I recently got hired as a tour guide at my small university, and as I was giving a tour this weekend, I could not stop thinking how happy I am to be at a small university. Up until my senior year of high school, I was dead set on going to Notre Dame, there was no other option in my head. I graduated from an extremely small high school with only twenty-five students in my graduating class, and I wanted to go to a bigger college more than anything. However, when my plans changed and I wanted to play sports in college, I found myself at the University of Saint Francis, which is a fairly small college of around 2,300 students. My small school experience has been absolutely amazing already for many reasons, but I’ll just hit on a few.

1. I know almost everyone on campus.

At smaller colleges, there is such a huge sense of community because you know the majority of the students. And it’s not so small like my high school where you know everything about everyone. But everyone is at least a familiar face, and we all know that on football weekends we all come together and bleed blue and white with our amazing school spirit. I love feeling that sense of community, and my college campus has become my second home.

2. My professors know who I am.

I love being more than just a number in my classes. My largest class has had forty people, and I have had classes with as few as ten students. This way I get to know my professors and I get the most out of every class. It also makes it almost impossible to skip class because professors will definitely notice if I am gone. However, if I do have to miss a class due to volleyball, I know that my professors will specifically work with me to make up any missed work so I don’t fall behind. The professors here actually care about me individually succeeding, and it is hard to find that at many other larger universities.

3. There are tons of activities to be involved in.

Many people think that small colleges don’t have as much to offer, but I have found about a million ways to get involved in everything on campus. There are activities and sporting events every weekend so I almost never find myself bored.

4. I am able to continue to play sports.

I know that there is no way I would ever be able to play sports at a larger university, and playing volleyball at the collegiate level has been one of the most amazing blessings in my life. I have made lifelong friends with some of my teammates, and while still having the experience of traveling everywhere with the team. That experience is something that you don’t necessarily get at some of the larger universities.

I have loved my small university experience, and I am so grateful every day that I ended up where I am. I know that I will be ready for whatever comes next after college, but until that point, I am going to continue to enjoy every minute of my small school college experience.