Many transfer students didn’t anticipate their experience at a university to begin over Zoom. This made the transition from one college to another particularly difficult, especially while not knowing any familiar faces. Most students weren’t able to be in a classroom until the Spring 2022 semester, so meeting new people proved to be even more of a challenge. 

Making new friends, hanging out with roommates and seeing new faces around campus are all things Jessica Davis, a senior transfer student, expected as she transferred to Sonoma State in the Fall of 2020. Like many other transfer students, transferring to a new school in the middle of a pandemic through Davis’s plan for a loop. 

“When I first transferred to Sonoma during the pandemic I was scared that I wasn’t really going to make any lasting connections or friendships without being able to physically be in the classroom,” said Davis. 

With the existing challenge of navigating a brand new campus and classes, making friends at any new school can be daunting for transfer students and first-time first-years alike. On-campus housing presents itself as an opportunity for new students to make connections and friendships through their roommates. 

Transfer student Alex Frazzetta said, “Transferring during a pandemic has made everything more difficult. I haven’t gone out of my way to go check out the clubs or anything but I’m coming into a space where everyone knows somebody and I know nobody. It does get lonely but I’m glad I got to become friends with my roommates.”

Sonoma State offers resources that transfer students can access online, as well as on campus. The Student Involvement home page is a great resource for incoming students and transfer students to find clubs, events and activities of their interests. “RSO is made up of over 120 student-led clubs ranging from academics, sports, special interests, performing arts and much more,” as it states on SSU’s website. 

The Transfer Advising Center is another great resource for transfer students to gain information and assistance during their transition to Sonoma State. They are located on the first floor of the SSU Library in Shultz 1125A. Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment online or by calling directly. The Transfer Advising Center offers all kinds of support, as their website states, “Our team of Professional Academic Advisors provides meaningful academic advising and individualized educational pathways to engage students in their learning experiences.” 

Greek life is another way that transfer students are able to get involved and make friends here at SSU. The Fall 2021 recruitment process was held online so that students were still able to go through recruitment, even if it was not in the traditional way. 

“Having recruitment online was a different experience but it allowed people to still be involved in something on campus without physically being there,” said senior Ambar Gutierrez. Recruitment lasted one weekend giving both incoming students and transfer students the opportunity to meet the men and women of each chapter at Sonoma State.

With her experience being a transfer student during a challenging time, Davis offered a few words of advice for transfer students: “Don’t be afraid to open up to meeting new people, because you only have so much time, just enjoy the time you have and make the most of what you’re given.”