Brooke: Welcome back to the Transfer Talks podcast. My name is Brooke Hoeltge and I'm a Transfer Jacks peer mentor. Joining me today is our guest who would like to share their transfer student experience with us. 

Matt: Hi everyone, I am Matt. 

Brooke: Matt where did you transfer from? 

Matt: Transferred from Arizona Western College in Yuma. It's like in the corner of Arizona, but I do not know if it's in the west or in the north. So yeah, I'm not good with that, but it's near like the border of Mexico. 

Brooke: It's okay, I'm directionally challenged too. So are you from Yuma then? 

Matt: I am from Yuma. Born and raised.

Brooke: Oh cool. Wow, there's a big difference coming up here. 

Matt: Yeah, it's like, I don't know, like 35 degree weather is like so weird. I feel like it's like last week was like the weirdest week I could say because it's like I never experienced like that weather. 

Brooke: Yeah. 

Matt: I'm not like that drop of like, you know, like the degree in my life. 

Brooke: So yeah, it was weird. It was like half of the week was like pretty warm and half a week was really cold. So now from now on it's just going to get colder and colder kind of. So be prepared. What's your major? 

Matt: My major is interior design. So I actually changed it from political science because my old school didn't let me offer interior design, so I changed it. The only thing is that I'm going to have to stay here till 2027, but it's something I really love, so I'm going to continue it. But I did put political science as a minor since I also didn't want to make my two years of community college like not go to waste. 

Brooke: Yeah, that makes sense.

Matt: So I just put it as a minor. So yeah. 

Brooke: That's a good idea. Very resourceful it seems. So what do you like about the campus/the NAU environment? 

Matt: I love NAU. I don't know, everyone just has like this amazing like, ah, like snuff going. But like everyone has like their, there's like so many things I want to describe. Like everyone's like so unique. They have like great style. They have like this amazing personality. It's like no one's ever rude. So I'm like, I love that. And then like everyone's just so involved with like, within everything like clubs. It's like, and I don't know, I just love it. It's just like the environment. It's just so fun.

Brooke: And you're very involved, aren't you? Yeah. What are you involved in?

Matt: Well, I'm involved in New Student Government. So I'm the president for that. So then I want to do ASNAU next year. I'm involved with the Interior Design Club, with the Student Latin club. I did do Green Jacks, but I've been really busy. So it's been kind of hard to do that one. And then yeah. 

Brooke: Awesome. That's really impressive. So you haven't been at NAU for that long, but do you have a favorite memory here so far? 

Matt: There's a lot. It's because I made some friends. Well, my friends from back home came, came over here. 

Brooke: Oh that's so fun.

Matt: So we're like, I don't know, well, they were freshmen here. No, there were seniors last year. So they're freshmen here and I'm a transfer student. So it's like, I don't know, it just kind of works. So when I know we always hang out, like one of my favorite memories here is like, so I bought my friend a beanie and she left it on the Mountain bus. 

Brooke: Oh no. 

Matt: Yeah. So then the bus driver, so she was so sad about it. And so she was like, Matt, like, no, you gotta go and get it. And she was like, you bought it for me. And so, okay. And this was like at 10 at night, 10 PM at night. So we went to like the bus and then we asked the guy and the guy was like, yeah, we took it back downtown, like at the office. And I guess that's where they keep like their, lost and found.

Brooke: Lost and found, yeah. 

Matt: So we went back there and well, we waited for the bus to like go like around Woodlands and then like go all the way downtown. And then the guy at the end was like, oh, I think someone else took it. Or like, like another bus driver told me, you know, like, so we waited here and we were like falling asleep. So they told us come back tomorrow. And then so we went back tomorrow and then they kept telling us, oh, okay. Yeah. The superiors would be back like at 12:30. And then after that, and then they told us, oh no, she's gonna be back till 2:30. And then they kept us from the bus.  Yeah. And kept us from getting the beanie. Just took a lot of time. 

Brooke: Yeah, for real. I'm glad she got it. That's awesome. You're a good friend too, it seems like. So you mentioned you changed your major to interior design. What made you choose that specific field of study? 

Matt: Well, my parents are contractors. 

Brooke: Ok.

Matt: So like I, I've been raised with that, if I could say. Because like my whole life, I've just been helping them. And like, I've been seeing as a child, like them like doing homes, like reconstructing it, like rebuilding it and all that. I don't know, and I love it. And then I like also like decorating too. So like I did like my whole dorm. That's so, I didn't make it like a dorm style. I mean, like as more of a home. 

Brooke: Okay. 

Matt: That's how I want to make it feel. 

Brooke: Sounds cozy.

Matt: Yeah. So I really love it. And I want to help people with it and like do the homes. And I don't know, I was like, was passionate for architect, but I know NAU doesn't also offer that, but it includes a lot of math too. So I don't think that would be for me, but I do love interior design.

Brooke: That's really awesome. 

Matt: It's so fun. 

Brooke: And you kind of answered my next question, like what you want to do with your degree? You just want to like help people make their dream homes? 

Matt: I want to make like a business. I don't know. Like I've been seeing like some people like YouTubers, like they like start their own like flip, like flip a house. And then like they go on from there. So that's so cool. Or like me making my own like online business and like help people and like travel around the state. 

Brooke: Have you ever watched a Flip or Flop on HGTV? 

Matt: Yeah. It's so good. 

Brooke: It's so good. It's amazing what they can do with like these houses. 

Matt: That's how I want to be.

Brooke: Now that would be really cool. I could see you on TV one day. So now I'm going to ask some more serious questions. What was your experience like at your previous school? 

Matt: It was fun. I actually made a lot of friends over there too. So that's like what I kind of miss about back home is like, I don't know, my old friends, I used to be up to like 1 a.m. But no, I'm actually just talking to a friend because he was going to come down from, because he goes to ASU. So my boyfriend transferred to ASU. So he was going to come down and visit. And then some of my other friends are like going to be transfer students, but they're going to look at NAU. So they're going to come down. So we're going to like all meet and like our old group come like just come back together. So we're like planning that. And so yeah, we're all going to have a reunion here at my school, even though none of them come here. But it's like, it's fun.

Brooke: Yeah. 

Matt: I would just like to show like my campus and like here I go like this is where I go.

Brooke: Definitely. That'd be sweet. So what is your experience like transferring to NAU?

Matt: It was kind of tough, honestly, because I miss my whole family. You know, you know, like, just like I'm also like terrified of driving here because like the roads are so narrow. Oh, I can't like drive here. 

Brooke: And there's too many people here for how densely Flagstaff is.

Matt: And so like that was something I wasn't prepared for. Also, it's like the cold. So the roads are like so narrow here. Yeah. Like so I did not like that. But it's OK because I just take the bus.

Brooke: Yeah. 

Matt: And I'm not saying like to like lose more like, you know, like I'm not saying like I'm afraid to take over, but like I also don't need the car really. That's a lot of gas. 

Brooke: Yeah.

Matt: I'm like, I don't have money for that right now. 

Brooke: Flagstaff's pretty walkable too. It's fun to walk around here. 

Matt: Actually I lost like 10 pounds?

Brooke: Wow! 

Matt: So I actually like it.

Brooke: Skinny legend. 

Matt: So I could fit into clothes. That's one thing I love. But no, I feel like I got used to the life here, like the cold, like just making new friends, have like a lot of new friends. So no, I really love it here now. Like it was kind of hard at first, honestly, but you get used to it as time goes on. 

Brooke: Yeah. No, that makes me happy. I'm glad. Do you have any- like a piece of advice you would give to an incoming transfer student?

Matt: Honestly, do what you love. Honestly, like I knew I'm going to be honest, I really didn't like did not like political science. I just I don't think politics was for me. But if I have to like tell you one thing is just to do what you love, honestly. And if you if it takes you time to like you do your majors and do it. Because at the end of the day, it's something you're gonna do and you're gonna love it. 

Brooke: Yeah. 

Matt: So that's what I recommend. Just figure out what you really want to do.

Brooke: I totally agree. Yeah, I've changed my major five times. So how many times have you changed your major? 

Matt: One. 

Brooke: Just the one? 

Matt: Yeah, just the one. I really love it. So-

Brooke: That's awesome. If you could go back and change anything about your transition, is there anything you would change? And what would it be? 

Matt: You know, honestly, I think I would have wanted to come here like my whole freshman year, because I feel like I would have loved the like, the experience like getting your own dorm, getting your like meal plan, getting all that too. That's something I always think about is like, I wish I came in my freshman year, just you know,

Brooke: Yeah.

Matt: But it's okay. But um, but yeah, no. But just like one thing I also regret is just like, just like the whole interior design, how I wish you know, I wish I would have known earlier like to change it so I could have had the classes this semester instead of taking them next semester.  

Brooke: But it's all part of the college experience, though. And you'll get into your classes that you will truly enjoy soon and things will start picking up. So now we're gonna do this or that NAU edition. 

Matt: Okay. 

Brooke: The Dub or the Hotspot?

Matt: Well, I live closer to the Dub and they have ice cream. 

Brooke: They do have ice cream. 

Matt: So I remember when I came down, I think it's called the Eatery, right? They had ice cream and then they took it out. I do not know what happened there. There's also ice cream at the Hotspot. Yeah, so that's why I go to the hot spot. So- is the Hotspot the Dub or? 

Brooke: No, the Dub is on South Campus and the Hotspot is in the Union. 

Matt: Oh, well the Hotspot used to have how ice cream. 

Brooke: It still does. 

Matt: The machine?

Brooke: Not a machine anymore. You have to go to the desserts and get it from them. 

Matt: Yeah, because that's why it like sold me to come to NAU. I remember we had like our transfer. No, it was like an event where we all came.

Brooke: It was a Transformation day? 

Matt: No, it was like transfer students that came to NAU. I think you guys gave us the tour actually. And so I think when you guys took us to the Eatery and we ate there, I was like, oh, the ice cream. So I was like, okay, I want to come to NAU. 

Brooke: For the ice cream. 

Matt: I come back to NAU and it's not there. But I go to the Dub because I see the ice cream there and they gave me like mini scoops. I'm like, okay. 

Brooke: Yeah, they do. And they have good flavors. 

Matt: Yeah. And I love like the food too. 

Brooke: Yeah, it's pretty good. All right. Morning classes, afternoon classes or evening classes? 

Matt: Oh, mine are scattered, but I do not have night classes or evening. So that's good. So I would recommend morning or, you know, like the new, you know, like a 12. 

Brooke: Yeah. That's good advice. Walking or riding the bus? 

Matt: Riding the bus.

Brooke: Sometimes walking is hard. 

Matt: I love it though. Like there's like this cool bus for Halloween.
You know, how light they were, how like spiderwebs and there was like this big spider and we're like, okay, I love this bus. 

Brooke: On campus? 

Matt: Yeah, there was like a bus. 

Brooke: Oh, that's cute. 

Matt: And so she had candy out too for Halloween yesterday. And I was like, oh, I love this bus a lot. So the buses here are like, so cool.

Brooke: Glad you got to see that. That's awesome. 

Matt: I took a video actually. Oh, cute. 

Brooke: Well, thank you so much to my mentee, Matt, for joining us today. We appreciate you coming in and sharing your transfer experience with us. 

Matt: Well, thank you so much for like always like helping out and always like looking out for me. 

Brooke: Of course. 

Matt: Thank you to Dom for everything too. 

Brooke: Yay. 

Matt: Yay!