Attending a university with around 2,000 students gives its own unique set of opportunities, challenges, and gifts. A campus that fits on one square block comes with some trademarks:
1) Your school truly cares.
If someone passes away, everyone mourns. When someone does well, they entire university celebrates their success.
2)You know everyone (almost literally).
If you don't personally know someone, there's a 99% chance you've seen them, had a class with them, or at least have heard the name.
3) If you miss a class, your professor will definitely notice.
There are 5 people in the course; did you really think you could slip in the back?
4) Professors are interested in your personal life.
"OOOHH, I saw you out Friday night; was it a date? How did it go?" isn't an uncommon way to begin office hours.
5) You constantly question how to address emails.
When a professor signs an email with their first name, just the first letter of their last name, or Dr. L, what do you do?
6) You plan an extra couple of minutes to get to class, because you'll stop and talk to at least 5 people on the way.
7) You can still make it to class in under 6 minutes from any point on campus, usually quicker.
Back staircases are used more than the main ones.
8) You have A TON of keys.
Your residence hall, a couple of labs, a few for student organizations... AND THEY ALL LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. Colorful tape is your new BFF.
9) You are in at least 3 organizations.
Seriously, no one does just ONE thing-- that's why you know everyone.
10) You're on so many email chains, message groups, and round table discussions that you need folders for your folders.
11) No one has heard of your school.
Everyone in the surrounding 5 counties is familiar with your school, but outside of that, you're basically unheard of to anyone besides alumni or people looking to employ graduates from your school's top programs.
12) At least half the university attends give back nights at local restaurants.
Walk in to Azzip, Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings, etc on fundraiser night, and literally every table will be from your school.
13) Most of your clothes are your school's colors.
Free t-shirts for every club, organization, volunteer event, and activity ever!
14) You travel, work out, and shop with faculty and staff from your university.
There are only so many gyms and Wal-Marts in your city.
15) You see the highest levels of administration on campus on a weekly basis, and they know you by name.
16) News spreads like wildfire.
Someone ran around the main drive naked? YikYak, FB, and Twitter heard about it 5 mins ago.
17) You drink with your professors.
They're going to want in on the department's unofficial senior bar crawl, too.
18) There's always free food.
Allot a few hours of reading/study day just for end-of-the-year banquets.
19) You can always ask someone for advice.
Have to take a class outside of your major? Your friends can recommend a prof. Don't want to buy a book? Borrow it from someone.
20) Want to find out more about that guy or girl? It's easy (at least for the basics).
There's a really good chance that you know someone who's already dated that person; and, you know at least one of their friends.
21) Career services is 99% alumni based.
"Oh, you want a job in XXXXX company! I'll email our five recent graduates who work there."
22) Wearing the same outfit on consecutive days is not a thing.
MWF vs T/Th crew? Nope...
23) You love your university's close knit community.
It's really more of a family than a school.
