You asked:

My first semester has been pretty rough, and I’m beginning to think this school might not be right for me. Should I consider a transfer?

For the initial month or so of my first semester, I had myself convinced I didn’t belong. I hadn’t made friends, classes were tough and I was sure I wasn’t smart enough to be there. I thought once or twice about leaving. But the five semesters I’ve experienced since that first one have been a blast! I made a conscious decision not to give up so easily, and eventually I made some friends and realized I was doing well in classes. I can’t tell you whether or not you’ve chosen the right school -- that’s ultimately up to you -- but one semester is probably not enough to determine if you’re in the right place. Moving to an unfamiliar and challenging setting is difficult to say the least, so if you weren’t feeling a little uneasy it would be pretty surprising. You may have to be a little more proactive in the search for your comfort zone by aggressively seeking out people you want to be around. Sign up for campus activities and talk to students in your classes. It won’t hurt to start tracking down some transfer forms if that’ll make you feel better, but don’t bail without really trying to acclimate to your new school. Ask the R.A. Next Ask the R.A. Ask the R.A. Archive

TALK IT UP

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