The Goldilocks Transfer

Writers know that the first draft rarely gets it right. The same was true for Colin Bellairs ’26, a literature and creative writing major who rewrote his own college story — twice — before finding his "right fit" at Linfield University.

A familiar face in Linfield Theatre productions and former head editor of Camas, Colin transferred to Linfield in 2022 after earlier stints at Portland State University and Oregon State University. Each experience taught him something about what he valued most in higher education.

Finding what didn’t fit

Colin’s college journey began at Portland State, where he quickly realized the learning environment wasn’t right for him.

“PSU lost me when I went into my first creative writing class,” he said. "The professor explained that we would be learning by doing worksheets -- no writing all semester.”

Outside of the classroom, Colin struggled to find his community.

Two years later, he enrolled at Oregon State University, hoping for a better fit. OSU offered a stronger sense of community, but he still felt misaligned.

“Oregon State University was a bit better, but I wasn't attending for the right reasons,” Colin said. “I was a business major at the time, which wasn't aligning with my goals or hopes for my life.”

After leaving OSU, Colin took a four-year break from college to focus on personal growth and writing on his own.

Landing somewhere “just right”

When Colin decided to continue his education, Linfield stood out for several reasons.

“Linfield is relatively close to home, and because I like to ask questions, the smaller class sizes work better than large lecture halls,” Colin said.

From his first semester, the difference was clear.

“I wasn't immediately put off by some uninspired notion of ’worksheet-first’ creative writing,” Colin said. “People were welcoming, and I enjoyed walking around campus.”

As a transfer student, Colin joined Linfield’s transfer seminar, where he met others making similar transitions. “The seminar was effective at helping me meet fellow transfer students and nontraditional students, as well as situate myself among my community,” he said.

A place for growth and dialogue

Since transferring, Colin has immersed himself in Linfield’s creative community. He has served as head editor for Camas, the university’s student-run literary magazine, is currently co-president of the Creative Writing Club and performed in four productions, including being the lead in 2025’s “Macbeth.”

He’s also discovered that Linfield’s classrooms invite conversation rather than conformity.

“I've always been an opinionated person, and at times that makes you enemies,” he said. “But here, professors invite dialogue. They’ll ask me to explain my perspective, share theirs and have a genuine conversation about our differences.”

Those exchanges have reshaped his view of what college can be.

“A lot of people told me college was a place where disagreements are quashed and professors rule with iron fists,” he said. “In reality, I've only ever found Linfield professors to be cordial, patient and understanding, even when we're discussing a severe disagreement.”

Learning, creating and finding balance

Now in his senior year, Colin says Linfield has been the right environment for both academic and personal growth.

“Every semester I stay, I learn about my major and improve as a person,” he said. “The professors here tend to have a big heart. They'll listen to your struggles and offer down-to-earth advice.”

It took a few tries, but for Colin, Linfield has become the place where he’s grown the most — not too big, not too cold, but just right.