Thinking About Transferring

Hello! I am a freshman at ND, but I’m honestly not sure if it is the school for me but there’s so many uncertainties right now. For one, it may just be the weather (I come from a very warm, very sunny state) but I’ve been feeling really depressed and down and I regret getting up every morning. I have friends, I like the school, I enjoy the community but it just doesn’t feel right, you know? Since we’re on spring break now, I went and visited some of my friends at the school I was really thinking about going to instead of ND and it just seemed like I “fit” there better. Again, it may be the weather or it may be the cost (I’d be paying a significantly less amount of money to attend the other school) or it may be me, in which case, no transferring would help. I feel like I wanted to go to ND because I’ve been told since I was a kid that it was “the school” and that I would love it there and that it would be perfect for me. I understand that that is an unrealistic expectation, but I just feel worse than I ever thought I would. I’m just really conflicted right now and am looking on ways to evaluate myself and the school and whether I should switch, though even then there’s no guarantee. Sorry for the rant, but thank you.

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Sorry to hear about your experience. PLEASE STAY POSITIVE ABOUT YOURSELF. It is not about you, but about your experience. You probably cannot transfer until the end of next year given deadlines but it sounds like you should actively consider it. Having said that, many Freshmen have a tough year and find by the end of their Sophomore year that things have changed. Notre Dame has a very strong culture that is not for everyone…congratulations for getting admitted and keep up the academic work so that you may have options next year. You have a year to make the final decision here but I would advise you to think about your options.

You may suffer from a condition (SAD–seasonal affective disorder) which causes depression & lethargy due to a lack of sunshine. If so, then you should transfer.

What do you want to study ? Any career goals ?

Are you taking out loans to pay for Notre Dame ?

Which school are you considering ?

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I am considering the University of Florida (which, because I am a Florida residence and did well in high school, basically get tuition few). I am taking out loans currently, but I am getting help from my parents.

It may sound bad, but I am not sure what I want to do as a career path. Currently, I want to go into the psychology/neuroscience field, though I am unsure about what exactly within that field.

I know the likelihood that I will need to go to grad school for either a masters or a PhD is high, so I am also debating on whether it is worth it to spend so much money on undergrad or not.

Since being back home where it is consistently sunny and mid to high eighty degrees, I find I am not as trapped-feeling. Again, I don’t know if it is because of the weather; that is something I am definitely worried about and have considered.

Thank you for replying and the encouragement.

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Have you applied to the University of Florida as a transfer student?

U.Florida is a very good university. Avoiding loans is a good idea. The rest is probably too complex for me to know what would be best.

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Well that is interesting. My daughter just got into Notre Dame and UF. She is so excited about Notre Dame. Our only concern is that she will be sad with the Midwest winters. Our other daughters are doing fine with them. Never a compaint. As a veteran of going to school in the midwest. Everyone says the first winter is tough but then with a good jacket and a lot of friends…life is good. That Notre Dame name stays with you for life. It is a big deal.
She feels so special about getting into ND and what a privilege it is to got there.

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OP: Often those who suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) have low Vitamin D in their system. Ask your physician if it is okay to take a Vitamin D supplement.

Of course, if you are back in sunny Florida, the low vitamin D may not be an issue & may not show up in tests done by your doctor.

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@2017twindad congrats to your daughter! It is not easy to get in. Other posters have made good points. I think what this shows is that no school is perfect or for everyone. I am a sophomore (I guess junior now) and I have friends who are happy, indifferent, and unhappy. Every college will have that. If the OP is having issues with the weather and finding his/her place, there is nothing wrong with that. I hope you daughter has a wonderful experience at ND. One of the things I’m not sure I realized about Notre Dame is how truly unbearable the winters can be. This was a mild winter by SB standards and there were weeks from January until we left in March where I saw the sun 3-4 times in 35 degree weather. That is to say, that might not work for some people. I am not from Florida or a warm state and it still bothers me. I would caution against advising someone to stay because of the “name recognition though.” As a current student, I love that Notre Dame is a great school and the alumni are great, but there are thousands of great schools out there and OP considering going to UFlorida is great too. They have tons of alumni too. Personally, I think happiness should be most important, and even as a current student I think some of my friends should transfer based on how they view the winter and how unhappy some of them seem. I’m not going anywhere but after winter break, the second semester is bleak especially with the weather and without football.

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You might find it helpful to consult a private college counselor to help you weigh all the options.

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