I think most people can back me up on this: college is a big change. Professors don't remind you about upcoming homework, don't offer extra credit or extensions, and you're basically forced to be more responsible. However, this was not the biggest transition for me. The most difficult aspect of UAlbany I had to get used to was size. However, choosing to go to a large university was the best decision I have ever made.
My graduating class in high school was 87. No, I am not joking. Nobody has ever heard of my small town, I could recognize somebody in my grade by the car they drove, and as a senior, I could name the majority of the juniors and sophomores. The class of 2016 was incredibly unique in the sense that we all got along great. We were definitely a memorable class and I feel like there isn't one quite like us. But honestly? I'm glad I don't have a repeat of going to a small school. Now obviously, if you were to tell me your high school graduating class was 600 or more, I would pass out, and you would likely have to send me to the nearest hospital. But if mine was about 200 people more, that would have been perfect.
The biggest problem I had was that in my high school, when it comes to making friends, everybody stayed in their comfort zone. I was incredibly guilty of that myself. If you named somebody in my grade, I could name everyone that was part of their "group". I really only hung out with people who did drama club and really nobody else. Of course we all talked to each other, and for the most part, we were all on wonderful terms with each other. But hanging out with somebody you didn't talk to as much or somebody from a different "group" was pretty uncommon. Everybody was content with their people.
Luckily, while some people have primary "groups" at UAlbany, everybody is looking to make new friends. It is almost March, and I am currently still meeting new people every time I go to an event or a party. And while people have their friends that they have met on move-in day and who they have stuck with, they are willing to hang out with new people, and I very much appreciate that. I definitely go to a very social school, and it has made me more outgoing, since everybody is in the same boat. If I chose to go to a smaller college, I would have ran the risk of maintaining that "cliquey" mindset.
The second downfall of going to a small high school is the lack of options. I found taking college classes was a bit of a struggle, as my options were limited. There were mostly courses that just did not appeal to me and that I would get nothing out of. Everybody stresses on how important it is to take a bunch of college classes in high school, but how exactly am I supposed to do that when I feel limited? Oh, and don't even get me started on AP. I hear of all of these useful AP classes that other students took that could have been a big help to me, like AP Stats or AP Psychology. We only had five. Yeah, it was kinda tricky.
Name any random interest you have, UAlbany will be your place. If I had a dollar for every club UAlbany has, I wouldn't complain about anything ever again. Not to mention, you can start your own club! I am in the UAlbany pre-physician assistant club, which is only a few years old. Whatever interest you have, there will always be someone who will share it. On the contrary, nobody dared to come up with a new club offering at my high school, and everybody stuck with what they were used to seeing. Not to mention, the wide variety of courses you can take! As much as gen eds suck, taking them in college is more worthwhile, since Rate My Professors exists and you can pick classes and professors that actually interest you!
Size actually wasn't the only major adjustment, however. Coming from a predominately white, conservative high school (there is nothing wrong with being either one of those things), I wanted to be around an environment where not everybody thought the same. I love the diverse opinions I have heard from lots of different people. You are bound to find someone with the same political or religious beliefs as you. People also come from many different backgrounds, and it's interesting that not everybody here was brought up the same way. Everybody has different experiences to share about where they grew up, and this is refreshing to me. A little less than half of the freshman are Caucasian, so UAlbany is clearly very diverse, and as corny as it sounds, a "melting pot" of different cultures. I am so proud of going to a school that is so accepting of different cultures and different ideals.
Don't get me wrong, my hometown will always have a special place in my heart, but it's time to move on. College has opened my mind and changed my perspective in many ways, and I could not be more proud that I go to a large university as opposed to a small college.
