Common Transitional Issues for Transfer Students

The transition from one college to another can bring about a variety of issues for students. It is important for you, as a transfer student, to realize that you aren't alone when it comes to transitioning to a new college. Remember that it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to make this transition.

Comparing Schools: Students transferring to a new school will oftentimes find themselves comparing their old school and their new school. There might be some things that you miss about your old school, but don’t allow yourself to miss out on great new opportunities because you are trying to find the same thing here. UCCS offers many of the resources that most other schools offer. We hope that UCCS feels like home.

Homesickness: When you feel homesick, you might feel a longing for familiar things like your family, friends, pets, or even your old bed. Homesickness is a very common transitional issues and usually results from feeling a lack of security or comfort in your new environment. The more you make an effort to get involved and connected to your new environment, the sooner you will feel less homesick. If your homesickness persists longer than a few weeks, please contact the Office of First Year Experience, we would love the opportunity to work with you.

Making Friends: Many transfer students live off-campus and then commute to UCCS. While this is not a bad thing, some students make the decision to simply come to campus for classes and then leave again. This can make it hard to make connections and make new friends. Try to stay on-campus as much as possible whether it’s to study at the library, attend a campus event, or visit your professor during office hours. The more time you spend on campus, the more UCCS will start to feel like home.

Stress: It’s common to get stressed. You are living in a new environment with very different expectations than you are probably used to. If you are feeling extremely stressed out, it’s probably because you need to find some balance in your life. It’s important to take care of yourself and prioritize the tasks you need to accomplish. We can help with this, call us to find out how!

Time Management: One of the most common of all transitional issues is the ability to manage your time. Students coming from high school into college are typically used to having parents, family, friends, and school administrators to help them with time management. It oftentimes isn’t until you arrive to college that your realize that managing time is harder than your originally thought. Time management is one of our favorite things to teach students. It’s amazing how much you can get done in a day when you manage your time well.