Every time Bishop’s gets brought up at home, my friends ask about the small-town university stereotypes. So, I will be demystifying these small-town stereotypes for future Gaiters, once and for all. Truth or myth, let’s get into it.
1. You always see the exact same people everywhere
I do believe at every school you will see the same people wherever you go depending on your lifestyle. This is due mainly to your classes, hobbies and social network. Anytime you step outside your home you will see friends and sit with people in class you recognize and have spent time with. At the cafeteria and at sporting events, you will recognize a lot of people and have people to sit with and get to know quite well because of how close the school is.
This is not a bad thing because you have a much closer connection with everyone. Building great relationships with people you might not normally hang out with and trying new things you might not normally will add to the university experience in ways you could never imagine. All these guys in the picture here are people I have met around Bishop’s, and three of them will be my roommates next year. So, in short, I would call this stereotype a fact but it’s not a drawback; it’s a bonus to living here.
2. Class sizes are a lot smaller
In my experience, this statement is 100% true. The biggest class size I have had a Bishop’s was roughly 80-90 students. While this is still relatively big, it is still very easy to get to know your professors and classmates, which benefits your grades quite a bit. Classes are a lot more interactive than other places, too; it’s not always just lectures and you taking notes, which I do enjoy. You can also do experiential learning and do different sorts of things in class. The small class size also helps with seating. If you have trouble hearing or seeing the boards, our classrooms are perfect for you.
Professors are very approachable and offer flexible office hours. Talking to them after class can help better your understanding of the topics covered. Attendance also plays a factor with smaller classes. This can be a great way of getting your grades up while motivating you to show up for class. In a Physics class I could have struggled in, I created a great relationship with my professor and ended up doing very well in the class because of their help.
3. You might not get all the classes you want
As for the second half of this statement about getting your classes sorted because they may not offer a specific class you need later on. It depends on how organized and planned out you are when making your schedule. If something goes wrong and you do not pass the class then you will have trouble staying up to date with your courses. This is because there are not a ton of summer classes to help you catch up. If you have a solid plan and awareness of the nature of attending a smaller school, this is a complete myth.
4. Fewer choices of extracurricular activities
You may think a smaller university cannot offer a large variety of extracurricular activities, especially when contrasted with larger schools. I want to make it clear that this is a total myth.
As a student here, it is incredible the amount of extracurriculars offered here! My personal favourite that I take part in is LUG. LUG is a co-ed intramural university sports league, with participating schools across Canada and the United States and a wide variety of sports options. LUG is perfect for students who want to stay active and continue playing sports without joining a varsity team. You get free merchandise out of it as well. Plus, the benefit of staying active is amazing.
Another great club that I am aware of is BUCS or Bishop’s University Commerce Society which offers business students great opportunities, events and support for their future in business. A lot of my friends are a part of it and enjoy BUCS and would encourage anyone in the business program to join. Those are just 2 examples of the many extracurricular options Bishop’s have to offer. You name it, I am certain we have it.
5. A smaller town will not give you the same college experience as a bigger city
Wherever you go I believe you will get a pretty unique university experience. I can confirm that having a university town is ideal for those seeking the “University Experience.” The small town comes out and supports Bishop’s in any way they can, whether it is through sporting events, at the local pub or in any local store. I think you will get a different experience depending on where you go and a college town will always make it much better for students.
Hopefully, this helped debunk any misconceptions about a small-town university and potentially sway you into applying to Bishop’s because this is something you simply must experience for yourself.
