At first, I was incredibly skeptical of my tiny campus. It seemed like the majority of my high school classmates were off to huge party schools with amazing sports teams, and here I was, about to ship off to a school I had never even heard of before I applied. However, in my junior year here at my adorable school, I cannot imagine my college experience any other way.
1. You know the majority of your class.
Every day on my walk to class, I run past at least a few people I am able to give a friendly smile and hello to. The people I have in my classes this year are people I know and have had in my classes before. Being able to have connections with such a great percentage of people makes me feel more comfortable and it puts me in a good mood for those early morning courses.
2. The walk to class.
The walk from my dorm room to my academic buildings is between three to five minutes. When I visited my friend at big state school we had to leave her dorm room 20 minutes to a half-hour before she wanted to get to class. The small school allows you to sleep a bit more, and it puts less stress on your morning routine. Also, the walk between two classes, even when they are across campus, is never rushed.
3. There is just less confusion.
Everyone on a tiny campus knows where every building is. When there are only four dorms and four and a half academic buildings, class schedules are never a mystery and meetings and events are always somewhere you have been before. You really can't get lost.
4. The bond is strong.
When you meet people in other places who go or have gone to your school it’s always very exciting. I was in Paris last year when I was studying abroad and one of my friends was wearing a shirt that said our school on it and a lady walking by stopped us because she had graduated from our school a couple years earlier. It was probably one of the coolest things to ever happen.
5. The alumni association
The alumni are so helpful and passionate. They are there to help you with your job search and networking needs because they want others from a small school to be successful. It’s a cool little exclusive group where everyone has a solid connection which is their college experience. My alumni group from my town sends me personalized gifts and motivation for holidays, midterms and finals — it makes me feel important.
6. The small classes
In my two years at my little school, I so far, have only had two courses with over 24 people in it. And I have had a great number of courses with fewer than 15. The individualized attention, the attendance policy, and the fact that my professors know when I have missed a class is incredibly important in my education. I am motivated to never skip a class and when I’m in class, my professors are focused making sure that I personally have an understanding of the content of the class. I am not afraid to raise my hand and ask questions which makes learning so much more comfortable
7. The school spirit and events
When there is an event at my school, everyone is invited and the event is geared towards everyone. It's like having a huge club, we are all welcome to come together to celebrate an occasion or promote a certain cause. Whenever there is an event happening on campus everyone talks about it, gets excited about it and we can all go together.
8. Going out
When you see others from your little school out, around town on the weekends, it’s super exciting. It’s like seeing a family member, it’s so much fun to freak out for a sec and you feel a sense of comfort because of the familiarity.
The community culture on my small campus is perfect and I wouldn't trade my little school for anything in the world.
