When looking into what college to go to, I remember one of my initial draws to Western Michigan University was that, compared to some of the other universities here in Michigan, it felt far smaller and more comfortable than the alternatives. To this day, I find myself thinking of Western as a relatively small school. That is until I visit my partner at Alma College and realize exactly what a small school really is like. This frequently results in conversations between us comparing the two which often includes comparing her student population of around 1,400 to my 24,000. Even today, we spent a lot of time comparing how people act and simple are at small schools compared to larger ones, and I frequently feel thankful that I chose to go where I did.
One of the things I most frequently realize about being at a large school is the general anonymity of being a student here. As someone who isn't usually into being the center of anyone's attention, it's extremely refreshing to be able to go to class, dinner, on a walk, etc. and almost certainly not get recognized or talked to at times when I want to be on my own. As far as I can remember, there are only two or three occasions where I made myself known in any given social situation or even a class. Each time usually began because it was a discussion-based class where, well, I had to. Beyond that, I usually wound up being less anonymous after having several classes with the same people because I was more comfortable with them. Similarly, this allows someone to tailor their outward presence and decide who they present themselves to and who they don't.
A large student population also kind of forces the school itself to create new accommodations for those students, so each year, I notice new buildings, services, and general improvements (both blatant and subtle) that make the campus more interesting every time I return in the Fall.
Don't get me wrong, a school's size doesn't necessarily decide whether it's a good one or not. Just as most things are, it's almost entirely subjective, but the size of Western Michigan University is definitely tailored to my ideal school experience. There are so many instances of people discussing the colleges they go to where I just go "Man I'm so glad I don't go there. I think I'd hate it." because something about the anonymity and growth that occurs on a larger campus helps to eliminate the stress tat I even felt in high school. Undoubtedly, I feel extremely lucky to not only have chosen Western as my school but to be accepted in general.
