{"id":45,"date":"2020-02-14T16:06:01","date_gmt":"2020-02-14T21:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/omatalks\/?p=45"},"modified":"2020-02-21T12:28:05","modified_gmt":"2020-02-21T17:28:05","slug":"transfer-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/omatalks\/2020\/02\/14\/transfer-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Transfer Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I remember sitting in chemistry lecture, confused out\nof my mind and unable to pay attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The words of the lecturer would fall on deaf ears, as\nconcepts such as Pauli\u2019s exclusion principle and torsional strain were\nexplained, the material getting harder as the weeks went on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, as transfer students we find ourselves lost in the middle of our college careers due to circumstances beyond our control. Thoughts like, \u201cDid I choose the right major? Did I choose the right college?\u201d or simple questions like, \u201cWhere is my advisor’s office located? Isn\u2019t it too late for me to be questioning taking this class now?\u201d can haunt our minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m glad to say, I\u2019m not in that dark place anymore, or else I wouldn\u2019t be writing this. My name is Rabia Haider and I am a junior majoring in\nNutritional Science. I transferred in Fall of 2018 from community college and\nmy transfer process was as most transfer students would describe it; confusing.\nI was registered for classes, but coming from a small community college, I had\ndifficulty locating the UCAPS office to make my I.D. Little did I know that I\nneeded to cross the bridge to actually find the big glass building that all the\norientation leaders were talking about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The campus can seem big and scary at first, especially when you go from a small college to a big public university. Being a transfer makes it worse because most students are already acclimated to the environment, and one can feel intimidated asking questions that most people already know the answer to. There are many differences when it comes to my previous college and being in university now, but for me, the biggest changes were navigating campus, feeling connected to the new place that was basically a second home, and keeping up with my classes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came to know that almost 50% of the student body is\nmade up of transfer students, and often it can be challenging integrating into\nthe environment but know that you\u2019re not alone. By talking to other people and\nexploring my major, I met a solid group of friends that also went through the\ntransfer process and we\u2019re able to share that experience and how we grew from\nit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for any tips I might have for other incoming or current transfers, I\u2019d say that no question is a bad question. You are your own biggest advocate and it might be intimidating at first to seek out help, but if you\u2019re curious about something, ask the questions and you will find people with the answers. Second, I really do encourage connecting with the campus. I know that often transfer students are busy juggling two jobs, a family, or other commitments, but the connection to campus makes the college experience that much better. Don\u2019t be afraid to go out, join a club, ask about any internship opportunities, or volunteer in the community. I promise you won\u2019t regret it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n