Laughter, misconceptions and insults fill my ears when people find out that I attend a small, private women's university. I constantly hear that I must hate people because Brenau is so small, or that I'm preppy and don't have to worry about my tuition.

So, before you think that, I'm going to stop you. None of this is true!

Yes, I do attend a small, private women's university. No, I'm not one of those preppy private school girls you see in movies and on TV. So what? It's time for the misconceptions to end.

Just because I attend Brenau does not mean I'm preppy. It means that I am dedicated to my education and future.

Part of the reason I chose to attend Brenau is that I know the staff members genuinely care about their students. I can network now instead of later.

Attending Brenau, I have already started networking. And it's only the start of my second year.

Late last year, I assisted my TA with a short film he was directing as the audio engineer. That weekend, I had the opportunity to network with a fellow audio engineer, and it's all because Brenau has such a low student to professor ratio.

If I had attended any other university, I most likely would not have had that opportunity in my first year of college.

Private universities are generally smaller than public universities, so it also helps greatly with my social anxiety. I do not handle being around a lot of people very well. So, attending a campus of about 900 students, I feel much more comfortable than I would at a university with 9,000 students.

I do not like the feeling of people watching me. Even though I am still on edge occasionally, I am not on edge nearly as much as I would be at a school like the University of Georgia. I know the people watching me here. I wouldn't know the people watching me there.

The biggest reason I chose to attend Brenau University is that I feel like I'm at home. I do not get that feeling when I'm on break. I feel paranoid and like I'm a stranger in my own town.

Brenau is my own little community. It is my safety blanket.

When I graduate in two and a half years, I know I will be coming back a lot. Brenau has become my family and my home. I love it here. I feel more considerate than ever after being accepted — not to mention that the women here are amazing and sweeter than candy.

I'm not preppy just because I attend Brenau University. If I want to attend a small, private women's university, I should be able to attend a small, private women's university without dealing with the backlash that I'm not going to get anywhere or amount to anything.

It's my life and my choice — not yours or anybody else's.

If you want to attend a large, public co-ed school, go ahead. But don't go bashing me for choosing a small, private women's university.