<p>3 years ago, I was in your shoes during my freshman year. I hated my school because it was too small, I did not fit in, I could not find the intellectual stimulus that I was expecting . I was like a good orange, in a basket of rotten orange. Dont get me wrong, we had some bright kids at my school, but, they were a minority. </p>
<p>The academic dean cut my program of study at the end of my sophomore year, so I had to switch major, and basically started over because:</p>
<p>1- The chore classes of my original major wouldnt transfer to the new major
2- My major required more classes than the previous one</p>
<p>I hated the school more than ever; however, I did not transfer because: </p>
<p>1- of Financial reasons.
2- I had no guarantee that I would receive enough financial aid at another school </p>
<p>My parents advised me to stick it out because it wouldnt have been wise to drop out. </p>
<p>1- My school gives me 2 academic scholarships that will allow me to graduate debt free. I know that some schools do not give too much aid to transfer students. So if you are also at your school on a full scholarship, think about the pleasure of not having to worry about paying loans etc… ( which you will maybe have to do if you transfer) </p>
<p>2- You said that you dont have that many friends. Listen, friendship is a matter of quality, not quantity. In the coming months, new people might come to your life and you might make new friends, few friends, but quality friends. </p>
<p>Let me tell you OP, for the past three years, my experience was as miserable as yours (if not worse); staying at the school was a really bad choice because it drastically affected my grades. The impact on my grade was something that I could control if I didnt let my disdain for the school push me to blindly self-sabotage my academic performance.</p>
<p>If you choose to stay at Howard, dont make the same mistake as me.</p>
<p>A lot of people will not understand how unhappiness can affect a students grade. Do your best in school because when you start applying for internships and entry level jobs, most companies will ask for a copy of your transcript and for your GPA ( major + cumulative). As a bright kid, you will want to work for the best companies, the ones that will provide you with enough challenge and resources to keep your brain alive. It will be difficult to get that without good grades. So, if you stay at Howard, brush off the stereotypical idea of college as a place to have fun. You come to college to earn a degree, with blood and sweat, whether it is fun or not, what matter the most is that you get out of that school with a degree.** Stay focus!**</p>
<p>1- Enjoy the peck and be grateful for what Howard is offering you. Do not feel entitled to anything, simply because you are a bright kid. I used to think the same and I paid it dearly.</p>
<p>2- The people at your school sincerely want you to succeed, so show them that you appreciate all the resources that they have put at your disposition. </p>
<p>3- Dont ever make your unhappiness at Howard a personal issue with the faculty and the staffs. </p>
<p>Despite my many years of unhappiness at my school, I have grown to appreciate my painful college experience because it is teaching me about priorities, humility, and determination.</p>
<p>I came to my school as a scholar, I have lost that status on paper, but, the folks here have confidence in my intelligence. I am back to my A game at being a successful student because my school setting no longer bother me since: </p>
<p>1- I have accepted that there are things I will not be able to change in life and things will not always be the way I want them</p>
<p>2- I will not always get what I think I deserve ( e.g you are bright but you might not get to live in an environment that will nurture and challenge your intelligence)</p>
<p>3- When all the things from # 1 until # 3 happen, I acknowledge them, and then move on with my lives. </p>
<p>Do I regret staying here? Yeah, from time to time, a little regretful thought come to my mind, but I cant turn the clock back. But in your case, you can avoid some of the mistakes that I made, so dont put yourself in a position that you will regret in life. </p>
<p>I am a senior now, I still don’t like my university, but I can tolerate it. I believe that my perception of the college experience was heavily influenced by the typical rumors that portray college as a place to have fun. College is not necessary a place to have fun. You cannot live your college life on people’s definition of the college experience. College is meant to be a learning experience. It can be painful or joyful ride. No matter how you go through it, make sure you stay on top of the game: earn your degree with top grades.</p>
<p>Good luck figuring out what you want to do.</p>