Hi everyone just looking for some advice or personal experience from other people that could help me with a situation I’m going through. I was attending a university in my hometown but decided I wanted to try something new, to branch out and get out of my comfort zone. I was content at my hometown school, but felt I’d be happier at a bigger school in a rural area in my home state with a reputation for having a fun, exciting social life. I transferred as a junior, and one semester into this new experience I absolutely hate it. I find myself missing my old school, my hometown, and the friends and family I have there. I hardly know anybody at my new college, and I know I’m only two months into it, but I’m miserable, and I’ve never been a miserable or sad or unhappy person before. My mood is changing and the days just seem to drag on and it’s a struggle to focus on my classes. Sometimes I have sleepless nights, and then other days I can’t sleep enough. I want to transfer back to my old college because I know that I was happy there. Not necessarily because of the school, but because of the social and family ties I had there. I find myself making the hour and a half drive home almost every weekend, and when I’m back home all those negative feelings go away as I hang out with family or friends from childhood or high school. I don’t know if this is just me being immature though. I kind of feel like a child for feeling like I need to rely on those things to be successful and happy, but I also worry that if I stick it out at this new university much longer I’ll go insane or spiral into some deep depression. My grades are fine by the way, slightly lower than usual for me, and both schools have pretty similar reputations. I guess I made this post for two reasons. Firstly to get these things off my chest and to see if anyone else has experienced a similar situation where they transferred away from one school only to realize it was a terrible mistake and go back to their original school. Secondly, I want the advice of people outside my family and social circle, as they just say they’ll support me no matter what I decide. So what do you guys think? Stick it out and maybe something good will come, or go back, admit that my experiment failed, and go to a college where I know I’ll be happy and supported by loved ones? Thanks and sorry for the length
Junior transfer is tough. If you had transferred because you thought there was a huge advantage academically I would say - try for a while longer. But you didn’t - you transferred for a lark and to push your comfort zone and you’re miserable. Go back, enjoy your second semester junior year, be with your buddies for senior year and push your comfort zone when all of you are looking for jobs. Seriously, life is short and you can absolutely make the choice that makes you happy just because it makes you happy.
Btw - I transferred in my Junior year from a small LAC to a large state school and had the time of my life. I missed my friends but I was more than ready for the change. If I had been miserable the way you describe yourself I would have totally gone back.
The only concern I have is that I’m a junior right now so I’d be transferring back with only a few semesters to go, and I don’t know if the credits will transfer like I hope they will. When I transferred the first time the credits were transferred fine, but you never know
A few semesters is a year and a half of your life. Plenty of people take a semester abroad or do an exchange program - just keep your grades up at your current school and you’ll be fine. If you call your old school and explain you feel you made a mistake in transferring they might just reactivate your student status and accept the courses you are in now for credit if you were an exchange student at Big State U.