Sarah Lopez is a dietetics student in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This is her first year at MSU, after transferring in this fall. She is also part of the Transfer Student Advisory Board and the Food and Nutrition Association.
Being a transfer student as a third-year in college can be one of the most intimidating experiences to walk into. As a student who knew only a handful of people at MSU and being unable to live in the residence halls, I was unsure how my first semester here would end up.
But ever since I first arrived in East Lansing, I felt as if I have been here all along. Every professor I have interacted with has set me up for success and has communicated tips on how to be successful within their course or the community. As someone who has high anxiety in new environments, this was not the case for me at MSU. The MSU app allowed me to navigate campus easily, as well as find all my classes and meeting places for the clubs I have joined.
A month or so prior to moving to East Lansing, I got an email about joining the Transfer Student Advisory Board. I went ahead and applied in hopes of meeting new people and gaining new experiences. The email from Dr. Charles Jackson came and I was so thrilled to find out I was going to be a participant for the 2022-23 school year!
Also known as TSAB, we put on events like National Transfer Student Week, where we spread awareness to transfer students and allow them to get more information about what's available at MSU. Another personal favorite of mine is our study hours we have before finals week! This allows you to connect with other students in TSAB to study together, and allowed many to excel academically on their final exams.
Building connections while being at college is one of the most important aspects of it. As a transfer student, it is highly encouraged to find your group by reaching out or attending events during welcome week! This will allow you to branch out and find others with similar likes/interests.
TSAB has offered me an opportunity to share my experiences and tell my story to the future transfer students at MSU. I have been so grateful to receive an opportunity to speak on a panel, with four of my other peers, to a group of future transfers from Lansing Community College. These students were able to hear our diverse backgrounds and experiences, which gave them an opportunity to realize they’re not alone and so many people are willing to lend a helping hand. At this event, we heavily pushed the resources given such as new student orientation, MSU credit website, attending Sparticipation during welcome week, interacting with your counselors and just simply chatting with who you’re sitting next to in class.
MSU provides many tools and resources within its community to help make East Lansing feel like home!