Transferring from OSU would have been the worst mistake of my life

Social media, pictures of friends in school colors, arms wrapped around each other, their smiles and laughter – that is how I pictured college to be.

I pictured unpacking my suitcases in my dorm room, and being greeted with pleasant smiles and friendly faces. I fell into the social media trap – the one where you assume everyone online and their posts assures all the fun, memorable times they’re having.

As I slept in my bed the first night away from home, I cried.

I think it’s human nature to want to go back to summer and see friends who have stuck by your side since middle school. I wanted to be familiar with my surroundings and sleep in my own bed. Instead, I was surrounded by yellow tinted concrete walls, barely any decorations, and the noise of Columbus streets.

Columbus , OH from the plane

The first month of living on campus was the lowest point of my year so far. Contrary to what all the Facebook pictures showed me, I had barely any friends or people I could talk to. I was so used to being myself in my hometown that I shut down completely when I came here. Cliques formed, and some of the people I encountered were still stuck in unwelcoming middle school phases.

I remember eating alone in the dining halls and seeing others with new friendships that would blossom into lifelong friends – how I craved that type of friendship.

As the first month of September dwindled down, and I was waking up everyday emotionless and depressed, I knew I wanted to try another school. I called my mom crying a lot telling her I wanted to transfer closer. There’s no way of determining how far away a school is for someone until they live there. I thought Ohio to my hometown, a plane ride away, was way too far.

It seemed far at the time, because I didn’t really have anyone to count on. I only had a friend from my high school who I thankfully could be my weird sarcastic self around. However, when I got back to my residence hall, the sadness and guilt of picking OSU flooded over me like a tsunami. I decided I wanted to transfer this coming winter to NYU in New York City, which would be only an hour train ride from home. I told my mom what I wanted to do and she said to hold out until winter break and if I still felt how I did now, then I could transfer.This was the motivation that kept me going. I worked very hard early fall semester to try and get my grades up to what NYU expected of it’s students. This was my goal, and nothing would stop me from reaching it.

The Oval looking stunning as usual during orientation

Fast forward to my final exam in December. I finished the last equation on my math final, collected my pencils, handed in my test. The same wave of sadness, but relief at the same time flooded over me. The same flood that hit me when I first moved into OSU. However, this sadness was for a different reason. I didn’t want to go home for winter break.

From the time I decided I wanted to transfer, to the time I locked the key to my dorm room, leaving for the airport, I knew OSU was where my new home was. I was looking forward to seeing my closest hometown friends and family, but I was so distraught about leaving my campus life that I had grown to love. I didn’t want to leave the friends I had made, the classes I took, the activities I took part in.

A friend from high school and I showing our excitement for the Big Sean concert in August (he clearly was really looking forward to it)

Okay, so I was a little excited about getting a home cooked meal, and maybe not doing laundry in the residence halls, but looking back on my first month at college, to the last day of my fall semester, change would be considered an understatement. Looking back now, and thinking about if I transferred mid semester to NYU, I believe I would be regretting it for the rest of time in college and life. I have grown to love and appreciate all OSU has to offer.

As my winter break winded down, and I began packing my suitcase all I could do was smile. It’s funny when you return to your hometown for more than 2 weeks and you realize not much has changed since you’ve gone away to school. I was smiling getting to the airport, I frowned slightly at the TSA checkpoint but then smiled even wider as I saw Columbus outside my airplane window. I couldn’t wait to start spring semester and immerse myself in new friends, classes, and experiences.

One word is all it took for me to continue on through the semester and finally see how Ohio State is the right college for me and that word is wait.