When you're 17 or 18 years old, you are expected to know exactly what you want. People expect you to know what you want to do for the rest of your life, where you want to go to college or even what you want for lunch that day; sometimes, you don't have answers to these difficult questions. (Especially lunch!)
I'm here to tell you that you don't have to know, and even if you are 100 percent convinced you know, it's OK if you change your mind.
"Do you want to go to a small school or a large school? Is location important to you? Do you want to have a car on campus? Do you want to go to a women's college or co-ed school? What about Greek life? Or sports? Or-"
All these questions can be downright agitating.
"Are the dorms accessible? Do the elevators break down a lot? Is the food good? Are the professors good? Are the students friendly? Is the campus clean? What about the dorm rooms and residence halls, are they great? What about the dining hall, are they good about not cross-contaminating the food? What about-"
Let me fill you in on a little secret: you won't be able to truly answer these questions until you experience a semester or full year of college. Think about it: you can't determine whether or not you like chocolate cake unless you try it, so you need to try out a college for some time to decide whether or not you like it, and what aspects of college life you find most important. Choosing the best college for you can be a trial-and-error process, and that's totally OK. There are thousands of college students each year that change their minds—and for the better. They become happier, healthier, more motivated students when they transfer.
Everyone I know who has ever transferred schools will constantly tell me the same thing: "It was the best decision I've ever made."
Just because the first college you pick may not be the right college for you doesn't mean that you made the "wrong choice." In fact, you made the right choice at the time because it lead you on a journey of self-discovery that eventually lead you to transfer.
If you're a college student who is unhappy at your current school, then take the plunge and transfer. If you're a senior in high school who is struggling to make their final college decision, remember that it doesn't have to be a permanent decision. Also, you have until May 1, so don't worry about it too much right now and enjoy your last few months of high school.
