Well to begin with, transferring should overall be seen as a great venture, especially when you’re going from a community college to one of the best Universities in Texas. In order to comfortably assimilate into this new opportunity, you must take all things into consideration.
Here are some tips to getting a good head start on the next years of your life:
1. Work Load
One major change depending on what community college or University you’re transferring from would be the amount of homework you’re given. At some CC they prepare you for the increase in work, yet in others you might have felt like you stayed in high school. With that being said, it doesn’t matter where you come from, it matters how you choose to prepare. If you find yourself having less free time now that you’ve made the big move, start using a planner. Yes, planners might not be fun to keep up with for some, but trust me after you get the hang of it you’ll live by it. Plan, plan, plan! Give yourself time for friends and activities, and pencil in those pesky assignments.
2. Making Friends
So you might have gone all community college without making friends, or even forgetting to try making any at all. Now, there’s no pressure at a University either, but making friends here will serve as a tool for support, networking, and stress relief. You might find yourself having a bit more free time, this is a great time to leave your dorm room, or home and venture out. Once you make friends you’ll have longtime relationships that will push you through the next chapters of your life. Yes, friendships might be the least of your worries, but you won’t regret it when you find your perfect companion for movie dates, or even taco night.
3. Finding Classes
Depending on where you came from, community college or University, this will be one of your biggest obstacles. On your first day on campus you might find yourself hysterically crying or panicking because you simply can’t seem to find your first class. This is all okay, it takes everyone about the first month of school to find how to get from point A to point B. One tip to get you started would be to use the directory on campus, or your new best friend, Cougar Red Line. Once you download this app all you have to do is type in where you want to go and it’ll draw a line showing you exactly where to go. Thank me later!
5. Joining Clubs and Organizations
By far my favorite discovery on campus was the amount of clubs UH has to offer. We have everything from Greek Life to Sports and more! This means every single student can find a group they belong to and sometimes they can even get scholarships for joining. It truly is the best of both worlds here, and as soon as you find the place where you get to be yourself, you’ll love it even more. A great tip in this area would be to try something new. This means pick the clubs you fall in love with, but also sign up for something you might want to try and just haven’t gotten to. Think about something you’re passionate about, or where you wish to see change.
At the end of the day it doesn’t matter where you come from, what matters now is what you choose to do with your new adventure. Once you get the hang of things on campus you’ll find yourself loving every bit of college life. The key is to have an open mind to all things and people, after all we are one of the most diverse universities. Good luck!