Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is a town that you may have trouble locating on a map. The downtown is approximately one mile long and the biggest shopping attraction is the giant Walmart on Route 15. Yet going to college in this small town was the best decision I ever made.
Here are some reasons why I love going to college in a small town:
1. When you go to college in a small town you can always find a familiar face anywhere you go! You can’t walk from campus down to the infamous Sushihanna restaurant without passing at least one familiar face, not to mention at least one professor you’ve had a class with. Plus the walking distance from point A to point B is never more than 10 minutes, which makes it super-convenient for all of the freshmen who don't have cars on campus!
2. Safety is never a concern for me when I am walking home at night from downtown parties or the bar. At city schools or schools in bigger towns, you have to worry about taking Ubers and safely navigating unfamiliar areas or crowded streets. But at school in a small town, the walk home is quick and the biggest threat that you could possibly face is the occasional camo-clad townie with a shotgun.
3. Small town usually means a middle-of-nowhere location and scenic views. During the warm months (fall, spring and summer, but definitely not winter) I love going to school in a small town because the surrounding scenery is perfect for a nice day! You can walk along the Susquehanna, run the rail trail or drive a few miles down the road to go hiking in one of the many state parks.
4. In a small town, you can save a few extra bucks because the food and drinks are a LOT cheaper than they are in any city. The fact that you can drive or walk everywhere also saves you a pretty penny because you don’t need to splurge on taxi or Uber rides when you go out!
5. There are only two bars that most upperclassmen go to. This may sound like a negative at first, but the fact that our small town only has two bars is actually awesome. Since there are only two places to go, all of the upperclassmen come together for a fun night out, breaking the barriers of exclusivity that mixers put in place.
6. Don’t get me wrong though, mixers and downtown parties are another reason why I love going to school in a small town. City schools might have a fun bar scene and Saturday morning “drunches,” but we have frat parties with our whole school and the most epic super Saturdays where everyone dances and drinks until the early evening, when the ordinance rules force us to go our separate ways until the nighttime parties begin.
