Coming to Assumption as a Transfer Student

Danielle Schwalm, Opinion Editor

Stepping onto the Assumption campus three years ago, I never would have guessed how much this school would mean to me. When I first graduated high school, the thought of committing to a four-year school was overwhelming, to say the least. I initially enrolled in a Community College close to home, but halfway through first semester, I inadvertently found my second home after visiting a friend.

My best friend, Adah, had already been at Assumption for almost a whole semester, and the recent vacancy in her room had us both joking about who would be filling the spot. I sat on the empty bed and, without thinking, blurted “Why don’t I transfer here?” After an extra tour of campus, my next few weeks were spent picking up transcripts, sending in transfer applications, and attending orientations.

Finally, when second semester began, I packed up and headed to Assumption. After getting all of my storage containers into the room and making my bed, I hugged my parents goodbye. While I knew I would miss them, there was something about this campus that calmed me. Once they left, Adah and I sat on her bed and talked about what living together would entail. Less than a half hour later, there were people knocking at our door.

A group of Adah’s friends walked into the room, and I felt even more confident in my choice to come to Assumption. I had struggled with making friends in High School, but the people here were friendly and inviting, making it easy for me to find a place within their friend group. Each person in the group told me how excited they were to meet me, and having heard about them, I said the same. They all offered to help me unpack, help me organize, or move around furniture. The group, including myself, spent hours talking about our classes, hobbies, interests, and other facets of our personality, and although I was the newcomer, they all made it a point to make me feel included even when they were discussing something about the school that I hadn’t yet become familiar with. Even after that first day, my new friends made an effort to invite me to different events and excursions that they went on.

Transferring to Assumption has had a huge impact on who I am now and how I have grown since walking onto campus for the first time. There’s something about our school community that invites people in and makes them feel like they belong here. After that first day, I felt like I had finally found my place and my people. Three years later, I still feel completely certain that I made the right decision to transfer. Adah, if you’re reading this, thank you for introducing me to my home away from home.