If You’re Thinking About Transferring Schools, Read This

Like most college freshmen, I was ecstatic to go to college. The idea of living away from my parents, with people my age, experiencing life in a way I’d never experienced it before was thrilling. I thought freshman year was going to be the best time of my life. I thought I’d chosen my dream school. I thought it would be a year I’d never want to forget.

I never once considered I’d end up miserable.

By Thanksgiving break my freshman year, I was already questioning my choice in schools. I was unhappy in the location of the school, the program I was in, and the social scene of the school. I felt stuck, and I didn’t know who to talk to. I knew that I hadn’t made a mistake in my choice of schools, but I did know that I had changed, and this school was no longer the one for me.

It wasn’t because I was homesick, or that I wasn’t making good friends, or that my classes were too hard. It was because I never called that school home and I was never truly happy there. It was because the school was not the fit for me, and I could feel that.

Extremely long, and (slightly) miserable, story short: I decided to transfer schools so that I was happier and I was getting the education I deserved. I thoroughly researched schools, applied to college (again), and visited most of the schools on my spring break. I settled on one that I felt could be home to me, one that had the program I wanted, one that felt right.

Despite my finding the perfect school, I was still terrified to transfer.

Questions kept circling in my head. Will I make friends? Will I be in good classes? Will my writing improve? Am I going to feel like this place is home? Will I miss my old school too much? Is this the right choice?

I’ve been at my new school for a full year, and with 100% certainty, I know that transferring was the best decision I’ve ever made. My education is better, not only because my new program is better suited for me, but I also want to be learning here. I actually call this place home. I have settled in here, with a great academic program, and amazing opportunities to grow into the person I hope to soon be.

If I’m being completely honest with myself, I know I had better friends at my old school. I miss them all terribly, and I know that if I still went to school there, we would all still be so close. But I’m lucky to live in a world with such amazing technology because all of my friends are practically a touch of my phone away. And I know that they’re there for me if I need them. I know that sacrificing a few amazing friends for my education was the right decision for me.

In the long run, all this has taught me to put myself and my feelings first. When I made the decision to transfer, some people tried to talk me out of it, saying “stick it out” or “I think you’ll grow to like it here.” But deep down I knew that if I tried to stick it out, I would end up horribly miserable and I would hate the person I became. I followed my gut, my heart, my personal opinions. And I came out on top.

I’ve learned many valuable lessons from transferring: listen to what your body is telling you. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Don’t sacrifice yourself for the sake of others. But I think the most valuable lesson is this: never let anyone stop you from doing what you know is right for you. It’s not always easy to change. In fact, I don’t think it ever is. And there were a few nights that I so wholeheartedly questioned my decision that I cried through the whole night wondering if I was wrong.

But if I had listened to all the people who questioned my decision, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I know that sounds cheesy, but if I had listened to those people, if I had let them force me to stay where I was, I wouldn’t have achieved everything that I already have in a year. I wouldn’t be able to point at myself and say, “Look. You said I couldn’t. But guess what? I did.

Featured image via Zen Chung on Pexels

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