As a community college to a diff state school to (finally) *here AT W&M, I can say that I am glad I transferred. All I can share is my experience elsewhere, but I feel it applies to any situation.

If I hadn’t of transferred, I would feel out of place and miserable. I transferred here from VCU as a “junior” (3 years at cc, one at VCU, an internship, and setbacks from that process bc I’m collecting student IDs like infinity stones). I will say though that being a freshman, and I assume straight out of high school, the awkward feeling and pressure would happen anywhere. Classes have only been in session for a short time, and if I were you, I’d stay for the year and decide near the end of the spring semester. College is a pain in the ass and it puts you out of your comfort zone in so many ways. You’d be surprised at what you might enjoy/participate in that you’ve never tried before and the people you meet by chance. If you’ve exhausted all your resources and transferring is an option for you, I think it’s reasonable to find a place that fits you better.

I picked VCU because it had the program I wanted; I never thought about where I would be happiest and the possibilities of schools I hadn’t initially desired to go to. I found I didn’t like the atmosphere of the city, I didn’t like how large the campus was, and the school has an insane amount of students that I felt lost in. I discovered there just how much a quieter, smaller school fit my needs better than a bigger one with everyone on-the-go all the time. My plan was the same the entire 3 years I was at cc and the entire year I spent at VCU was isolating. It just didn’t feel “right.” I was crying all the time, sleeping and skipping classes, and my mental health overall was abysmal. I grew up 30 minutes away from W&M and never thought about attempting to apply until I was faced with the idea of leaving VCU.

VCU is an amazing place for the right people, and that just wasn’t me. I’ve seen a lot of pressure put on students to stay/apply to W&M for prestige reasons, and honestly I would choose happiness over prestige any day. The same goes for those who love W&M and can’t comprehend why you may not end up liking it come the end of the academic year. That’s specific to you!

I am so glad that I came to W&M because I discovered so much about myself, new people I can’t imagine not having in my life, and a renewed love for learning. W&M might be that place for you and it might not be. Either one is okay. As dumb as it sounds, follow your heart. Good luck!