Transferring Wasn't My Worst Nightmare: A First Hand Look at Starting Over by: Jenna avis !

'"" admit# $hen ! started %rookda"e ! did not e&'e(t to "ike it) ! '"anned to kee' my head do$n# go to ("asses and do my home$ork) ! didn't intend to make friends or 'arti(i'ate or en*oy my e&'erien(e at a"") ! $as going here sim'"y as a mean to an end# to get to another ste' on my 'ath to my f+t+re) No$ that !'ve been here for t$o years# ! (an safe"y say that this b+m' in my road $as not an +n$e"(ome one) %efore ! started at %rookda"e# ! $ent to Ne$ Jersey !nstit+te of Te(hno"ogy) ! $as an ar(hite(t+re ma*or $ho $as a member of the "argest sorority on (am'+s) ! "oved my sisters and my so(ia" "ife# b+t not m+(h e"se) ! hated ar(hite(t+re) ! hated the ("asses# the 'eo'"e in those ("asses# and most of a"" the 'rofessors) ! $as not ha''y in# $hat $o+"d 'res+mab"y be# $hat ! $as doing for the rest of my "ife) ! started to not (are) ! didn't '+t my a"" into my in(redib"y im'ortant 'ro*e(ts and bare"y $ent to ("ass if it $asn't mandatory) ! basi(a""y thre$ my f+t+re do$n the drain# or so ! tho+ght) The best thing that ever (o+"d have ha''ened to me $as to be ki(ked o+t of NJ!T) !t so+nds "ike s+(h a derogatory moment in my "ife b+t it he"'ed me to start over) ! (ame to %rookda"e and s'ent the first semester *+st fig+ring o+t $hat ! $anted to do $ith my "ife# something that $asn't an o'tion at the te(h s(hoo" ! $as a st+dent at) With the he"' of my sorority sisters# my 'arents and my friends# ! de(ided ! $ant to $ork in '+b"i( re"ations) !t's a far (ry from ar(hite(t+re# b+t anybody that s'ent time $ith me in that time at NJ!T (o+"d te"" yo+ ! $as never going to be an ar(hite(t# my heart $asn't in it) The best thing ! got o+t of my time at NJ!T $as my sisters) ! am a sister of A"'ha Sigma Ta+ and ! $o+"dn't (hange that for the $or"d) My sisters# and they are always my sisters# have been there for me thro+gh it a"") ! $as at my "o$est of "o$s and the fe$ 'eo'"e ! fe"t ! (o+"d "ook to for he"' $ere my sisters) ! kno$ many 'eo'"e think that after (o""ege# or if yo+ transfer# yo+ aren't a 'art of the

sorority anymore b+t that (o+"dn't be f+rther from the tr+th) On(e yo+'re a sister# yo+'re a sister for "ife) Many ad+"ts no$adays are trying to te"" high s(hoo" and (o""ege kids to de(ide $hat they $ant to do before they have any rea" e&'erien(e in it) My reasoning for ma*oring in ar(hite(t+re $as be(a+se ! $anted to be "ike those 'eo'"e on H,T-# not e&a(t"y the best basis for a "ife "ong (areer) ! needed to think abo+t $hat ! s'ent time doing that ! en*oyed and ho$ to make that into a (areer ! "ove)