I transferred to Boston University in Spring 2023, just after my first semester of junior year of college. Despite the fact that I transferred pretty late into my college career, it was the best decision for me — but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy.
Transferring schools is really hard. When I first got to BU, I knew nobody. Making friends and adjusting to such a big school, combined with the rigorous academics, has been pretty difficult.
In my first semester at BU, my weekends were spent alone, playing Stardew Valley on my Nintendo Switch or making jewelry all day. I tried making friends in my classes, but I had a hard time and it felt like most people didn’t seem interested.
Outside of friendships, getting used to the workload and class difficulty presented a whole other challenge.
At my old school, you would take five classes for 15 credits (classes counted for 3 credits each), which was extremely hard to manage as someone who wanted to balance enjoying college and working part-time.
Luckily, the normal course load at BU is four classes, so I found that easier to manage. However, the academic content is definitely more challenging. I recommend asking for help, getting a planner, or using an app like Notion or MyStudyLife to manage your work and map out what you need to do for the week.
Not everything was a struggle though. These past two semesters have been a lot better. I started working again, which gave me something to do, and I began finding friends in Boston to hang out with and have nights out on the town!
Even though I’ve faced many challenges, I don’t regret my decision to transfer at all. It was one of the best things I could have done for myself and I’m happy with where I am now. If you are struggling as a transfer, put yourself out there and look at the advice below for help. Good luck!
- Join Clubs
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Making connections with peers is super important and has helped me find communities at BU (especially in Her Campus). It can be difficult because meeting new people is definitely intimidating, but it’s worth it in the long run — you might meet your best friends there!
- Put Yourself Out There
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Again, this can be pretty difficult or awkward, but definitely join BU transfer Facebook groups. That is how I found my first two friends at BU and I was able to get to know a lot of other people who transferred here.
- Be Patient
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Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find friends immediately. Three semesters in, I still don’t have a set in stone group of friends, but you learn to appreciate your individual relationships. It’s not a group, but I have made a few friends and do stuff with them often.
- Self-Care
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Prioritize your mental health. College is hard, even more so when you have to start over as a transfer. The pressure of needing to make good grades, work, and manage schoolwork is a lot, but taking care of yourself or taking a “me day” is perfectly okay and important!
- Reach out
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If you’re struggling in your classes or otherwise, ask for help. There are resources on campus to help you out, and for academics, there’s always office hours.
Even if you’re not struggling, go to office hours and be an active member in class or network with your professor. Your professor, TF/TAs, and groups on campus are there to help you.
Trying new things is always a gamble, but you’ve already taken the first step by transferring. try to make the most of the time you have!
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