When I go home for the holidays, I feel bombarded by friends and family members who relentlessly ask me about my college experience. They’ll ask, How do you like your classes? What is your major? How many roommates do you have? I’m sure we’ve all had a relative ask these questions back-to-back, like a rapid-fire round of speed-dating.

But beyond these generic questions, I have the hardest time answering, What have you liked most about Scripps? For me, this question contains several sub-categories. The social life, extracurriculars, and living conditions are huge elements that influence the overall college experience. But for me, the most critical aspect of college is the main reason we attend school in the first place: The academics. And what will resonate with us most is not only what we learn in our classes, but also how we learn it.

Growing up, I’d gravitated toward the idea of a big university. My parents both went to big state schools, and hearing them gush about the Greek life, amazing athletics, and widespread campuses appealed to me. Going to university football games nearly every weekend as a child, I became completely biased to the idea of attending any institution that wasn’t a giant university. I loved these schools not only for their “larger-than-life” atmosphere (especially after attending tiny schools throughout my youth), also because I’d be able to bond with my parents and relate to their college experiences.

When the college application process began, I told my parents about my desire to attend a big university. And like any parent, they wanted to support me, but also voiced their concerns. They wanted me to consider a smaller school — they knew I’d always enjoyed participating in class and forming relationships with teachers and classmates.

My mom told me when she attended the university, her average class size was around 400. There was usually no room for her to interact with professors; they recognized her by her ID number, rather than her name. With so many students to teach, my mother’s professors didn’t have the time to answer her individual questions. And while this system forced her to develop a sense of independence, she wished she could have had more of a connection with her teachers.

Perhaps large universities have changed since my parents attended them. Perhaps there are more opportunities to form close relations between teachers and students, or more classes offered that encourage student participation and facilitate discussion. Regardless of these big schools, I knew I’d be guaranteed small class sizes at Scripps.

I know some of the classes required at Scripps can feel excessive. I entered Scripps with no AP credits, and therefore needed to take eleven required courses and three semesters of CORE. Nearly half my classes throughout my academic career have been GEs. While to some, that statistic may seem like a cost, I view it as a benefit. Through these classes, I’ve studied a multitude of fields that I never would have considered in the past.

That’s been the beauty of pursuing a liberal arts education: I’ve been pushed outside my comfort zone in a plethora of studies. Not only have my classes covered multiple departments, but I’ve been academically tested in several different styles. I’ve taken multiple-choice and long-answer exams, written short analytical and long research papers, given fifteen-minute presentations and led hour-long class discussions.

At Scripps, I’ve taken challenging courses that have pushed my mental capabilities and stamina. But more importantly, I’ve learned how to think critically, listen to and learn from my peers, and form and communicate my own thoughts.