A year and a half ago, I was not a part of the Bradley-Peoria community. I went to a completely different university. I lived in a different state, was eight hours away from my home, Lake Zurich, studied for a different major, had different friends, was a part of a different athletics program and had a different mindset.
I did not feel the same way about college that I do right now. I felt unwanted, confused and frustrated, and I was thinking about transferring.
Not only was I thinking about it, I was seriously considering it. And, eventually, I did it.
The first question people always ask me is “why?” I have yet to find the right words to explain my reasoning to those curious enough to ask.
From the looks of it, I was thriving. I went to a large, well-known Division 1 school, was a SEC football cheerleader, lived in one of the nicest areas in central campus and had one of the best recreational centers in the country with a hot tub and whirlpool only a two-minute walk away from my dorm. From the outside, I should have been living the dream.
My roommate made my life hell and was the first person who told me to transfer. The girls on my team added to my feelings of isolation. My major wasn’t working out, and my advisor wouldn’t let me add a Spanish class to my schedule—something I also wanted to pursue.
After realizing I was struggling, my family decided to intervene. My dad changed my meal plan to one that got me 50 percent off at the Starbucks on campus—which was awesome—but I still felt out of place.
Many thought I should have been happy, and, at times, I was; however, when my happiness did not outweigh the other negative emotions I felt, it was time to make a change.
My dad has always said, “If you are truly unhappy, it is a sign that you need to change something in your life,” so I decided to transfer.
To this day people still ask me if I regret my decision or not. I say, overall, no. It was a tough decision that I needed to make to better my “college experience.”
Following my experience with the transferring process and coming from a large university to Bradley, I do not believe in the perfect “college experience.” I wanted to go to a large institution and thought it would be perfect for me, but in reality, a mid-sized university was much more ideal.
I did not know what was best for me though, so I did not want to transfer. I felt embarrassed, like I was failing myself. Now, I do not feel that way.
As of last week, I have been attending Bradley for an entire year, and I am beginning my third semester here. Two years ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself at a school this small, but since transferring to Bradley, I cannot picture myself anywhere else. I have not only gotten more involved with my university, but I actually enjoy being at school.
The biggest difference was quality over quantity. The community at Mizzou was significantly bigger size-wise, but the close-knit community here and the relationships I’ve formed at Bradley have made my world feel bigger. Transferring has truly changed my perspective about college, and I’m incredibly proud to call myself a Bradley Brave.
