Transfer Student and Now Commuting - Relief and Regret

So my story begins like many others, I was a good student, decent test scores, good athlete, and had great extracurriculars. I applied to seven schools, and got into five, including my top school. Like other high school seniors, I was both excited and terrified for beginning college, and starting a new life in a big college city. I prepared myself to have the time of my life. I have two older siblings, and they absolutely love college, and have had the best experience, this is what I had in mind.

Long story short, a month into college, I was absolutely miserable a month into school. Part of it may have been me not getting involved enough, but not all of it. It was a small school, and not the environment that I thrived in. I was also incredibly homesick, and lonely. I had picked the school solely on location, and not learning and social environment. After one semester, I made the decision to leave school and attend my local community college for a semester while I decided where to transfer.

A semester passed, and I had a very difficult time finding a school that would accept nursing students directly into the program, without having to repeat freshmen year, or hoping that someone dropped out of a nursing program. A school in my hometown with a great nursing program allowed for me to be accepted directly into my sophomore year of the nursing program. I made the financial decision to commute from home.

Now, as classes are right around the corner and as excited as I am to begin a new chapter, I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out on the college experience a bit. I see all my friends posting photos of their dorms, and having an amazing time with their friends, and I’m envious. At the same time, I did not have a good experience, and am a bit of a ‘home body’.

I’m sorry this turned into my life story and feelings, but I was hoping that someone may have had a similar experience, or may have suggestions on how to get involved with my new school (it’s a pretty small catholic school).

Thanks in advance!

Surely there are other local students who are commuting, so find out whether or not your college has a commuter lounge for you to hang out in during the day, or if there are any special get-to-know-you programs for commuters. There also are likely to be programs for transfers. Even if not, you will meet all the other nursing majors in your classes, so be proactive about stetting up study groups, and finding fun things to do with your classmates after classes finish each day. Go grab some coffee, join the club for nursing majors, etc.