It takes time to make friends and that's ok
I probably didn't make friends until three or four weeks into the quarter but that's totally ok. Finding quality friends takes time. I would suggest seeking out one or two clubs you're interested in and going to as many events as you feel comfortable with. It helps the people of the club put a face to your name. Last year I joined a Christian club and while I wasn't thrilled to make myself go to every bible study or event they put on, it helped them get to know me and vice versa. Soon they start to reach out to you because clubs like new people...like actually, we really love new people and we want to see you come back.
3. Look forward to new experiences
One of the mistakes I made was comparing my freshman year to my transfer year. I would stress outs about making friends and compare it to how easy it was for me to make friends my freshman year. It really did no good for me to try and replicate experiences, it mostly just made me sad. Think of it as another year to recreate yourself, you're in a new place, try something new or join a club you never thought about joining in your last place.
4. Practice self-care
Take time at the end of your day to journal out your thoughts and feelings. It can also be a good way to get to know yourself better. Take a warm shower or watch a movie you enjoy. After a few weeks if you still feel sad/depressed/lonely, reach out to your RA - they're there to help you. Last year my RA was a huge help in finding me clubs I was interested in and also other academic resources.
5. Looking at cute animals helps you feel happy
If you're feeling stressed from the transition, just look at pictures of cute puppies on Instagram. I love puppies and it always relieves a little bit of stress.
