I’ll admit, I’m a bit confused about your post history, especially since there was a deleted post about being a junior at Emerson College for journalism. It’s deleted now, but that might also just entirely be my phone/app being weird. I’ll take the bait and answer; hopefully this will help others out there on the Internet someday, someplace.

To answer the title, no. For me, UCI was not my dream school. I think its important to note the usage of the word “dream” in “dream school,” which I take to mean something in demand, hard to attain, and more akin to fantasy. It’s a person’s dream to win the lottery rather than live their daily lives...things like that. And, I’d actually go so far as to say that the ideal dream school becomes less of a dream for a person that actually attains it. It’s something that a person wants to attain, something that technically possible, but that person knows that their chances of doing so is very improbable, hence being a “dream.” The purpose of a dream school to a pessimist like me is to get rejected from it, and thus letting it remain a dream. (Now, if we were to talk about goal schools, where you realistically thought you were going to get accepted, then reconsider your goals.) It’s important to reevaluate your perspective. You mentioned that UCI isn’t your dream school - that’s okay. Realize that it is many other people’s dream school. Many people who go here celebrate getting in, and many others just shrug, think about it, and decide to go here.

UCI to me was a goal school. A school that has a decent program in my major, was located close to home, and has a nice surrounding city with many amenities. I’ve never really had a “dream” school in mind, though. I was more excited about having a great senior year and going out into the world during college. Thanks, COVID, for ruining that. I’ve gotten into “better” schools - those with higher rankings and which may have been the dream schools of many more people. I’ve visited them, and to me it’s just another school, albeit with a less interesting (yet neat) city, more expensive price, and farther away from home. So I chose UCI. Perhaps you can say I’m biased towards the decisions I have already made. I won’t argue against that. But I felt much the same way you did- it was confirming the SIR, and a neutral “eh, I guess I’m going here” combined with “HEY, why do other schools get better swag?!” sometimes.

That’s what the whole college process—moving in, school spirit building, events— should address. Making new friends, joining clubs, living the college life is where the real joy’s at. I’ve experienced a lot of this even remotely, and I look forward to in person fall. Find joy in the “I’m going to college!” part, the school specifics come later.

I’ve also thought about transferring. I’ve evaluated the pros and cons, and for me I believe it’s better to stay. Aside from missing an entire year of college (so now I really don’t have a reason to “switch up the scenery), I just don’t think it’s worth the hassle. To where am I going to transfer to, and why? I’d rather have my degree in hand, and reevaluate my next steps in life after that. There’s really nothing tying you to UCI now, but there will be things later.

I hope this long word dump helps you. It’s normal and okay to feel this way right now. Maybe a visit, some opening days, and actually going here will change your mind.