Finding My Home at ECU as a Transfer Student
Tonishka “NeNe” Adams
Hello everyone! My name is Tonishka Adams, but I go by NeNe, and I am a transfer student at East Carolina University. I started my journey here at Pirate Nation from North Carolina A&T State University in the fall of 2019. To leave a historically Black college/university (HBCU) to come to a predominately white institution, I knew it was going to be an adjustment, but one I was ready to experience. When you choose a college, you always try to find a place that feels like home. But from experience, I know that sometimes you must venture out into new places to find out what home really means to you, and I am glad to have found that “home” in Greenville. It is just like my hometown, Whiteville, NC. Everyone knows everyone, but we all have different purposes from one another which brings us together.
From sightseeing with my friends to trying the small locally-owned restaurants, I have enjoyed my time here. The funny thing is, that I did not tour Greenville at all, nor had I ever been to ECU prior to move in. Move-in day was my first experience of it all because I only attended the virtual orientation. When I first arrived in August, I had many emotions, but it all soon became excitement. I first lived on College Hill, Gateway West because I was part of QUEST, a transfer student Living Learning Community (LLC). In QUEST LLC, I was able to meet other great transfer Pirates who are now some of my closest friends. With the help of great faculty members who helped me jump-start my first year, I found encouragement and success.
What truly made me fall in love with ECU was the support and many opportunities. If you are willing to put yourself out there, ECU is going to show you the ropes to stand on your own. From starting out in the transfer COAD 1000 class to now being apart of many organizations, hosting events, volunteering, receiving a scholarship and internship, Peer Mentoring and much more, I can say my two years here at East Carolina have been worthwhile. I cannot wait to see what opportunities senior year has in store for me. To those of you thinking about transferring here or already have, do not be afraid to sail your ship. There are some skills we all have a problem showcasing but when you know what you want out of your college experience, you will make it happen.
My uncle always tells me that college will be the best four years of my life because of the freedom of choice and living. So, to close, I am living proof that I made those choices and I am living my best life in hopes of ending senior year with a great bang when it comes to graduation. I wish you all the best of luck and please feel free to contact me. I would love to help in any way I can. Have a great rest of your semester and Happy Transfer Week!