Starting college was something I feared as my senior year rushed by, but starting college at a private university was something I think I subconsciously feared even more. Thoughts of whether or not it would be anything like what I had seen about private school kids on television are the first things that came to mind—dumb I know, but seriously, what if going to a private university was atrocious? After spending my first year of college I have compiled a list of why going private was the best decision I ever made.

1. You know literally everyone, and literally everyone knows you.

If they do not know you, they will within the next few months, I am not kidding. Compared to a regular college campus, being at a private school has made me a ridiculous amount of friends, from all over the globe. This could be very beneficial to one if you plan on couch-surfing the next time you take a backpacking trip around South America/Europe/Asia/anywhere on the planet. Along with knowing all these interesting people, you get to hear their awesome stories and learn about their lives outside of the university. The only con is that along with everyone knowing you, you can bet they will know all of the recent occurrences in your life within 48 hours of them happening.

2. You have a learning advantage over public university kids.

With college classes containing on average about 20-30 students, you get the chance to ask questions and build better relationships with your professors. Private school professors want you to be successful in their classes, and they want to be able to help you make the grades you want, which usually means pushing back a few homework assignments if you tell them about your terrible, terrible week. The only downside to this is that more often than not, there is no sign in sheet and they take roll-call by facial recognition, so skipping classes deserves it's own special place in Hell for having such a problematic outcome.

3. You can wake up five minutes before class and make it across campus on time

I ca not stress enough how valuable this is. Sleep is something college students do not get enough of. And my first class of the day, being only a three minute walk from my dorm, makes life even more simple. Even if you are not feeling the walk across campus, it is only a two dollar UBER ride. Yes, that information is validated by personal experience.

4. The scholarships offered are insane

If there is one thing I can faithfully pledge myself to, it is that, contrary to popular misconception, if you work hard, going to a private university can cost you little to nothing. I am one of the many that got lucky enough to receive multiple scholarships from my very generous university. All it took was a consistent flow of above average grades and a really nice looking resume, to make this free money more than accessible to me. Yes, private universities are more expensive than state schools by a long shot, but because they have so much money as it is, they have a lot more to give away to deserving students in return, which is a pretty great exchange if you ask me.

5. It is the closest thing to "Home"

Referring back to my first point, everybody does know one another here, but it is more than that. The people here are so diverse—culturally, socially and economically—but when you are here, that is the last thing on your mind. Going to a private university has brought me near to people who share the same values as I do and the same desire to be socially aware. The people I have surrounded myself with care about the same things I do, and they are here because they want to carry out those values into the real world to make a difference. More often than not, the people here are ridiculously friendly, trying to make this new, and sometimes confusing place, a little less terrifying. Being at a school with such a strong sense of community has made it sometimes difficult to miss home, because being here feels like I am home.