Many people never experience the heartache of transferring schools, let alone transferring back to your hometown. Many people don’t know how much thought and tears go into making such a decision.

Transferring schools was one of the toughest decisions I have ever made. You have to leave friends who became more like family. You have to get rid of the life you had become familiar with for a year or two. You have to say goodbye to your new life that once made you so happy.

What many don’t realize is that something went wrong somewhere in the process at that school. It wasn’t right for you, and it takes bravery to realize that.

Many people don’t know that it was a sad process to transfer, and it still is sad to think about. You always think about the things you are missing with your friends from your old school. You constantly think about what would have happened if you stayed. How would your life be different? Would it have gotten better or would it have stayed?

You feel like you are being judged by moving home. You feel like you are moving 1,000 steps backward. You sometimes feel like you aren’t succeeding because your previous endeavors were unsuccessful.

In reality, none of that is true. There are so many people in the same boat as you, you just don’t realize it. Deciding such a tough decision means you know yourself and you know what is best for you as an individual.

Just because you transferred schools doesn’t mean you will never go back to that city. It doesn’t mean you will never see your friends again. When people say, “distance makes the heart grow fonder,” they are actually right. Good communication is key.

Now you will have somewhere to visit on your spring breaks. You have so many connections because you know people from multiple locations. You have experienced leaving home, and maybe that just isn’t right for you right now, but that doesn’t mean in the future it won't be.

Another issue is the fact that once you get to your new school, you are intimidated because everyone already has a solid friend group. Every knows their way around and you don’t know exactly how to fit in. You feel like an outsider once again, even though you promised yourself at the beginning of your college career you would only let that happen once. You want to make the most of your time at your new school because you feel like, while you were away, you missed out on so much.

By transferring schools you get to experience two different lives. No matter what your experience was at your previous school, you went through a life lesson that changed you. Whether it was a good experience, or bad, or a little bit of both, you came out with much more wisdom then you went in with.

Transferring does not mean you are weak; you are brave. Just remember you are a strong, independent person!

The one thing people need to know about transferring is that it is much more difficult than most people would expect it to be. It is extremely heart-wrenching to leave a place you once called home.

Next time you meet someone who transferred schools, ask them about their experience, and sympathize with them.