This article was written by Simone Kiebler
“You owe $175 dollars for WHAT?!” my mom asked me, absolutely appalled. I didn’t know what to do or say, except for tell her, “Look, I am a transfer student.”
Being a transfer student, no one ever told me I got charged $25 dollars every time I called the campus cops for unlocking my door… maybe I would have remembered my key more often, sure.
But this hiccup is just itsy-bitsy example of how many transfer students have a difficult time in more than the anticipated ways.
SOCIAL
The hype for new college freshmen is real. If you didn’t end up going to college with all of them, say goodbye to your friends from high school and hello to college orientation and the hundreds of new faces you will come across there. If you don’t remember anything else the university tried to teach you, like how to use the library, you may remember the friend who sat next to you on the boat outing trip and how you guys are still friends today.
However, if you didn’t get that helpful orientation info at your new school and feel like you don’t have any friends because you weren’t there, here is a little advice for you:
– Do your best to get involved in something
– Go out, but not too much
– Remember that life is more than just college
First of all, maybe you transferred because you hated where you were at or because you didn’t come up with the money to attend your dream school, or maybe because you realized you would be happier at your new or potentially new university. Either way, involvement in activities helps you meet people and just get you out of your room. Find your niche! Don’t settle until you do.
Junior and senior students start getting those questions from everyone that makes it difficult to sleep at night. Questions like, “So, what are you gonna do after college? Did you get any internships yet?” On top of dealing with those questions, you go to make your resume and then some words slip out… “Oh s***.” You realize you don’t have too much to write. Listen, YOU ARE MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER. You’ll figure it out, and hopefully this new school may help you get to where you want to be, if you do your part.
ACADEMICS
“Are all your credits going to transfer in??” my mom asked me when I first mentioned the ambitious idea. Maybe you thought they all would with no problem, but you need to slow down and think again. Here’s some steps to take just to be sure you get your money’s worth and know what you’re are getting into.
– Get all questions answered by the potential university admissions
– Know how or if your credits will be accepted
– Sit in on a class in your potential major
Hold up. If you are still thinking about transferring next semester, that’s great if it’s something you want to do. Don’t let the haters (or your parents) hold you back or discourage you. This is your life; you do you.
Next, paperwork. Check to see if everything will transfer to your new university without any problems. If people said they’d get back to you last week, call them again. You should know what the waters are looking like before your dive in. Check out some real classes in your major if you can as well.
In other words, ask yourself, “Will this affect my graduation date?” and, if it does, “Am I okay with that?” Also, consider summer course options and online work if you really want to get caught up. But don’t sweat it. So I hear, the real world isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be sometimes. (But you can make it be!!!)
THE FUTURE
What are the after thoughts of being a transfer student? You may wonder,
– Did I really make a good choice?
– Could I have gotten a better education or opportunity at my first university?
– Did I mess up my academic career path?
If you are new this semester to your university, or if you have transferred before, you can’t let regrets hold you back. Life is full of them, and maybe it holds you back from just enjoying wherever you are at now. Sure, it’s okay to miss your old friends, but make sure to reach out to make new ones, too.
In regards to your education, depending on your major, it may not really matter where you graduate from anyways in terms of future employment. If you are thinking about transferring again, think twice before you do. No matter how much outside factors change, sometimes we are the ones who need to change first and see the world with different glasses on. Try the rosy-colored ones instead of the dark shades all the time.
Put on your big-kid pants, do something meaningful or something that you enjoy, and you may not have to find friends, they will be doing it right next to you. Good luck!