Last week marked National Transfer Student Week, a time that Temple spent celebrating the vibrant transfer community here. After all, as the Temple News reported, transfer students have made up almost one-third of incoming students for the last five years. And nationally, transfers make up 38 percent of the total students in higher education, according to the New York Times.
While transferring itself is an achievement, it’s also a challenge. Transfers coming from a community college in the suburbs or a rural area may have difficulty adjusting to university life in the big city. There’s also a good chance that if you’re a transfer, you’re probably commuting for the first year or even the entirety of your time as an owl– and not being on campus can create a disconnect from campus life. Additionally, a majority of transfers are older students who may have a harder time relating to their peers.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways for transfers to connect with campus life in order to get the most out of their college experience:
FIND YOUR FELLOW TRANSFERS ON FACEBOOK:
From questions about professors and classes to ending that commuter life to finding folks who’d like to hang out on campus, The Temple Transfers Facebook group is the quickest way to connect with folks in the same boat. With 8,899 members and event reminders, you’re bound to snag a friend or some new knowledge!
GET A MENTOR:
Having a mentor is an awesome way to get guidance directly from someone with experience in what you want to know. The Transfer Mentor Program, run by the Orientation, New Student & Family Programs department, connects you with a fellow transfer student– known as a Transfer Ambassador– whose job is to “help you find your place here on campus.” As part of the program, you’ll have meetings one-on-one and with other transfers.
TAKE TRANSFER SEMINAR:
Maybe you’re floundering through your first semester, or maybe you need extra credit to graduate. With spring registration coming up soon, consider signing up for University Seminar 2002, Transfer Seminar: Planning for Success. Not only do you get introduced to fellow transfers, but you’ll be working on professional development and degree exploration, and learning about all the campus resources available to you.
JOIN A STUDENT CLUB:
For anyone at Temple, clubs are always a great way to build a community. Whether you find a club related to your major or one that helps you celebrate a hobby, finding like-minded folks is a surefire way to build friendships that help you bloom where you’re planted.
Being a transfer student can be a trial, but it can also be a triumph. So study hard, but make sure to find your community, too!