The Truth About Big Universities

Everything about the University of South Carolina is big. The campus, the class sizes, the dining halls, the football stadium, the sororities and fraternities. Even the people here have big personalities. I’m going to debunk some misconceptions that people often have about big universities to reveal what it’s really like.

It’s Hard to Make Friends at a Big School

FALSE: At a big school it may seem hard to make friends. You’d think you’d get swallowed up in the crowd, left behind and forgotten about. But really, it’s so easy to find your people. So many different types of students go to this school and you’re bound to be friends with at leastone of them, right? Right. There’s approximately a million and one ways to meet people. Greek life, sports, dorms, clubs, class, the list goes on. You want to be a sorority girl? Join Greek life. You hung out with the soccer players in high school? Join the club soccer team. You want to focus on school? Well, then you’re lame as hell. Just kidding, good for you. Meet kids in your classes and make them your study buddy. What I’m saying here is that going to a big school makes your friend possibilities limitless. Do you have to try a little harder to see your friends and maintain friendships? Probably. But is it actually hard to meet people? Not at all.

What’s even better is that you’ll never get stuck with a friend group. Sick of the friend group that you originally chose? That’s fine because you have 25,000 students to pick from for your next group.

Big Schools Are Party Schools

TRUE: You have not experienced a college football tailgate until you’ve stepped into the Frat Lots on Game Day in South Carolina. I have met some of the craziest people in the world at this school. BUTdoes everyone party? No. Like I said before, there are 25,000 people at this school and believe it or not some of them actually want to have a few brain cells left upon graduation. It’s all about who you associate yourself with. If you want to party and go-out, it will always be an option at a big school. But if you’re not into that stuff, that will also always be an option at a big school.

Classes are Harder Because of the Big Class Sizes

FALSE: Subtle brag but my GPA is a solid 3.98 and I am a student that requires A LOT of individual attention from professors. My classes have been HUGE. I’ve sat in classes with 300+ students. But firstly let me say, once you choose a major and you continue with it through your college career, your classes will get smaller. However, my freshman year core classes like Psych 101 were literally so massive and intimidating that nobody was tryna raise their hand (unless they were that one kid who sits in the front and asks a million questions with no shame… you know who you are). But I’ve always paid attention, took notes, studied, etc. For all you college newbies, your professors have office hours and for some reason they really like when you go. So, I go. I go whenever an essay or an assignment are due to get guidance and feedback, I go when I don’t understand a concept, I go to discuss grades I’m not happy about. I bother the shit out of them and they literally love it. They learn your name and face and can point you out in a big crowd. They follow up with you and are more willing to help you out. At a big school, it may take a little more effort to do well but it is so possible.

I love going to a big school because the possibilities are endless. So many different kinds of people to meet, more class options when it comes to registration, thousands of clubs (we literally have a skydiving club like wdym), a huge alumni base which is great for jobs and networking.

I walk around campus and even though I hardly recognize any of the faces that pass by me, I honestly feel so at home. I always think it’s kind of cool that all 25,000 of us have one thing in common: our pride and love for our school.