When I found out at the end of my senior year of high school that I didn't get into my dream college, I was devastated.

I was lost because I had basically planned my entire college experience around going to this specific school. I was sad that I had to settle for my back up school, which don't get me wrong, it's a great school, but it was never where I wanted to go.

My freshman year of college was hard. I tried to force myself to love a school that I didn't. I tried to feel at home in a place I didn't appreciate. After a semester and a half of trying to stick it out at this school, which gave me some good times, but mostly disappointment, I decided to apply again to the school where I thought I belonged (Fun fact: I actually started the application three days before it was due).

It was very spur of the moment, my application definitely wasn't as great as it could've been, so I was convinced that I was going to get denied again. It was my last day of my freshman year, just before my last exam, when I was shocked to find out that I was finally going to be able to go the college I always wanted to!

I was ecstatic. I finally thought that I was going to be truly happy. I thought I was finally going to be in a place where I felt like I belonged. Little did I know that going to my dream school would not be all rainbows and sunshine like I thought.

1. The first year after transferring schools is like freshman year all over again

I even had to go to another orientation (which let's be real, everybody hates). I had to go through the awkward phase of not knowing what the hell was going on during the first week of classes, just like all the other freshman. This is a bit easier to handle freshman year because you're surrounded by thousands of other kids who don't know what they're doing either. But being a sophomore meant learning the ropes of a new school on my own. It was pretty tough trying to figure everything out by myself. I didn't use the bus system for the first entire month because I was so confused by the whole process (but holy crap am I glad I finally figured it out because walking 20 minutes to class every day was killing me). It's been about two months since school started, and I basically know how things work around here. There's a whole part of campus that I've never been to, but I'll deal with figuring that out when the time comes.

2. Wow, making friends is hard

For introverted, awkward people like me, we already have a hard time making friends. This was even a struggle my freshman year. It wasn't until the last few months of my first year of college that I formed a few really good friendships.

However, these first few months at my new school have made me realize just how many acquaintances and friends I actually did have my freshman year, because I have almost none here. It's so easy to make friends and acquaintances your freshman year because everyone else is looking for friends too. You get close with the people who live in your residence hall, you become BFFs with your roommate, you talk to people in your classes, you meet new people in clubs and organizations.

All of the people in my year of college have already been through this new friend process last year, so they aren't really looking for new friends, which leaves me and other transfer students pretty darn alone. It really does feel like being the new kid in elementary school, except there are 15,000 students instead of the 20 kids in your classroom. It's crazy how alone you can feel being surrounded by thousands of other people.

Basically, the only "friends" I've made at my new school are my roommates (and they barely count because I'm forced to be their friend) and a few people I've met on tinder (and actually, they probably shouldn't count either). Thankfully this new school is pretty close to my home, so I keep in touch with a lot of my high school friends (shout out to you guys, you all rock).

3. I always have to explain to every person I meet that I'm a transfer student

It's incredibly annoying to have to explain this to every person I encounter. Sometimes I'll try to have a conversation with a new person that goes to my school without bringing up the fact that I'm a transfer, but when I tell them I'm a sophomore, they expect me to know all this information about the school, and then I have to explain that I'm completely clueless because I just transferred here.

The worst part, however, is when people ask me why I transferred here. Sometimes I just lie and say that I transferred because my old school just wasn't for me (which technically isn't a lie, but it's definitely not the entire truth). But most of the time I admit that I'm a transfer student because I didn't get in as a freshman.

Usually, that's where that conversation ends, along with some awkward silence because what are you supposed to say in response to that? "Congratulations, you sucked before but now you're finally good enough!"

I will say that there is one benefit that can come from having to tell people that I'm a transfer student. If I'm really desperate for some sympathy from professors, whether that be so I can get into a certain class or have an extension on an assignment, pulling the transfer card on them usually worked the first couple of weeks. Everybody loves a good underdog.

4. Sometimes the feeling that I don't belong is overwhelming

This struggle is probably the one that has hit me the hardest. On the days when I'm feeling really low, it's hard to keep the negative thoughts out of my head. The thought that maybe I wasn't meant to go here, maybe there was a reason I didn't get accepted the first time.

I feel like I'm not good enough, because I was denied the first time, and so many other people like me were accepted. It's a feeling that will probably linger in the back of my mind until the day I graduate, but with time, I know it will get better.

Although this article is pretty much about all the negative things that I've experienced as a transfer student, I don't regret it. There are some days where think it would've been easier to stay at my first school, which is probably right. It would've been easier to stay, but in the long run, I would've regretted it.

Ten years from now when I look back on my decision to transfer, I will have no regrets, I am sure. College is hard, no matter where you go, what you do, or how you got there. And for us transfer students, it can be a little harder for a little longer. But at the end of the day when I have my degree, on no part of my diploma will it say, "She was a transfer student."

I deserve to be at this school, just like everyone who got accepted as a freshman. I made it here too. I went through the college application process TWICE, so I can basically conquer anything!