With a little over 9,000 students at Sonoma State, the feeling of a bustling university doesn’t necessarily exist. 

In fact, you’re most likely going to run into the last person you want to see. When that happens, the open walkways between the new Student Center and Stevenson Hall do not provide any help in escaping that awkward confrontation. 

But, as much as we all dislike seeing the people that we try to avoid, we love randomly running into friends on a dreary Monday morning.

The inconveniences of going to a small school go far beyond seeing someone you don’t want to. I mean, what are tailgates? 

At other large universities, tailgates seem to be one of the most exciting events. With no big football team here at SSU, tailgating is something that students don’t even consider. In general, sports at Sonoma State aren’t something that students really follow. 

I think most would agree in saying that it would be a great tradition if students mobbed to basketball and baseball games. However, since our college is so small, school spirit is something we lack compared to other colleges. 

Another inconvenience is the near impossible task of skipping class, simply because you pretty much are the class. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little. 

Your classes are small enough to where if you weren’t there, you’re teacher would notice. Not only would your teacher notice, but they also know your name and could easily find a way to harass you about not being there that day. 

And don’t bet on your professor cancelling class either. They most likely live five to 10 minutes from campus. Who knows, they might even be your neighbors in M Section. 

At Sonoma State we think that Ives and Stevenson have huge lecture halls. In reality, those don’t even hold half of what larger universities lecture halls hold.  For this reason, it is pretty hard to sleep or text in class. Your professor will definitely see you and call you out. 

Although, as students we dislike this sometimes, it is probably one of the most positive aspects of going to a small school. 

At least at Sonoma, students aren’t just another number. If the teachers know us personally, they are more able to personalize our education. 

That being said, you are more likely to get into trouble by campus police at a small school. I can say from personal experience that I’ve had a few more parking tickets than I probably deserved. 

It’s not like there is an over-abundance of students that they are trying to bust, but if you’re causing any mischief whatsoever, the PoPo’s are going to catch you. 

Hey, they need something to keep themselves entertained too. But think about it, it’s easier to get in trouble by campus police, however we do know when something actually goes wrong, they will be there to protect us.

I think as students here at Sonoma State we can all recognize that although there are a lot of differences between larger universities and SSU, these differences are things that most students have learned to not only adapt to, but also appreciate. 

The issues we complain about are the things that make our school what it is. They are the unique experiences that when we look back on our college days, we will remember.