This summer, I went through the college transferring process from Oakland University to Michigan State University. Don’t get me wrong. I loved Oakland, I met great people, I took great classes, I even found myself attending some events, something I didn’t do often in high school. While studying at Oakland, I was working forty hours each week, as well as commuting to classes. I didn’t find much excitement in life at home. Most days were the same—drive to class, work my shift, then go home to do chores. I was also going through a breakup, so I was craving some change.
I applied to Michigan State University on a whim. I mean, I planned on moving out and doing something different with my life eventually, but I never took the step forward to pursue that plan until the night I applied.
I sent in my application and anxiously awaited 37 days for a response. Within that time, a lot of realization had hit me. I would be moving away from home, leaving my job of three years, and saying goodbye to my hometown friends. I knew it would be a heavy and hard change, but I kept reminding myself how necessary it would be.
On May 5th, my close friend and I went to one of the nearby cities to get some errands done. This area is one of the busier cities near us. We went to the mall and got a sugary snack to treat ourselves after our morning workout. This was our norm. Being together more days than not was reality, but a new reality was a summer away when I opened my email on the ride back home. I saw the congratulations and the confetti and gasped as loud as ever, and my friend gave me a hug even though the traffic light was green. From that day, I knew life was about to change.
I held a zoom meeting with my Oakland University advisor asking her about the transferring process. Her response was a lot simpler than I thought it would be. The meeting lasted maybe five minutes and her overall answer was “just don’t enroll in classes in the upcoming semester.” The meeting ended with a good luck from her and that was the last time I reached out to anyone at Oakland University.
I was getting flooded with emails from Michigan State about where to go next, which was probably the most helpful guide I had. Every email told me what to do, where to go, and who to meet with, and that’s what I followed. I made an appointment with my advisor, got my classes set up, and found out where I would be living in East Lansing. The Michigan State Housing site was my best friend for a week. I reached out to a ton of girls who also were looking for roommates, and one stood out to me the most. Her and I applied to our apartment together, talked everyday, and we even met up once. I knew I liked her from the get-go.
I spent the rest of my summer working terrifying hours to save up for my apartment in East Lansing. I had little time for anything else besides making up income for my new life, but that was my motivation: a “new life.” I told my friends and family almost immediately, which led to a summer of “When are you leaving again? We have to see each other before you’re gone.” As odd as this may sound, it wasn’t the response I was expecting. I thought it would be a simple congratulations, but I found myself planning to see loved ones to say goodbye.
Of course, I plan on putting effort to see them again, but when your original plan takes a complete 180, you realize it affects everyone around you as well. My grandmother, who was living with my mother and I, unfortunately had to move out because I was a main source of care for her. My mother works everyday so we knew this option would be the safest for her.
I was so excited for summer to be over. I was excited to quit my job and pack up my things. But of course, when you’re excited for something, time decides to move as slow as possible, and your excitement is prolonged even more. Even though summer went by painfully slow, it eventually came to the point where I was done with my job, my room was packed up and put into a car, and I was on my way to Michigan State University.
About a week and a half later, I moved into my cute little apartment with two other girls who I’m so happy to call my roommates. I’m also incredibly lucky, as one of my closest friends also attends Michigan State. She has been a wonder through my getting-familiar-with-the-area process. I look forward to spending the next few years by her side.
Although I’ve only been here for a limited amount of time, I’ve found myself joining clubs and getting very excited to attend my classes. A majority of them involve my career path which makes me so motivated to take in as much information as I can. It’s been a short amount of time, but I can already tell that I’m going to love it here.
Transferring to Michigan State seems to be the best thing I could have done for myself.