Since being a transfer student, my life looks almost nothing like it did 7 months ago. I have personally changed a lot within these months at USF as well. I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone of a small town to a big university. My first article for Her Campus features my struggles with settling into university life. Now, my first year here is coming to a close. I decided to give a rundown of everything I have experienced and learned throughout these two semesters!
social life
One main lesson I learned is that you don’t have to be best friends with everyone. As a transfer student, you may feel pressured to be close friends with every member of pre-established friend groups. But, you don’t always click with every person you meet and you don’t have to. You should put more effort into hanging out with people you genuinely want to be around.
It’s okay to set boundaries, outgrow friends, and have falling outs if they’re needed. Be open to meeting and hanging out with all different types of people, not just your friends. Also, look for other transfer students to befriend. The majority of my closest friends on campus are transfer students due to our shared experiences.
education
It’s important to have good time management as a student. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way within these past months. As an English major, I am constantly reading and writing. These assignments take at least one hour to finish. So, making sure to compartmentalize time for certain assignments and routines is necessary.
It is also important to trust your intelligence. A lot of my classes are discussion-based. I witness firsthand how smart my peers are every day. Instead of being intimidated by this, be inspired. Listen to everyone and trust that you are where you are meant to be. Don’t be afraid to join in discussions and ask questions during class. Also, use all the resources that USF provides. My favorite resources I’ve used this year were the writing studio, databases, and office hours with professors.
USF TIPS
Firstly, try all the food places on campus whenever you can. Restaurants on campus like the Top of Palms and Naga Tea are underrated in my opinion. I was surprised to hear many students never visit these places. Secondly, I suggest spending a free day riding the Bull Runner around and seeing the different spots on campus. This makes it a lot easier to memorize and understand the layout of campus. Try to attend club meetings you may not be familiar with. One of my favorite moments from spring semester was when I went to the Occult Club ghost hunting meeting. Everyone was so welcoming and I had a fun time.
Make sure to mainly bring summer and spring clothes for the fall semester. Then, during spring semester, bring some of your heavier clothing, but only a limited amount since they will still be barely used. Lastly, USF has free transportation for football games that students can use at the MSC. But, you want to go on the earliest buses for tailgating due to traffic.
PERSONAL GROWTH
One thing I’m grateful for is that I’ve made my younger self proud within these 7 months. During high school, I struggled in my personal life to the point that I thought I would never survive university. But now, I’ve finished my first year here and have even joined Her Campus. I have gotten used to walking long distances compared to my small town, which is mainly driving-heavy.
I finally started setting boundaries and stopped hiding away from confrontation.I stayed dedicated to my classwork and extracurricular activities, even when I was sick all of January. However, I still balanced my mental health while allowing mental breaks when needed. All these things felt impossible to do when I was 16 years old. I still have more growing to do as an individual. But, these 7 months have challenged me in ways that have made me a stronger student and person. Go Bulls!