From Community College to NMU: My Journey as a Transfer Student

Hi everyone! My name is Liz and I'm a junior transfer student at Northern Michigan University. I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan where I attended Grand Rapids Community College for my freshman and sophomore year and earned my associates degree in General Studies.

After graduating from Community College, I knew I wanted to continue my education but I wasn’t sure where. I was scrolling through my TikTok one day when I saw Northern on my 'For You' page and I was immediately intrigued. The video gave me a glimpse of Northern’s beautiful campus and I was eager to discover what else the school had to offer.

I attended Wildcat Weekend for a visit and instantly fell in love. The campus was the perfect size and the scenery was beautiful, but what really sealed the deal was meeting Dr. Jes Thompson, the head of the PR Department. I was already interested in PR as my major, but I was so inspired by her passion for it and her passion for education. I quickly sent in my application to Northern and was overwhelmed with excitement when I saw I got accepted and was able to pursue my major.

However, I was nervous about transferring to college as a junior, I wondered if I would have the same college experience as my peers. I had so many questions, would it be hard to make friends? Should I live on or off campus? Would it be weird to live in a dorm as a junior? My biggest fear was not being able to live the full “college experience”.

I decided to live in the dorms and I couldn't be happier with my decision. It's been a great way to experience college life by eating in the dining hall and meeting people. While my first semester was a bit lonely and I felt a bit behind in trying to make friends, as the year has gone on, I’ve made some really great friendships that I know will last a lifetime. 

We’ve had a lot of fun together and done some really unique things. We’ve gone on hikes, attended the local dog sledding festival, gone snowboarding and even explored the nearby ice caves. On top of that, we’ve also enjoyed some typical college activities like late-night fast food runs and attending campus events, such as concerts on campus. I'm so glad I decided to transfer and take the chance at Northern Michigan University. I'm loving every minute of it!