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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Coming into college is a scary concept in general, and all sorts of emotions come along with it. It’s a whole new thing. Classes are structured differently and you now live at school (potentially with a roommate). What I feel is the scariest part … all the new faces.  

Everyone is new. I went to a small high school with a smaller class of 200. At St. Bonaventure, we have a smaller campus of about 2500 students. Now don’t get me wrong, that’s still a huge number. Compared to larger universities, we are in a fishbowl.   

Here at Bonaventure, we pride ourselves on the Bona community, the family that every student and staff member is a part of. As soon as I stepped foot on campus this dynamic was clear. Constant waves and hellos across campus showed how everyone already knew each other so well.   

This was seriously intimidating at first. Now do not get me wrong, everyone was so welcoming from the first day coming in here, but I still struggled with feeling like an outsider. Everyone was so a part of a group, and I just didn’t feel in there. This was not the case, that’s just the anxiety taking over. In reality, this is just a whole new chapter with brand new characters. The climax of the story isn’t ever in the beginning. You must take time to get there.   

I mean, imagine a fishbowl. The same fish are constantly seeing one another, and they get to know one another very well. This is what Bonaventure becomes. Those people you take classes with are the same people you run into at the local Walmart, see in the dining hall, and see at campus activities. Those professors know who you are. You are not just a name and number. They get to know you as an individual. Those staff members are the same people you will see every day, creating conversations that later turn into a bond.  

Now I am a junior here and as an upperclassman on a small campus, you kinda have made your mark. You know where everything is, the typical way things go, and those people around you are familiar, friendly faces. There is nothing I enjoy more than coming back to an environment where not only is everyone so friendly but these are my friends and my community. My love and gratitude could not be written in words towards the community Bonaventure has given me.    

Cassidy is a social media executive for Her Campus at St. Bonaventure University. She loves to use her creative outlet to advance her university's chapter. She has been writing for Her Campus for three years. Cassidy is a fourth-year student studying psychology with a minor in women's studies. Beyond Her Campus, she is involved in other extracurriculars such as L.I.F.T., Active Minds, and volunteering in the food pantry. She is the president of SBU for Equality. You may find her working in the admissions building as a student ambassador. She is an avid Pinterest user and will bring up how it is the best social media to exist. Her love for music keeps her going, nothing Taylor Swift can't help her with.