Hello!
I am a freshman at Miami and I am considering transferring to Ohio State though I have some concerns:
I really don’t like the atmosphere of Miami. The kids here are all very alike and I love having a variety of different people perspectives around. I have found some of my best friends here at Miami (which is killing me to think about leaving), but I don’t like to go out and drink all the time and that seems to be all there is to do here…
I am considering Osu, but I am afraid of how big it is and if I will get lost as a transfer student. I have marketed myself well here at Miami and joined a lot of clubs and made a TON of friends and have even been offered an internship.
I obviously don’t want to lose this all, but the atmosphere and likemindedness is REALLY dragging me down. I am also afraid because I am still technically undecided and If I do transfer I would like to go in with a solid plan. I feel super super lost here but I don’t want to feel more lost at Osu.
I will work hard wherever I go, but I want to be in an environment where I can thrive. I’m not sure if that is easier at Miami because of its smaller size so it seems like opportunities are more accessible and tailored, or if Osu would feel the same way.
Should I look elsewhere? small-liberal arts or something?? I’m good with people and make friends easily, I’m just not sure I want to be surrounded by the people that are at my current school.
Hi! I am a current first year student at Ohio State! I can’t make the decision for you, and whether you choose to stay at Miami or go to Ohio State, you’ll end up at a great school. But I’ll try to address some of your concerns regarding the size of the school.
When I first enrolled at tOSU I was nervous about the size too. But the size of the school is part of the reason I love it so much now, because it gives me so many opportunities to get to know people and really find my “niche” here on campus. tOSU’s size also helps prevent that monolithic “everyone thinks the same” issue that you were talking about with Miami. Honestly, I would say that while the size takes getting used to, you will likely adjust and learn to enjoy it
However, I see that you actually have some pretty good relationships and even an internship offer, so I’m kinda hesitant to say “go ahead and transfer!” just because that’s a lot to give up.
I wonder, what kinds of things have you tried to diversify your experience? I have friends at Miami and they had similar thoughts as you at the beginning of the year, but over time they seem to have found a good group of people to who reflect a variety of experiences and ways of thinking about things. Is it possible for you to find other ways to branch out and find people who don’t seem to “all think alike”? Could you try to tough out another semester/year and see if you can become more comfortable on campus?
As for the issue with your major: do you have any inkling of something you may find interesting? What have you done while at Miami to find a possible major? Again, would you be willing to tough it out a little longer in order to develop a solid plan or possibly look at schools outside of tOSU to transfer to? Also, what do your parents have to say? Are they involved in this decision?
As a first year student myself, I don’t have too many experiences to draw on. But I really hope the questions I have asked you will help you to draw your own conclusions and make the best decision for yourself. If you have any specific questions about my experiences here at Ohio State, don’t hesitate to ask!