When I decided to transfer from Indiana University to the University of Texas, I thought I was mostly leaving a school behind. I didn’t realize I was leaving behind an entire life that I had built.
IU was where I made my first college friends, joined a capella, got involved in different organizations and slowly figured out who I was becoming. I had favorite places to eat, people I could text when I just wanted to hang out and do crazy side quests, and routines that made Bloomington feel like home. Even though I knew transferring was the right decision for me, leaving all of that behind was harder than I expected.
Coming to UT was supposed to feel somewhat familiar. I grew up in Plano, TX, and I already knew people from high school who went to UT. Austin wasn’t completely new to me, and I wasn’t walking onto a campus knowing absolutely no one. But somehow, I still felt lonely.
The strange thing about transferring is that you can know people without actually having your people. I walk around campus and see groups of friends who clearly had inside jokes, traditions, and memories from freshman year. I knew I couldn’t expect to have everything immediately, but it was hard not to wonder where I fit into everything. At IU, I had already done the awkward part. I had built my friendships, found my communities and established a routine. At UT, it was back to square one. What surprised me the most was that I wasn’t starting college for the first time, but I was starting all over in a lot of ways. I’ve made a list of things that have helped me navigate this journey these past few weeks!
Here are the things I wish I knew before transferring:
- Start figuring out your credits early.
Don’t wait until registration day to figure out what transferred. Look at your degree plan and audit, major requirements, and remaining credits as soon as possible. Try and see if you can knock any credits out during the summer or winter semesters!
- Find your people through smaller communities.
At a huge university, trying to meet people everywhere can feel overwhelming. Clubs, smaller organizations, classes, and recurring activities make it easier to actually see the same people consistently.
- Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself first and put yourself out there.
As a transfer, you can’t always rely on the natural friendships that happen during freshman year. Saying hi to the person next to you in class or asking someone to grab food can actually go a long way.
- Go to events even if you don’t know anyone.
The first time you go somewhere alone, it’ll probably feel awkward. Go anyway. You don’t need to stay for three hours or become best friends with someone that night. Just showing up gives you opportunities to learn so many new things.
- Keep your old friendships.
Transferring doesn’t mean you have to completely move on from your old college friends. Text them, call them, and visit when you can. You can 100% build new friendships without abandoning old ones.
- Don’t try to join everything at once.
When you’re trying to find your place, it’s tempting to sign up for every organization, club, and event. Give yourself time to figure out what you actually enjoy instead of recreating an entire college experience overnight.
- Learn your new campus beyond classes.
Find your favorite study spot, coffee shop, gym, dining hall or place to hang out between classes. Those little routines can make an unfamiliar campus start feeling like yours.
- Use your classes as an opportunity to meet new people.
Especially if you’re taking courses with other students in your major, introduce yourself, form study groups, or ask someone if they want to grab food after class. You already have something in common.
- Don’t compare your social life to what you see around you.
Someone having a huge friend group doesn’t mean you’re doing college wrong. Everyone’s timeline is different, especially when you transferred after everyone else had already started theirs.
- Give yourself a semester to adjust.
You don’t need to decide within the first few weeks whether you’ve “found your place.” Let yourself experience the school before judging how well you fit into it. Of course, this feeling is never easy, but time is truly going to help your judgement.
Ultimately, transferring taught me that starting over doesn’t mean leaving everything behind. The experiences, friendships and lessons I gained at IU still shaped the person I am today, and I always try to remind myself that I am here for a reason. The new experiences I will encounter will help me grow in many different ways. If you’re thinking about transferring or even reading this as a freshman who is new to a school, give yourself time, and make sure to put yourself out there. It may take time to find your people, but eventually, a new place can start to feel like home.