I remember when I decided to switch schools for the first time. I was hesitant for a while to actually transfer schools. Do I really want to leave a school that I am for the most part comfortable with? Is it worth starting over all over again? Even after I officially decided to begin the transfer process, I was constantly fearful of making the wrong choice.

Every transfer student’s experience is different. Some may be leaving a community college and transferring to their dream school. Others may be leaving their university to have a fresh start somewhere else. I personally never planned on transferring schools. However, if there is one thing I have learned, it’s that life is never what you expect.

I transferred from a small private university to an even smaller private university. Here are some commonalities that every transfer student may face during the transfer process.

1. Waiting to hear back

This was my least favorite part of the entire process. I remember having to wait to hopefully get my acceptance letter. During this time, everyone else at my old school was choosing their classes and housing for next year. Fear of the unknown was constantly on my mind. Honestly, my advice for any student transferring is to trust that what is meant to happen will happen. Everything happens for a reason. Waiting isn’t ideal for anyone, but the outcome could completely change your life.

2. Starting over again

Not everyone may share this experience, but I definitely felt like I was re-living my freshman year during the first few weeks. My school specifically grouped the transfer orientation with the freshman orientation. To be honest, I hardly even went to the orientation for this reason. This wasn’t my first year at college, and I didn’t want to feel that way. Transferring schools causes you to be much more independent. You are an adult, and are expected to act like one. I found to really like this independence. If I wanted to get involved, meet people, and be apart of the school culture then I had to make that effort.

3. Constantly answering, “Why did you decide to transfer?”

I feel like every transfer student can relate, when I say you have a memorized answer for this question. People would ask me all the time why I decided to transfer. After a while I developed a well thought out and concise answer that I repeated (and still repeat) over and over.

4. When the risk pays off

This was the greatest rewards from transferring schools. I was so afraid of making the wrong choice. The fear of starting all over almost stopped me from going through with the process. I am so glad it didn’t. After finishing my first year at my new school, I can honestly say that I am so glad I took the risk. My year has been filled with a lot of ups and downs, but I couldn’t imagine not being at this school. I have made some of my best friends here, and am pursuing a major that I am so passionate about. Pursuing happiness is always worth the risk.

Transferring schools is a long and eventful process to say the least. Honestly, that is how life is most of the time. You have to the power to control your life and make that change. If you are considering on transferring schools, my advice is just go for it. Either way the risk is worth the reward.