Getting my acceptance into Florida State University (FSU) could not have come at a worse time. I had spent my entire summer taking a three-credit math class, which was required to transfer. On Aug. 8, exactly two weeks before classes started, I got my acceptance letter. How was I supposed to attend orientation, find a place to live, register for classes and disenroll from another school all in two weeks? A lot of tears, a lot of complaining and a lot of “I can’t” is how. I was probably the most annoyed, unhappy and resentful transfer you could think of. How could I adjust to everything: new campus, new people, new home, new classes and new state? I’ll tell you how. Being a transfer student was not the easiest thing for me. After many confusing days of navigating a new campus’ classes, environment and 5,000 parking lots but still no parking: I ultimately feel that I got it down solid.
Tip #1: Meet with an advisor
Meeting with an advisor to see what your school has to offer for transfer students is one of my best tips to offer. Thankfully you can email, meet on Zoom, call or meet in person with your advisor. This is how I figured out so many things that I forgot happened in a college career like how to map out my schedule for my major, use Canvas (#IloveBlackboard), get my ID, etc. There are so many questions that I bothered my advisor with: “Are there any clubs for transfer students?”, “Are there required credits for transfer students?”, “Where are the best places to study on campus?” They are your advisor and they are there to ADVISE you, so use that to your advantage.
Tip #2: Use social media for your benefit
Start following your new school on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Shortly after some digging through the college feed, you’re bound to find the “Barstool” Instagram account of your school and fall in love. Use professional social media sites such as LinkedIn to connect with people within your specific major or college (mini tip: you see what they are involved in on campus and start making a mental list of clubs). Find out if your school has a Facebook group or Instagram page for your class (you might have to scroll back a bit on the page if you’re anything like me and got your acceptance in mid-August). There are so many ways to connect with current students, alumni and professors through social media.
Tip #3: Introduce yourself in your living space
Living in a dorm is one of the easiest places to meet people. I mean you have 50 neighbors that are all practically your age living on one (very loud) floor. You can go to dorm events, talk to your RA about their tips for you as a transfer student and run from floor to floor to make friends. I live in an apartment and have random roommates, which is something I did not experience during my freshman year. Introducing yourself to them and explaining that you’re a transfer student can end up being a fun conversation because (if they’re anything like my roommates), they can introduce you to all the little nooks and crannies of campus and the school’s surrounding city. One of my favorite parts of my sophomore year transfer experience was meeting the different personalities that I live with as well as my neighbors.
Tip #4: Get involved on campus
One of the most important yet cliche tips you will hear from anyone, including me, is to get involved on campus. I am in four clubs/organizations, and they make big FSU feel a little bit smaller. You are bound to find people you like if you choose clubs or something of the sort that you are genuinely interested in. Clubs, Greek life, volunteering and on-campus jobs are all ways to connect with people of similar interests on campus.
tip #5 Don’t forget that you’re there for that degree
Doing well in your classes is only going to motivate you to make more strides in other areas of your life. Join class group chats, get people in your classes’ phone numbers, go to involvement fairs and talk to your professors. I have made some of my closest friends by getting their numbers because of a group project I was working on. Keeping your eye on the prize (graduation, yay!) is key to success throughout college.
You are truly going to love your college experience if you are surrounded by the right people, places and experiences. Not everyone is a social butterfly and wants to be known by every person in the school, and that’s okay. All these tips that I have used have slowly been done over the past six months and I will continue to use them over the next two years of my college career. Taking time for yourself and checking in on your adjustment is the most important part of the transfer process. I never thought I would be a transfer student, but I have made my own personal transfer process as chaotically perfect as it can be with the help of those five tips.
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