Anxious, scared, hopeful, and energetic are some of the conflicting emotions I felt as a transfer student. It’s an exciting time in your life to go to a new school, meet new people, and maybe live in a different city. However, you can’t help but feel anxious at this new beginning that brings so much change.
This fall I transferred to Emerson College from New York Institute of Technology in Manhattan. I went from one east coast city to another, and although the distance isn’t too far, I couldn’t help but fight with the intensity of homesickness and loneliness that most transfer students feel. Most people transfer after two years at their former school, essentially hitting the “restart” button in their junior year, a time where college students have passed the halfway-point in their undergraduate years. There’s greater focus on post-college plans and students are busy with leadership positions, internships, study abroad opportunities, and more. It’s an exciting time where college seems to speed up and the weeks fly by. Especially after the majority of colleges spent the entire 2020-2021 school year online, the fall 2021 semester can feel like a drastic change for all students.
Junior year transfers are in this awkward and uncomfortable position where we are upper class students, yet we’re new students all over again. We feel those anxiety-ridden, everything-is-all-so-new feelings that one gets during their first week of college, minus the majority of your classmates also feeling those same feelings. It’s an entirely different experience when you’re in your first-year because you know that everyone is a new kid and you’re not alone. However, when you’re a transfer student it can feel isolating, like you’re showing up to a party late, at the wrong house, and none of your friends are there.
This process of acclimating to a huge transition can be more difficult for students who spent a whole school year online and are transitioning back to in-person learning, students who have social anxiety, students who are living in an unfamiliar city away from home, and students who lack a support system. As a new transfer student currently feeling overwhelmed, behind-the-clock, homesick, and resistant to change, here are a few pieces of advice that I learned through my own experience that could be helpful to other students going through this same transition.
Get to know your new campus and city. Some of you may not be far from home or too far from your former school, yet some of you may be in an entirely new and unfamiliar place. Exploring your new city that’ll be your home for the next couple of years can help you find some peace in your adjustment. Find restaurants, theaters, bookstores, thrift shops, or parks that interest you. Spending your time in places besides campus will provide a change of scenery, and may help you feel more connected to your new lifestyle.
Talk to people. Seriously, this will help so much. Closing yourself off to others and moping around will only self-sabotage all the opportunities and light you could have by being open. Participate in class discussions more often. Join a club on campus to make connections with students outside of your classes. Stay connected with events happening in your school community so you can have a life outside of classes and homework assignments. Also, find other transfer students on campus. You may find that you don’t feel as alone.
Work part-time off-campus. I’ve kept a part-time job during all my years of college so far, though I know some college students like to focus primarily on their school work and work summer jobs instead. In my case, getting a job right as I moved to Boston while simultaneously beginning my first semester at Emerson felt very overwhelming in the first couple of weeks as I struggled to find balance between work, school, living an entirely new lifestyle, and trying to process it all at the same time while taking care of my mental health. Now that I’ve found a rhythm and have worked on my time management, I’ve found working off-campus has helped in my acclimation as a transfer student. It may help to have friendships outside of the academic environment and a separate responsibility outside of school.
No matter what steps you take to acclimate to your new environment, remember that adjusting to a difficult and immense change like transferring schools takes time. Be kind to yourself and know that the process gets easier by the day as you continue. Remind yourself why you transferred. Forget about the race you feel like you’re in with time, and actually take a moment to congratulate yourself for all that you’ve accomplished and how much opportunity awaits you.
Change is scary, but it’s also powerful and rewarding. You have so much to look forward to.