Most colleges and universities are starting school within this month, and as summer comes winding down there are a certain set of students who are just that much more excited about school than most. Those students chose to go a route that isn't as popular as most. These are the students who go to small private universities and colleges around the nature. This group of students are more excited to go to school more than other big state school students for a few reasons.

1. Friends

Students at bigger state schools can go see most of their friends during summer because their all more than likely from the same state. However, those of us at smaller schools have friends that venture from all over the state, country and even the world. That's because most students at smaller schools are recruited for athletics or the arts and will travel great distances just to have the chance to play that sport or perform on stage or in a choir, because of this students at smaller schools only get to see their friends while at school and not during the summer. So as this summer winds down students from across the country become giddy in anticipation of their friend reunion date.

2. Activities

Most small college students are involved in an immense of activities at their school. Whether you're in a fall sport and you arrive within the next few weeks or play a winter or spring sport, you can't wait to get back at it with your team. Or if you're in a choir or theatre production, you can't wait for the first sounds you make together as a choir or the first audition for the Homecoming production. Other groups and clubs will get back together and start planning their first events of the semester whether it's a glee club or a students of the world organization everyone is excited to get back together.

3. Family

I often will refer to my school as my family, and that's because of the close knit relationships you have with friends and professor's at your small school. The truth is is that you care about everyone and everyone cares about you and you want that feeling again in such a great community. You don't get that at a big state school. All your friends and even people you don't consider your friends will ask you about your summer and you can brag about going on an awesome vacation or just talk about working your butt off just to pay for school.

4. Parties

It's undeniable. Parties are better when you're at school. They just are. So when you look at the calendar and know that there will only be a few weeks left until you're at your next epic house party, you get excited. Parties are also better at smaller schools. Every weekend you get to hang out with the same people and create memories that will last forever and when you go back and tell those great stories you will remember that person's name and everything about them because you saw them on a daily basis.

5. Classes

Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking, who can be excited about class? Well, small-school students are because they know how you can be such a small class that you design the course, especially upperclassmen. I have personally taken a journalism class that contained two students. Myself and one other person who of course I knew because we went to a small school. This by far has been one of my favorite classes.

6. Small Town Living

Now I know that a lot of private colleges and universities are in small towns, but a lot are. This small town feel can be a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the larger cities a lot of us come from. The local diner that you went to every Friday will be excited to have you back. The movie theatre down the street that has volunteer workers will be happy to see you show up once a week and sit in the same row every time. The one gas station that is open 24/7 will be waiting in anticipation for your midnight pizza order because who the hell doesn't want pizza at midnight.

All these reasons make smaller college students extremely excited for school. Way more than those who are at larger state schools. I know I'm excited. Are you?