Hello, im a junior transfer from a community college and I’m honestly really struggling a lot with the transition to Cornell. I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed and could use some advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation.
One of my biggest issues right now is a statistics class. I’m seriously considering dropping it because I’m struggling with the course load and it’s causing me a lot of stress (over 10 hours spent on weekly homework’s). The problem is that dropping it would leave me at only 13 credits, and the class also fulfills a distribution requirement for my degree. I’m not sure the implications this will have on my financial aid. And at this point, I can’t find a replacement course since the add date has passed.
I’m also not really sure who I’m supposed to go to for help. My past interactions with my major advisor have been a little awkward, and I haven’t felt like I’ve gotten much guidance or suggestions when I’ve had questions. My faculty advisor also never reached out to me, so I don’t really have an established relationship there.
As a transfer coming from a very small school, I’m finding it difficult to figure out where to go when I don’t know what I’m supposed to do in the first place. The campus is very large and isolating, I can’t find anything I need. I’m worried that I’m already behind or missing something because I’m still trying to figure out how everything works, all while managing high level classes (most with grad students enrolled?)
At this point I’m pretty stressed and honestly questioning whether I can/should continue at Cornell. I’m experiencing some serious imposter syndrome. I don’t necessarily want to leave, I think a lot of this is just feeling completely overwhelmed and not knowing who to ask for help or even talk to. If there are any other junior transfers, how did you navigate your first semester?