There are benefits to small campus life that go unnoticed on larger campuses.
Being on a small campus like ABAC-Bainbridge is comparably different from other college communities I have seen, especially when it comes to classroom life.
I was originally supposed to go to GSU in Atlanta, so I was ready for the vast student body. Life had other plans, though, so instead I transferred to ABAC.
When I first came to this campus in early Spring 2025, I thought it was going to be flooded with students walking to classes, sitting on benches or even in the parking lot like at GSU. Instead, it was incredibly quiet and calming.
I recall being in the halls thinking, “I have zero clue where I am going to for my first class.” But the advantage is that all my classes were almost one room apart, which took the load from my shoulders.
The other benefit I found was how close I felt to my professors and the staff.
The professors made sure that all their students were not just numbers in chairs; instead, they made sure that they knew our names to the point where, if I was out, it would not be long before they noticed.
I went from thinking that I would not have a close relationship with my professors to inviting them to the shows that I would perform with local theaters during the semester and making sure they get tickets.
The staff in places like the library calmed my nerves during my first semester.
I was greeted by Mrs. Kaye Guterman and Mrs. Chandra Casteel, and they both gave me a rundown of the professors and the different buildings on campus.
These connections made a significant impact on my life because I knew that these people were invested in the success of their students, and it gave us that boost of motivation in the classroom that we needed.
But what are classrooms without the students in them?
When it came to the class size, the most I would see in my class was about 10 students, which in my opinion is small.
My classmates and I started off not really knowing each other, with every keeping mostly to themselves.
Naturally, though, we began talking before class, and I found out that three of them attend my church, and one of them does shows just like me.
I would often walk with them after class as well or hang out before I had to go to work in the library where I would see their familiar faces once again.
While the ABAC-Bainbridge campus is not as big as ABAC-Tifton, it offers a unique sort of charm that lies within the small community.
Now, as I am preparing to move over to the Tifton campus next fall, I will not forget the memories that I made on this campus.
Sometimes, less really is more.