Transfer Talk Tuesdays: Imposter Syndrome
Transfer Talk Tuesdays are a series of personal blogs where current USC transfer students dive deeper into their real-life stories, perspectives, and experiences in transferring to USC. Note that each transfer application is unique and there are no guaranteed paths to transfer. For guidance on how to put together a competitive transfer application, please review our Transferring to USC brochure.
High school is seen as a time of growth in life and education. As students continue through their high school experience, they are preparing to transition from teenage years to adult life – a big reality shift! In the last month of high school, students are deciding what to do with their life and future. While some are ready to move out around 17-18 years old, there are others who still need to prepare to leave. I was one of the few that decided to stay back home and continue to grow as an individual at a community college, with the intention of expanding my options even more. I attended Victor Valley College in Victorville, California from Fall 2019 until Spring 2022, earning my Associate degree in Math and Science; not following the traditional two years at community college because I wanted to maximize my transfer credits. While I was deciding what schools to commit to, having received acceptances from other institutions, I received an email from USC Admission stating that there was an update on my application portal. I finally decided to commit to a school and here I am, at USC, seven months later.
Like any transfer student, I was excited and ready to venture out into this new journey. The thought of being in an unknown environment is very scary because, in my 21 years of life, I have never left my mother’s side. I come from a very family-oriented home, so my transition to this huge institution took a big toll on me. I was excited and ready to start my new semester but once it started, it felt very overwhelming and I could not find time for anything, not even for myself. I would compare my life in community college to the new one all the time. In community college and in high school, I was an active member of my community while balancing school and a full-time job. As my time continued, I began to become more familiar with my new environment at USC and the outside resources, like office hours, supplemental instruction, La Casa, and other small groups around campus. As I learned in my “Population and Environmental Biology” course at my previous institution, living organisms experience behavioral stress when removed from a place of familiarity and are placed in a new habitat. It takes all living organisms – including people – time to adapt to their new environment and find ways that will allow them to survive. Not everyone who transfers or enters a new place will experience “imposter syndrome,” and it is very different for each individual.
All people who transfer to USC or any institution come from distinct backgrounds and have their own stories to tell. From what I have experienced, everyone has a different transfer story and different ways to cope with their adjustments. As cliché as it may sound, it takes time to adjust to a change, but rest assure that this adjustment period is an opportunity to grow more familiar with your surroundings and enjoy the plethora of opportunities that USC and its students provide. There is truly a place for everyone on campus, and after I found mine I knew that I absolutely made the right choice.
Written by: Alicia Camarena, Class of 2024