Opportunities come and go, and decisions need to be made. But rarely are we sure of such decisions and know they are the right ones.
I spent my freshman year of college last year at a small private school next door: Northwest Christian College. NCC is small — and I mean small: The undergraduate population is only 360 students. Everyone seemingly knew everyone else, and that made things all right.
With its affiliation with the Christian Church, this school commended itself on the fact that students were able to become more than just a number — a plus for those who’d feel “lost in the crowd” at larger colleges and universities. And it was true: At NCC, one could build strong relationships with many students, and even staff members knew their students on a first name basis.
In my time at NCC, I never once felt like “just a number”; the school did well on that. And, in fact, I think it was the best experience I have ever had. I met so many people and built so many strong friendships, many to last a lifetime. But most importantly, I found myself.
I grew so much in that year and discovered a lot about myself that I may not have otherwise known. This made my decision to transfer to the University of Oregon one of the toughest I have had to make. However, although NCC had been so good to me, it was time I moved on.
Little did I know at the time this decision was just what I needed.
Transferring to good ‘ol Mighty “O” was undoubtedly the best decision I have ever made. And why wouldn’t it have been? This is to me, one of the greatest schools in the country. The Princeton Review agrees in its “Best 345 Colleges: Smart Student’s Guide to College.”
According to the guide, the University excels in academics, among other things, with programs of study in areas such as journalism, business, law and architecture.
Also according to the Review, while “generally, students aren’t religious, and dorms are like dungeons,” the school also provides a community that is pleasing for nearly everyone. People of any lifestyle can find a little piece to call their own, whether it is just hitting a local party or joining one of the many social and political groups around the campus.
But it doesn’t just stop at the edge of campus. The students here are some of the most aware out there, making this one of the most politically active colleges in the nation, at least according to “The Unofficial, Biased, Insiders Guide to the Most Interesting Colleges.”
Although most students tend to be on the left side of the spectrum, all political views tend to be heard. In fact, I noticed it is hard to even walk to class without getting a daily dose of politics.
With more than 17,000 undergraduates, the size of this campus population far outstrips NCC. But even with so many students here, I don’t necessarily feel lost in the crowd, or even caught up in the shuffle of things. Rather, I find that I can be myself and, bit by bit, learn to be more independent and to function on my own.
Sometimes, it is good to be just a number. I am one of 17,000, now a number speaking to the numbers. My voice can now make an impact to such a strong and growing student body.
Today, I know that the decision I made to come here was the right one. And I am proud to be a Duck.