When choosing a college, everyone has their own list of criteria that their dream school has to meet. Whether it may be the sports, location, or the guy-to-girl ratio, the college we choose has to make us feel at home for an awesome four-year experience. For me, choosing a school like Fairfield -which was not too far from home, was close to the beach, and had a great alumni base- was a dream come true because it honestly incorporated everything I wanted in a college. Some may say that although Fairfield has all of these amazing aspects, it’s too small and you are going to get sick of everyone and everything within the first semester. Going to a small school to some may seem like a negative thing, but for me it just means seeing a familiar face everywhere you go! Here are the top 5 best things and the top 5 worst things about going to a small school.
TOP 5 BEST THINGS ABOUT GOING TO A SMALL SCHOOL:
1. You will know more than half your grade within your first year.
2. Your classes are made up of 25 students or less, which means you will know everyone and form a one-on-one relationship with your professor.
3. Your friend groups are linked with other groups of friends, which means you will get to know more people faster.
4. Fairfield University is primarily made up of students from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts which means making friends is a lot easier than you think due to the amazing coincidence of hometown mutual friends.
5. The small school factor allows for a close-knit community that you can trust and feel comfortable in. A home away from home that you will love being a part of for the next four years.
TOP 5 STRUGGLES ABOUT GOING TO A SMALL SCHOOL:
1. You see ex-hookups whether you want to or not. (Tip: avoid boys or girls in your classes)
2. Everyone knows everyone’s business before you can say anything. Be sure to keep your personal life private, so no one but you can talk about it.
3. First impressions are everything and because it is such a small school people know who you are before you can officially meet them. Be sure to always place your best foot forward and if you get put in the situation where things are untruly said about you be sure to smooth them out and show people that you are the complete opposite of what they previously assumed.
4. Ladies remember, boys talk…. A lot. Be sure that if you are talking to a cute boy who has cute friends and you hook up with cute boy #1 and things go south, do not… I REPEAT DO NOT go for his cute friends in general.
5. Four years in a tiny school can feel like a hamster wheel and if you start off on the wrong foot. Meaning, if you do not branch out and try to make a lot of friends or you are constantly doing things that put you in a dim light, it will be VERY hard to create a new reputation for yourself.
College is known to be the best four years of your life and where better to have those years than Fairfield University!! Whether you are feeling trapped in the “small school” micro-feel or are just loving every aspect of what it has to offer, Fairfield is made up of a community meant to help people thrive in everything they do.
Remember that though it may be considered a small school it is made up of almost 4,000 undergraduate students, so there are always new people to meet and new things to experience. Try to do everything you can to form a positive reputation but you have to remember EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES and college (though it is predominately a professional environment) is the perfect place to make them. Enjoy these four years, I hear they fly by.