Transferring to university didn't feel like I was taking another step towards completing my education. Rather, it felt like I was starting over again as a clueless freshman rather than a junior.

After two years of being surrounded by the same faces, I was suddenly in an environment where I didn't know anyone except for those who had transferred with me. Who is my academic advisor? Who do I talk to for career advice? Where are the student services located? Is there tutoring available? How do I pay my tuition?

There were so many things I didn't know. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that I needed to know these things until something came up. This resulted in a lot of panicking and running around last minute. Even several terms after transferring, I would register for a class that would be taught in a building I had never even heard of.

For some, transferring to university also means moving to a new city or state. Finding a place to live and learning to navigate a new city are major challenges, especially in the middle of your undergraduate education.

Depending on the university you transfer to, you may or may not face this issue. In my case, my community college had around 1,800 fulltime undergrad students, whereas the university I transferred to had around 15,000 fulltime undergrad students.

In smaller classes of 25-30 students (as opposed to 60-100 students at university), I didn't have to put myself out there for an instructor to know who I am. As someone who is very introverted, university life posed many challenges in this respect.

Due to larger class sizes, you may not get to know professors as well. While at community college, I had the same instructors for several different courses and got to build good relationships over the course of several terms. In contrast, I rarely had class with the same professor multiple times after I transferred to university, unless I really wanted to and purposely planned my schedule for this.

Another challenge that large class sizes present is that it is harder to get to know your peers. This makes it harder to get to situated in the new environment.

Once you transfer to a university, you must learn to be more responsible and proactive about your education. University professors have many other responsibilities on top of undergraduate education and are typically less focused on student success compared to community college professors.

This means that community college instructors will reach out to you if you aren't doing well and will often work with you to develop a plan for you to succeed in the class. While university professors do care, their limited time along with larger class sizes means they don't have time to focus on every student who is falling behind; rather, they will usually dedicate their time to those students who reach out for help.

The reality is this: if you want to get the most out of your education, you have to advocate for yourself at universities. The lack of close mentorship from university staff can be disheartening. However, we will dive into how to find the mentorship you need later.

The difference between the difficulty of 100/200 level (lower division) classes and 300/400 level (upper division) classes is significant.

During the freshman and sophomore years at community colleges, there was little difference between the difficulty of 200 level classes compared to 100 level classes. The mistake I made was expecting the difference between 200 and 300 level classes to be similar to the difference between 100 and 200 level classes. The jump in difficulty between lower division and upper division is much more significant.

The core reason for this jump in difficulty is that lower division classes focus on teaching students the fundamentals of a field, whereas upper division classes typically take a deep dive into a more specialized area.

The first term at university will be one of the hardest, so take it easy. Take the minimum number of credits you need to be fulltime even if you are used taking more credits. Avoid difficult classes if possible; in my experience, focusing on completing non-major electives is the best way to do this without taking unnecessary courses.

Honestly speaking, one of the biggest mistakes I made during my education was underestimating what it takes to continue to thrive at a university. During my first term, I overworked myself by taking the hardest class of my degree and spreading myself too thin by trying to balance a fulltime course load, research, and an unpaid internship. This left me burned out for the rest of the academic year.

Even if you think you are ready, issues often pop up unexpectedly. By taking it easy during your first term, you are setting yourself up for less stress by making sure you have the capacity to deal with any logistical issues that pop up.

Depending on the university you transfer to, there may not be a strong sense of a cohort between students. This can be difficult for some transfer students who come from community colleges where they are used to seeing more or less the same faces term after term.

If any peers from your community college transferred before you or with you, reach out to them and stay connected. These peers will often be the best support you can find for navigating this transition as they will be able to provide better advice for you and your circumstances.

While universities with many transfer students often try to set up some type of support, there's no replacement for the lived experience.

Between classes and work, I was barely staying on top of things. I thought that as time went on, I would eventually become a part of the student community just as I did at community college. However, the feeling of being an outsider never dissipated.

During my two years at university, I felt disconnected from everyone outside of my close group of friends. While I simply did not have the time or energy to dedicate to extracurricular activities, I think it would have helped me feel more connected to my peers.

For this reason, I would advise other transfer students to try joining student organizations and clubs.

There are many different people who can mentor you and from whom you should seek mentorship.

Most importantly, having peers you can rely on and who can help guide you is vital. Friends and classmates were my lifeline for survival at university. They know the system from your perspective and how student services really work in practice.

Professors can help you figure out your path and get relevant experience for what you want to do. This is especially true if you are interested in their area of specialization. You can get to know professors better (and help them get to know you too) by participating more in class, going to office hours, and scheduling meetings with them. Some professors may seem aloof, but most are quick to open up once you show some initiative.

Grad students are another group of people who make awesome mentors. You may have them as classmates or teaching assistants for your course. As near peers, they provide great support in helping you figure out where you want to go and how you could get there.