As we get closer to May and the end of the year it’s been strange to look back on this past year. Ending my freshmen year at a different school than I started it at has given me a skewed reality in my head. When I transferred in January, it just felt like August again.
My roommate switched rooms as well when I moved into KU and so our first night was both of our first nights in the room. We created this perfect space that was so new, but instantly felt comforting. Even though we have only been in the room for 13 weeks; countless memories, visitors, hangouts, and late night chats have happened. I knew from the second I laid down in my bed that this semester was going to be different, because my room first semester never felt like a home to me.Â
It’s common to have different people in your classes during one semester versus another, so I kept forgetting that I didn’t go to KU the whole year. My memories from first semester classes just felt like they were in different buildings than they are now, not across the country from each other. Since my past three semesters of taking classes have been at different places, I’m excited to finally not have any surprises next fall.Â
Since KU is the closest big college to where I grew up, most of my friends already went here so I didn’t have trouble in January having friends to hang out with. Even though I have my best friends here, I still have made a handful of close friends in these short 13 weeks. Like most people, it takes a couple of months to find who you really feel connected and close to; unfortunately for me this is coming right as the semester ends and all the friends I have made go back to their hometowns. Right as my routine and comfort level in school and social life has set in, the year is almost over.Â
There is a weird contrast between being grateful I had an opportunity to try something new and go out-of-state and being regretful that I did not just come straight to KU. All of my senior photos and graduation photos are surrounded by a school I no longer go to and lives as a reminder of a place I did not enjoy. I think one of the hardest parts of deciding to transfer was being so open and proud of going out-of-state and then having to share that I am going back home.Â
Everyone has a different experience in college, everyone has a different experience in transferring. Thankfully for me, this is a decision I haven’t regretted for one second. If someone is choosing between in-state and out-of-state I would not discourage out-of-state. Although it was not for me, I think I would have regretted not knowing the “what if.”Â