Late August of 2016 I started my freshman year of college…and it wasn’t at Susquehanna. I had applied to many colleges my senior year of high school and of that list I narrowed down my search to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg University, and Susquehanna University. I chose IUP because I felt like I needed to go far from home and experience a large state school. I’ll be the first one to admit that I was wrong.
While at IUP, I didn’t feel a connection to the school. I wasn’t meeting people like I thought I would, I wasn’t enjoying most of my classes, and I didn’t feel like my peers were like me in any way. It was a rough first semester mentally. My grades were at an all-time high while my mind was at an all-time low. I knew I wanted a change.
Deciding to transfer is probably the most difficult part of transferring. It’s a major life choice. It costs money and you should try to do it as few times as possible. There are things you need to take into consideration like credits. Not every college counts credits or courses the same and colleges take different AP scores. Before transferring I needed to look into my options and see what would benefit me in the long run. Luckily, Susquehanna still had my application on file so I didn’t have to redo one. I also got the same amount of funding, which was a big concern of mine. I decided instead of staying unhappy, I was going to transfer right away for the second semester of my freshman year.
Starting a new college in the second semester was weird. I had to move into a new dorm, get a new roommate, meet people all over again, and learn a whole new campus. This time around, however, was so much better. I was actually meeting people and getting involved on campus. My classes felt the same, but everyone was so motivated. My mood improved tremendously. I also liked the fact that class size was smaller and I was closer to home. Some people are meant to go off to a large school, hours away from home, but I’m not one of them.
Now I’m in my sophomore year. I have friends that I see on the regular, clubs I attend weekly, and I’m even an RA. Sure, there are certain things I miss about my last school and a few people I keep in touch with, but nothing compares to how I feel now. I wanted to share my experience because maybe someone reading this feels stuck and unhappy with the path they chose. No college is perfect, but you can find one that is pretty close to it . If you are unhappy, change something. You owe it to yourself.