20 Ways You Know You Go To A Small Liberal Arts College

Because your individualized learning is paramount to the classic college experience.

1. Nobody can REALLY be defined by a clique, because you can't just choose one activity.

Because how could you choose between cross country, student council, RAing, and your improv group?

2. You can walk from one side of campus to the other fairly quickly, but instead you choose to complain about it.

The 5 minute-trek to get food in the cafeteria isn't worth it. Delivery pizza it is!

3. You're probably stuck in a town in the middle of nowhere, whose inhabitants may or may not know the difference between Shakespeare and Shaquille O'Neal.

And you're stuck with them for four years. Maybe stay in that college bubble?

4. You're forced to live on-campus with your classmates for longer than your friends at state school.

Let's be honest. Living next to freshmen was only ok when you were a freshman.

5. You can't miss class, because there are only 12 of you in it.

And you actually have to be functional since 1/3 of your grade is based on discussion-based participation.

6. You're on a first-name basis with your profs, and you even joke around with them sometimes.

Until you royally screw up that one essay on Dostoyevsky.

7. You write papers like a mad man.

That whole individualized learning thing sounds nice, until you have to write 1-2 papers a week.

8. You liked going to parties until you realized you knew everyone there.

And you do not need to see the quiet kid and know-it-all from your 8am class grinding up on each other. Again.

9. You can't go anywhere without running into someone you know.

#ThatAwkwardMoment when you're avoiding that hookup from last night and you run into them in line for breakfast burritos in the commons. And during dinner. And choir practice.

10. Everyone says they are open-minded.

Because we all bring something different to the table and can help each other grow. That's what our education has taught us.

11. ...Right up until they disagree.

Then the real claws come out, and boy it is not pretty.

12. When people ask if you attend your sporting events and you say,

Your sports teams are DIII and probably lose most of their games. No offense to them, but you're more likely to find people at the Symphony Orchestra concert or poetry reading.

13. You and your classmates try to play the "Who's Busier?" game on a daily basis.

"Between my Russian literature course, bio anth lab, internship with the local magazine, RAing, volleyball, band rehearsals, presiding over my sorority/fraternity, and working in food service, I don't know how I'm going to get my honor's thesis done by next week!" - said everyone ever

14. You know your president and your president knows you.

It's like being BFFs with a celebrity.You feel the butterflies and everything.

15. You're a hipster.

But you'll fight anyone who says so during your breaks of making a mixed CD of Bon Iver, The Dirty Projectors, and Sleigh Bells. "Their hits aren't even representative of their best work," you say as you casually sip your Fair Trade coffee.

16. You're convinced you'll find your future spouse who loves knitting and art history just as much as you...

... Until you realize there are far less people to choose from than it so seemed freshman year.

17. There's no hazing, because the Greek life is really chill.

Silly chants and matching t-shirts is about as gruesome as it'll get.

18. That one time you do something stupid, everyone knows about it.

Even the kid who barely speaks English in your statistics class.

19. But through all of the challenges small liberal art schools present,

Like not allowing us cats. Who doesn't love cats??

20. You've made friends and memories in this tight-knit community that will last a lifetime.

From scrounging for meals to nursing each other to not-being-hungover, to staying up in the student center hyped up on coffee, we aren't all so different from other schools.