Advice for My Old Transfer Self
Going to college for the first time is tough, but eventually you find your way. Transferring to a new school is obviously difficult, too, but at least you have some college experiences out of the way, right? That’s true to some extent, but nothing can fully prepare you for a new college—and I think that’s a good thing. Half the fun of my time at W&M has been getting lost, getting acquainted, and trying to find my way. However, if I could go back in time, these are three of the things I would tell my newbie transfer self.
- Get excited for orientation! Transfer orientation won’t be the same as freshman orientation—in a good way. After a year of college under my belt, I kind of dreaded having to do orientation all over again at W&M. I assumed we would repeat the same activities and play a bunch of bonding games, but I was pleased to find that this was nothing like my freshman orientation. Transfer orientation is completely tailored to transfer students, as it should be! We did play the name game (which was actually entertaining, and I still call many of my fellow transfers by their nicknames), but mostly we learned about the process of transferring and all the resources available to us. Keep an open mind and don’t skip any of the events during orientation week! Your OAs (Orientation Aides) will probably end up being some of your favorite people on campus.
- Don’t be afraid to reach out to your future classmates! At first I felt awkward about sending FB messages to people I didn’t know, but I’m glad I did, because I ended up making some of my best friends that way. Feel free to reach out to any of us with questions, email professors, and definitely check out the “W&M Admitted Transfers” group on FB.
- Bring rain gear! Our campus is spectacular, and the weather usually is too (I’m writing this as I sit outside the Campus Center on a beautiful 80° day). But occasionally some unexpected rain will come through, and things can get slippery. Rain boots might not be super comfortable, but they’re lifesavers. And don’t worry about being unfashionable because everyone rocks them from time to time. It might be smart to also throw a small umbrella in your backpack. You never know! We’ve all gotten caught in the Williamsburg rain. Have no fear; it’s part of the full W&M experience.
Feel free to reach if you have any more questions about what to expect! But like I said, it is a lot of fun to figure it out along the way.
– Cassidy Fazio
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Hi, I am a new transfer student from Shanghai. So excited about the enrollment and so looking forward to next semester. I have never been to Williamsburg, and know few about everything. I always worried about making new friends in William and Mary since I have never been to America and am not very familiar with the culture. But I still believe that I am gonna love this place and finally find a way to fit in.
Hi Jiaxi! Congratulations on your acceptance!
You are going to love William and Mary. It’s such a welcoming and friendly community—it’s common to say “hi” to people that you don’t even know! I was also nervous about making friends as a transfer student but everyone here made the transition so smooth and genuinely wanted to help. I got involved with some on-campus organizations right away and that definitely helped me feel a sense of belonging…it’s a great way to make friends and try new activities.
Feel free to contact us with any questions! And check out the Facebook group called “W&M Admitted Transfers” if you want to connect with some of your future classmates.
Thank you for your reply! Your words really comforts me. Is workload so heavy in W&M? As a transfer student, will I have enough time for attending those clubs and organizations? I am going to search for the group and add it right now 😀 Again, thank you so much.
You’re welcome! We’re happy to answer questions.
W&M is definitely an academically challenging school, but personally that’s why I wanted to come here! And I think the best part about that is that everyone actually wants to learn and participate in class. I truly mean that…I transferred from a bigger school and was a little nervous about the academics. I remember during my first semester at W&M, one of my teachers cancelled class but the whole class decided to meet anyways (and did so on the Sunken Gardens, which is always fun!). At first I was shocked that everyone actually showed up, but then I realized that’s one of the things that makes this school so special. Everyone is always so interested in the material and pushes each other to do better and think differently. I come out of class everyday in awe of my classmates.
To answer your 2nd question, you will definitely have time and I would encourage you to get involved with those clubs/organizations. Most of them are student-run, which is great because we all understand that school comes first, and if you ever need to miss a meeting/practice/etc. because of an assignment/test, people understand. At prospective transfer days, we generally tell people that 3 is the magic number—that is, you could probably be involved with 3 activities, but doing more than that might be difficult (though I know some people who seem like they’re involved with everything on campus). Like I said, school comes first, but having fun outside the classroom is just as much a part of the college experience.
Hi! I requested to join the “admitted transfers” Facebook group a few days ago but I haven’t been approved yet… When will we be able to use that group?
Hopefully in a few days! Please let us know if that doesn’t happen and we’ll try to figure out what’s going on.