Going into my second semester here at Chico State, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my answer to one of my most asked questions: “How has it been here at Chico as a transfer?” And let me tell you the short answer. It’s been great! Chico State really has been a great school to transfer into and has been an extremely welcoming environment. If you’ve been wondering if you should transfer here or how it’s been for a transfer student like me, let me give you the rundown.
I’ll be honest with you, transferring is going to be hard. It’s most likely going to be a hard process, especially if this is your first time living without your family. But there are also so many upsides! You’re going to make new friends, go to cool classes, and have so many great experiences. It can be scary, but it’s definitely worth it. I know when I was about to transfer, I had a lot of questions. So, for you and past Zoey, here are the answers.
“What is there to even do in Chico?”
Uhm, so much?! There are so many cute spots to visit, and you’ll find more as your time here continues. With yummy food spots, farmer’s markets galore, little boutiques, and even your favorite chain places, there’s so much to do here and you’ll never be bored. Events are going on all the time, too, both at school and in town, so make sure to check some of those out! You’ll develop your favorite places, and you’ll continue to find even more.
“Is school going to be harder?”
This is going to vary from major to major, but for me, it hasn’t gotten too much harder. As long as you make sure to set aside time to do your work and get some studying done, you should be fine! Find ways to get your assignments done that work best for you, whether that’s going to a coffee shop to get your school work done (a great way to explore, might I add) or even just making sure to study in your bed. We all have what works best for us and as long as you follow that, you should be golden.
“Am I going to know what to do without my parents?”
You’ll develop a routine and you’ll know what to do with yourself. It’s all an adjustment and takes some getting used to, but you’ll get the hang of it eventually. Remember, you’re the only one who can tell you what to do and you know what’s best for yourself. Treat yourself well in this new experience, as it’s easy to get lost in the craziness of transferring. Set time aside to do the things you love while also getting the necessities done. Plus, if you don’t know something, your parents are just a quick text or phone call away and I’m sure they would be more than happy to hear from you!
“Will I feel lonely?”
I’m not going to beat around the bush here, you may feel lonely. I know there have been many times when I’ve missed my family and my hometown friends and wished I had just stayed home. But that is a totally normal part of the process and you aren’t alone in feeling that! Even people who have been here since freshman year feel that, and there are so many good resources on campus to help you with that feeling. Even something as simple as FaceTiming with your loved ones is a good way to help combat those emotions.
And my biggest question before I transferred was…
“Am I going to make friends?”
Yes! I promise you, you’ll make friends. I know it may seem scary at first, but there are so many different ways to make friends. I got lucky and found my new bestie through the roommate matching process (shoutout to Makenna, I love you!), but there are so many great ways to make friends. Talk to people in your classes, join Greek life, join some clubs (Her Campus maybe? 💅), and those are just a few options of many. College is the perfect opportunity to make those lifelong connections, so don’t be afraid to reach out to people and make some new friends! More than likely, they’ve been in the same boat as you and would love to be your new BFF!
A whole new process like transferring can be hard, trust me, I know. But Chico is such an amazing town to become a part of and that just makes it a whole lot easier. Eventually, it’ll feel like you’ve always been here and you’ll forget that you weren’t. Chico is one of those towns that is meant to make you feel welcomed and accepted, and I know that’s how I feel after being here for a semester. You’ll make friends, find things to do, and so much more. Your love for this college town will grow, and you’ll feel like a part of the community. I only have two full semesters left before I graduate, and I’m making sure to soak in every second of it. It feels like just yesterday was my first day of college, thinking it would take a million years to get to my junior year. And now here I am! Make the best of this new experience, because it’ll be over before you know it.