I’m coming to the end of my freshman year in college, and while it hasn’t been everything I expected, I am happy to report that this year has been a success. I was terrified to come into this whole experience. I was worried that I wouldn’t make friends or that I wouldn’t succeed. I was most afraid that I might end up hating the school that I had signed my life away to.

Then I came to the realization that it’s all in the mindset. I know that sounds so cliché; that’s because it is, but it’s so true. Someone helped me understand that the experience is what you make of it. If you can come into every new chapter of your life realizing that it won’t be perfect, it will be a lot easier for you.

I had to remember that friends come and go. Wasn’t it the same way for all of us in high school? Some relationships are meant to be and some aren’t. You can’t force a friendship, you can’t expect to get along with everyone and you have to involve yourself in order to make new friends.

I realized somewhere along the way that there are indeed some things about this school that I don’t particularly like; that is bound to happen. Getting it in your head that a school is the absolute perfect fit for you is dangerous and leaves no room for disappointment or acceptance. For me, the pros of Linfield outweigh the cons by far. But I’ve come to see that isn’t the case for everyone.

I know so many people who are transferring, and at first, it surprised me. I’ve heard various reasons for this. For some people, the school and town are too small. Some dislike the teaching style. Linfield can be too expensive for many; or, students are unable to find their niches.

There are two sides I could take on this. I could say that these people didn’t have the right mindset and had their expectations too high. Running away isn’t the answer, and you should always try to make the best of things.

However, I understand where many of these people are coming from. College is trial and error, and it is also a huge part of your life. You need to be happy, and the experience won’t be beneficial if you are suffering or feeling trapped.

I admire these people for realizing that this school isn’t the right fit and having the courage to transfer. Personally, I love too many things about Linfield, and I don’t have the guts to start over.

What I can say with conviction is that the people who are transferring will be sorely missed. I only wish that this school worked as well for them as it does for me.

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Kelsey Sutton/Copy chief
Kelsey Sutton can be reached at [email protected].