Meet Jamie Taylor and Christina Hyland, two sophomore education majors who recently transferred to TCNJ during the fall semester. They had no idea who each other was, but they both ended up becoming sisters of Theta Phi Alpha, which is where I had the opportunity to get to know them. During dinner one night, a few of my friends and I started talking about our experiences at TCNJ and what freshman year was like for all of us. Jamie and Christina started talking about their previous schools and I honestly had no idea that they had transferred to TCNJ this year. They were already so much more involved than I was during my first year at school and it was inspiring to hear them talk about all the things they had began to accomplish.
Before starting at TCNJ, Jamie and Christina both knew they wanted to be involved on campus. Jamie felt like she made the mistake of not getting involved at her old school and, she, “wanted to be sure to not make that mistake again.” When she arrived on campus she took advantage of all the resources TCNJ has regarding involvement. Christina was nervous about meeting new people and also wanted to focus on being involved in organizations that were geared towards her major, Special Education. She immediately joined the CCS program where she became a lab mentor and member of Best Buddies.
They both also stumbled upon Greek Life and all the opportunities it could offer them. When fall recruitment came around, they decided to rush and join an organization on campus. Joining Greek Life allowed Jamie to have, “… nearly 100 friends, sisters, and supporters to help me with my transition to TCNJ.” Christina agreed and added how it was great to be able to have so many events to attend all over campus. From community service events, to dinners, and even sports events, Christina always knew there would be something to do with the group of people that was there to support her.
Jamie and Christina have an extremely positive outlook on their transfer experience and feel that the transfer program at TCNJ gave them a great advantage on their first semester. When asked what advice they had for transfer students, Jamie wanted people to know that transferring to a school is a big step, but if you are positive about the journey you will see how worth it it truly is. Christina agreed, and added the fact that joining as many clubs as possible and just putting yourself out there will help. It may not be the easiest thing at first, but over time you will become more comfortable and feel that strong sense of community that TCNJ has.
Jamie also has been known to call herself, “…the loudest and proudest transfer ever,” and I can honestly tell you that it is very true. Both her and Christina have showed me so much about dedication and confidence. They both entered this school a year later than most of their classmates, but both seem to have a great handle on their lives here at TCNJ. With focus like this, the saying ‘anything is possible’ becomes increasingly true, and I firmly believe that at TCNJ there are endless possibilities for success. These two have truly inspired me in the short time that I have known them, and I hope they can inspire you too!