Moving from a small liberal arts school in rural Pennsylvania to a large public school in Connecticut is not for the faint of heart. Quadrupling your class size is definitely an adjustment, but non-mandatory participation and attendance are a bonus! Realizing that a school you once loved the idea of has become somewhere you dread being is hard. This article examines my personal experience at a small liberal arts school, its faults, and my why the University of Connecticut!
My college commitment story is one for the books. I was on a school choir trip in New York City in mid-March, arguably the biggest month of anticipation for a high school senior. Earlier that day, I got rejected from Dickinson while in Times Square, so my day started on a questionable note. Later that night, standing outside of Madame Tussauds, I got the email that changed everything. An acceptance from the university! Luckily, I was standing with an important chaperone on the trip: my guidance counselor! She was elated to hear the news…and my hefty financial aid offer. Ultimately, this was my only option; there was no question about turning down this practically full ride. The next day, I tied the knot with this small liberal arts school while in Carnegie Hall and then watched “The New York Pops: 100 Years of Epic Film Scores.”
Why transfer?
Before I even set foot on campus, I felt uneasy. The repetitive question, “Will I fit in?” was something I thought about at least twice a day leading up to move in. The first warning signal was my room assignment: a single! While I was over the moon when I first heard about it, it significantly affected my first-year experience. A fundamental part of college is meeting, surviving, and figuring out college with your first-year roommate. While some people have horror stories about their first college roommate, and others meet their lifelong best friend, I have neither. Unfortunately, I missed that experience due to a required random room assignment. To say that the first month of college was the loneliest I’ve ever been is an understatement. Coming from a friend group that was constantly together and so codependent on one another, being by myself all of the time was extremely overwhelming and depressing.
The second warning signal: meeting people! As a relatively outgoing person, that should be easy, right? No! Extremely difficult. Most people found my relatively high voice and almost too-bubbly personality to be a turn-off. Odd characteristics to dislike in a person. Everyone at this school was so extremely normal. The best way to describe this type of normal is so normal it becomes weird. I found this trait to be extremely intimidating, further dampening my efforts to meet people.
Leading to my third point: lack of diversity! Everyone was so alike, minus a few exceptions. It felt like everywhere I walked, I was looking at 3,000 clones: predominantly white, blonde, and wearing Barbour jackets. There’s nothing wrong with any of these traits; it’s just a lot to take in when it’s all you see for five months. Coming home was definitely a breath of fresh air.
Finally, my last signal: the going-out scene! It was quite fun, but it was the only thing to do. It frazzled me that people could go out multiple times a week and still keep up with their schoolwork. This school was academically rigorous, which I loved, but I could never understand how people balanced these drastically different cultures of life. Loneliness, a lack of diversity, and the lifestyle differences influenced my decision to transfer.
Why Uconn?
My why UConn! Coming from a graduating class of 43, I never thought I could handle such a large public university. UConn was always in the back of my mind; it was my first choice before I committed to my original university. When I decided to transfer, I knew it was where I wanted to go: close enough to home, much more diverse, and with a lot of spirit and amazing programs. Adjusting to big lectures, fewer relationships with professors, and waiting in lines for dinner has been a bit overwhelming. However, I feel like I’m experiencing college for the first time. Having a friend as my roommate has made my transition much smoother as well and made my day-to-day anxiety about college a bit less prominent. I’ve also found a sense of belonging by rushing Delta Zeta and joining Her Campus. These groups have introduced me to some of the most genuine and sweet girls that I have ever met. It feels like I now have 300 new friends!
I want to become a teacher, and I’m so grateful that UConn has such an amazing education program. Finally realizing I want to teach elementary school was a big wake up call, and another reason I transferred. UConn’s ability to offer a two-in-one bachelor’s and master’s is a dream come true! Another big selling point of UConn is that it’s closer to home! I’ve already been home…twice! I constantly suffer from homesickness, missing both my bulldog, Rosie, and my mom. The hour drive is a blessing in disguise. A perfect distance: I’m far enough away, but close enough to go home whenever I need to. College isn’t so bad now, and I am so grateful I get to call UConn home.