<p>I know this isn't a new topic on this forum, but I've wrestled with transfering from my well-known, rather prestigious university to an inferior school since Thanksgiving. I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences? </p>
<p>I'm a freshman girl at UNC, living on campus and still trying my best to get adjusted. I expected to come to UNC and meet tons of people like me who came here with no friends and were looking to make new ones. Oh, how very wrong I was. </p>
<p>It turns out, most of the frosh I met during the first couple of weeks, when we were supposed to be making friends, came from big high schools in NC and already had a circle of friends here. I tried to make friends with some of these people but they mostly stick to their own groups. It's impossible to find things in common when all they talk about are people from high school! I'm shy but not unfriendly. I am not a party pooper. I love to have a good time, drink, etc. Yet, I find myself in my room alone on Saturday nights. I have made no connections.</p>
<p>As a result, I've been going home 3 hours away or staying at other schools about evey other weekend since the end of October. I'm considering transferring to Appalachian State (I know, HOT HOT HOT) where most of my friends are. My main concern is, will I have a much harder time getting into a professional schoool? I know AppState is not as good of a university and I want to go to optometry school directly after I graduate. My grades are decent here but everyone who knows me says my personality has turned to dust since I've been in college. I think I'm even suffering a little depression!</p>
<p>If anyone has any stories to tell, or advice, or even constructive criticism, that would be great. Unhelpful or just plain nasty comments, not so great. Thanks!</p>
<p>first stop going home and away on weekends. give UNC a complete new chance now. start joining activities and get involved in campus life as soon as you can.</p>
<p>but also don't stick with a school just because it's more prestigious if you absolutely hate it. make sure you get all the transfer applications done so you can still do that.</p>
<p>So I guess what I'm saying is, give your current school a little longer, but if it doesn't get better don't stay if you completely hate it.</p>
<p>If you're depressed because you hate your school, your grades are going to suffer and you're just going to have a miserable time in general, which will probably prevent you from getting into a professional school regardless of what name is on your degree. Incidentally, I have a friend who went to Appalachian and he had a much better time than I'm having...I also ran into the problem that everyone already knew everyone else when they got to school. Hanging out with your roommate and 6 of her old high school friends is not exactly a big bucket of fun. </p>
<p>I thought about transferring several times, but the problem was that I would start thinking I really did like the school after all about mid-winter or so, and then I would decide no, I actually didn't like it and wanted to transfer around May, meaning that I always missed the transfer application deadlines and I would have always had to wait out another entire year if I wanted to transfer. Eventually I got far enough along that I decided it wasn't worth it to add on an extra year just to transfer, so now I'm just sort of here, counting down the days until I get to leave. You want to avoid that experience if at all possible. ;)</p>
<p>haha, Surfalicious, I actually considered Elon but opted for UNC because of the tuition thing! Turns out I got no scholarship money from UNC and probably would have faired better at Elon but whatever...</p>
<p>BlahDeBlah, I did the same "hate it one week, love it the next" thing last semester, so I know what you mean! And, I guess they call ASU "Happy Appy" for a reason!</p>
<p>I think I'm just learning that the big universtiy life might not be for me. Thanks for all of your responses! You guys are awesome!</p>
<p>I agree with everyone that says to do your transfer apps, but finish out the year and see where it goes, putting 100% into it. A lot of people say freshman year is tough.</p>
<p>I'm going to my state uni next year. Does everyone really stick with the same people they did in HS? I don't have any friends from my HS going to my state uni. What a drag...</p>
<p>Tahi, i feel what you feel and I don't drink, so I have it worse. Want more, I was a midyear transfer from out of state. Even more? I am an international student.</p>
<p>Tahi, have your joined any clubs on campus? UNC is supposed to be a terrific school. Certainly, there has to be some people around that you can hang out with... Does the campus have any special interest groups? How about religious denomination clubs? You don't have to be a holy roller, but sometimes being with people whose belief system you respect can be an ice-breaker and you get to meet more people....I wouldn't give up on UNC. Freshman yr is probably the roughest - lots of adjusting going on... Can you move to another dorm?</p>
<p>groovinhard, I dont know how your state uni does admissions but apparently at UNC about 80% of freshmen must be NC residents. It appears that they admit according to the population of each county so a lot of people come from the big counties and few from the smaller ones (I'm one of two from my county this year). The two girls in my suite who are actually social are from two of the biggest cities in the state, Durham and Charlotte and they mainly stick to people they knew in high school. So yeah, because of the big proportion of freshmen coming from the same schools you get that high school feel. Not to say there aren't people who are starting fresh. They're just hard to find in such a big school. </p>
<p>Hey, fromdistantstar! That's cool! What do you think about UNC?</p>
<p>As for joining clubs, etc. I've joined a few clubs and participated but not much has come of it. I don't enjoy religious groups very much so I haven't tried one of those. I really don't want to give up on UNC. It's a great opportunity! I'm just starting to get pretty frustrated with everything.</p>
<p>a couple of people from my high school go to unc every once in a while (i live in jersey). one girl there graduated from my hs last year and from what ive heard, she loves it and is having the time of her life. maybe the trick is to find out of state people, becasue there are so few of them they wont know anyone else. my good friend who is a senior like me is also considering it, give it some more time because its only been one semester. there could be tons of people out ther efor you to meet, whereas if you transfer right now, you will just stay friends with your same friends from hs. which isnt bad because everyone wants to but its good to meet new people and experience other htings</p>
<p>Give it a bit longer! I was feeling the same way as you are this time last year, and only a few weeks from now was when I met nearly all the friends I have now. Try getting to know someone better that you only know casually. Join a club or do something you wouldn't normally think about doing. I am by far the clumsiest person amongst my friends, but a girl I met in a class invited me to go swing dancing with her and it quite literally has changed my life (mostly for the better). I never thought that I would ever be a dancer, but swing is almost my life now. </p>
<p>I go to a state school also (auburn) and I only know a few people from my hs that go/went here, none I was really that good of friends with, so I had to learn to deal without any friends from HS around. I think it's a good experience for people to get out of their comfort boxes. It's hard at first when the people in your dorm are less than welcoming, but eventually you will find your niche somewhere. Join SGA, college dems or republicans (or libertarians, for that matter), a program council, the residence hall association, a religious organization, whatever your thing is. Or even something that's NOT your thing, just something that you think you might even be remotely interested in.... college is a time to experiment and try new things.</p>
<p>This is tough. Ultimately, it probably won't affect you getting into professional school. Bad grades will. I'd say lead make sure AppState is the school for you by looking at some of their reviews. I don't think it's the greatest idea to transfer to a school where all your friends are, but I do know that it can be immensely difficult to try and focus and do well when you're generally bored and lonely.</p>