As senior year of high school slowly winds down, there is a big decision to make. As exciting as graduation seems, there is something to follow three short months later that seems a little bit scarier—choosing a college. Friends are soon going to part ways, and classmates are going to attend anywhere from community college to a campus on the other side of the country. It doesn’t matter where people go or what they study—it is about which campus makes them feel happiest. And as my freshman year of college comes to a close, I am incredibly happy with the decision I made.
I chose to attend a private school with just over 1,600 students. To my friends attending large universities, they often chuckled at how I was attending a college nearly the same size as my high school. I heard several comments like: “Oh, you’re going to miss out on so much at a small school” or “College is the time to move into a big town with lots of opportunities.” Despite their comments, I chose this cozy suburban school because it felt just right for me.
Even though my campus is much smaller than most of my friends’ and my class sizes have a maximum of 30 people, I am so glad that I chose the school that I call home, and here are five reasons why:
1. You are a name, not just a number.
At large universities, it is very common to hear about lecture halls that hold nearly 500 students at once. While some may like that style of teaching, I prefer the small, secluded classrooms on my campus. With approximately 20 students in each class, the discussion is made easier and the professors know you on a personal basis. I love knowing that I can see a professor in the cafeteria, and they recognize me by name.
2. There are hundreds of ways to get involved.
The size of the campus doesn’t limit its number of opportunities. I have found a number of clubs that I enjoy being a part of, and these clubs are well promoted at the annual club fair. Some clubs even work together to complete service projects or run events, and it’s great to see how various groups can come together and represent our school well.
3. The walks are long, but could be much worse.
Waking up and seeing a heavy downpour on a chilly Monday morning makes for a miserable start to the day. However, with a small campus, mostly everything can be reached within a 10-minute walk. Some say they don’t like how small some campuses are, but I can’t complain when there’s a snowstorm, or more importantly, when I want those extra 15-minutes of sleep.
4. You know most of your classmates, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Having a small class size calls for having classes with the same people, especially if you share a major. After being only two semesters in, I already have an idea of who I will spend the next three years in class with. This sounds like a bad thing, but it’s actually fantastic to have people that you can turn to for help in classes. Forming friendships are natural when you have class with the same people each semester, and that creates a friendly classroom environment.
5. It truly feels like home.
This is perhaps the most important thing. It is a blessing to have found a school where the professors know you and help you. Having dorms in close proximity allows easy access to visit friends. And most importantly, I am genuinely happy. No, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on what is happening at large universities. Sure, every Friday night is not extremely exciting, but I’m making the best of memories with some of my best friends.
While I know my friends are having a blast at their universities, I am happy with my small, private school, and could not be happier with the decision that I have made.
