For four and a half years, I have called Southern Connecticut State University my home. During that time, I blossomed and grew into the woman that I am today. I learned many different things, both in and out the classroom. And, I met some awesome people along the way. All of that – good stuff.
One of the benefits of attending a state university is its affordability. Thanks to my decision to attend a state college, my tuition was a fraction of what it would have been if I attended the neighboring universities, such as Quinnipiac University, Albertus Magnus College and the University of New Haven. I also commuted for my entire college career, which cut my expenses even further.
I did get a lot of bang for my buck. Each and every one of the 124 credits I took were both interesting and challenging, with maybe the exception of alegebra. I also got to take some fun classes, such as jewelry and metals, and a class that took field trips to the beach.
And, as for my major, it is safe to say that I have been challenged. I was lucky to have a team of talented professors to steer me into the right direction as a writer and a journalist. Thanks to them, I was able to gain the skills to navigate the world of journalist. After all, I was able to get a job right before I even graduated. That would not even have been possible if it weren’t for those professors.
With that being said, my status as a commuter didn’t exactly make my college experience peachy keen. For about the first year, I absolutely hated it, and wanted to transfer to a smaller campus. As a commuter, especially as a commuter who didn’t have her license for the first half, it was nearly impossible to make friends. It wasn’t until I began to work on campus and joined clubs such as the Student Newspaper, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society that I truly felt like Southern was my campus. Because of my involvement, I was exposed to new opportunities, and people that have become a part of my college experience.
I am not writing this as someone who wants to convince and sell the state universities to you. However, it does bother me when people say that state universities are worse than private ones. No, it’s not Yale. However, college is what you make it no matter where you go. So, don’t knock the state university until you truly take a look at it, because it offers the same experience as others. And, with less debt.
That is why I’ll proudly say to whoever asks (or listens) that I am proud to be a Southern Owl.
thenutmegmillennial.com 