A frequent question I got while in the process of transferring colleges was, why am I transferring? At first I thought, why is it anybody's business? My transfer did not affect them, why did it matter? So to put a final rest as to why I transferred, this week's article is the full explanation of my transfer.
I began my first year of college at Washington College, a little liberal arts college on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. At first, I was excited about my first year and gaining some independence in my life. I made a great group of friends within the first few weeks whom I still talk to today. My classes were a bit tough and definitely shifted me from high school mode to the college mentality. I thought the school was great and that I was going to spend all four years there making all sorts of memories. However, as days, weeks, and months passed, I started realizing that I was not happy there. I was just faking it for my friends and family because I did not want to disappoint them. This first realization came to me when I went home for winter break and got to spend five fun-filled weeks with my best friend, my family, and two trouble-making kitties. When it came time to go back to school, a large part of me wished I didn't have to leave everything behind. It was when I stepped back on campus that I realized that I didn't like the college.
Of course, every school has its problems, and I won't sit here and say that Washington College is the worst place ever because it's not. The campus was gorgeous; Lots of things were in walking distance, so you never had to go very far. However, I felt so isolated there, like I could never leave and be free. I saw the same people every day at the same time. There were no changes. It was especially hard being a black student on campus because the school population was mostly white. While I can't speak for every black student on campus, I definitely felt some subtle discrimination while in the community and on campus.
I transferred because I didn't feel like I belonged at Washington College. I know many of my friends from there will probably disagree with me when they read this, but in my heart, I knew I didn't belong there. That's why I transferred to Georgia State University. Every day, there's something new going on. I've made new friends and got back in touch with old ones, and I feel happy here. I finally feel like I belong somewhere.
