Back in high school, I was positive I would be a “big university” type of girl. I enjoyed the thought of adjusting to life at a campus with tens of thousands of other students and hardly knowing any of them. Boy, was I wrong.

Before transferring to Baker this year, I spent my sophomore year at Kansas State University. You would think that was my first mistake in choosing to attend KSU if you knew the household of Jayhawks fans I grew up with.

Despite the clash, I chose K-State because I really liked the welcoming atmosphere of the campus and of Manhattan in general. That’s about where my list of pros ends when it comes to my time being a big university girl, though.

Although welcoming, one of the reasons I disliked going to a big school was the common feeling of unfamiliarity. I constantly felt like I was just a number, lost in the crowd. It was much different than the life I was accustomed to when I went to a high school with roughly a thousand students – everybody knew my name and I knew theirs.

Transferring to Baker, that feeling has changed immensely and for the better. I have that same comfortable feeling I did in high school and find it to be much easier to meet people and make friends here. I can’t walk across campus without saying hello or having a conversation with someone I’ve met in just the short amount of time that I’ve been here so far.

Now, I understand that Baker’s enrollment number is a mere fraction of K-State’s, so obviously there will be differences in my ability to expand my interests. One huge factor in the process of branching out is the disparity between class sizes between the schools.

At K-State, lectures were held in massive classrooms with 200 other students and the set curriculum was taught by a professor who would never know my name. I was not held accountable for my absences because attendance was never taken.

Imagine trying to muster up motivation to wake up for an 8:30 a.m. class when your teacher could not care less whether you show up to take notes off of the monotonous PowerPoint slides during the lecture.

Going to class is much easier at Baker, not only because my teachers know who I am and will notice if I’m missing, but also because of how classes are conducted.

The smaller class sizes provide for a more hands-on learning experience. I have found it easier to identify with professors at a more personal level in this setting, which will contribute to my academic success.

Outside of the classroom, there is a distinct difference between the social life at each of the campuses.

From huge football tailgates to a night out in Aggieville or even just a trip to the union’s bowling alley, K-State is exciting in the sense that there is always something going on.

Although Baldwin City might not be able to accommodate such an active lifestyle, I don’t mind. First off, I would rather have a lot of friends to hang out with in lieu of a variety of options for socializing. And secondly, now that I’ve been to K-State and know people who still go there, I can visit them whenever I’d like.

Coming to the realization that I am indeed more fond of the small campus lifestyle has been extremely helpful in my adjustment to transferring.

Along with regaining happiness, I have enjoyed the many opportunities that have arisen from my transfer to Baker so far. I am studying sports communications in the mass media department and have had the chance to strengthen my skills as a journalist by writing for the Baker Orange. I am also a part of the volleyball and basketball athletic programs here, both of which have provided me with skills that will help me to be successful in my future.

When students are deciding which path they want to travel and who they want to become, I encourage them to take into consideration not only what they would like to learn, but also how they want to learn. Weigh your options between big and small campuses; if you place an importance on a more nurturing learning environment in which you would be able to connect with your peers at a more personal level, I would not recommend attending a university with a large enrollment and campus.

If you do get stuck in a situation where you feel you made the wrong decision and that you could thrive better in a different environment, I urge you to take the chance of transferring. You never know just how much you could fall in love with a change of scenery.

Just as I have with Baker University.