My name is Chase. I’m a senior here at UW Oshkosh, I’m originally from the Madison area, and I’m also on the swim team.

I spent the first two years of my college career at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a film major. I wasn’t in love with my major, but was still planning on graduating from there. All of a sudden, quarantine hit and changed everything. I decided to take a gap year in order to avoid online school. I filled my time mainly with work and exercise. Eventually I decided to go back to school. I went on a campus visit to UWO and liked it immediately. I enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere of the city, the compact university size, and the academic and athletic facilities. Shortly after this visit, I made the decision to enroll at Oshkosh and join the swim team.

There were definitely challenges my first couple weeks. I was nervous about making new friends and being on a different campus. My initial instinct was to stay at home and just go to my classes. But I forced myself to go to every welcome week event. This was something that pushed me way outside of my comfort zone but was much needed. I met a ton of new people and connected with the swim team instantly. This started my first year at Oshkosh off on the right foot. Throughout the year, I joined several school organizations and attended campus events on a weekly basis.

If I could pass on any advice to incoming transfer students, or even just freshmen, I would say; get involved. I know it’s scary to put yourself out there, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. You’ll make so many great connections, and this will make adjusting to your new environment that much easier. Pick a couple things that interest you and get involved with them. If you are into sports, look into the athletic programs or intramurals. If you like politics, get involved with student government. The possibilities are endless; you will not regret stepping out of that comfort zone.