Assumption College

The English/Sociology/Women's Studies departments are great. I always felt like I could talk to my professors about my problems and speak up in class. My only complaint would be that some tend to focus more on what they believe to be the most worthwhile and focus on their opinions instead of individual thoughts. Also, some classes for your major/minor/general education requirements might not be the most interesting to you and that you end up having to take. However, the thing to remember is that this is going to be true at every single campus, no matter what people say. Don't be afraid to change your major, just make sure that you try and figure out things with your counselor so you can get everything in that you need.

Some dorms are older and some are new - just like at every campus. As usual, they get nicer and more expensive as you get older. They have a great program where you can apply for the Living/Learning Center (an apartment style dorm starting in your sophomore year) based on your grades and activities. Freshman year especially, you have to remember that you're living in a college dorm. They are all pretty much standard and you learn to deal with what you have.

The food, just like the housing, is standard to any college. Assumption has Sodexo, so it's all pretty much the same. One particular favorite is the mac and cheese, and of course the breakfast. There's tons of stuff that you can have that's available every day - cereal, deli sandwiches made to order, pizza, pasta, soup, salads. It does get tiresome after a little while - people usually alternate between the dining hall and Charlie's (better food and less of a walk but more expensive), especially when it's raining.

There are a million activities that you can get involved in and meet new people. Each weekend at least one group holds some type of event on campus. They also have shuttle buses daily around Worcester (restaurants, downtown, Target/Stop and Shop, etc) and zip cars, but also have free shuttles to Blackstone Valley Shoppes and Solomon Pond Mall on the weekends. There are a ton of bars in Worcester and activities going on, you just have to make a little effort to find things out for yourself.

The thing that people have to remember, especially incoming freshmen, is that most people love to talk negatively about things. Assumption has similar flaws to most every college out there. What I believe sets it apart is the sense of community that you feel on campus. There is a huge sense of Assumption school spirit - everyone wears sweatshirts, sweatpants, etc. Most people love the school and are friendly. You can walk to class and say hi to many different people. You can find students laying outside on towels during nice weather. You can find people running around campus in the middle of the night when the Red Sox win the World Series. There are always problems at every school, but Assumption has one of the most welcoming atmospheres that I've ever experienced. I wouldn't trade my four years here for anything, and I haven't met a single alum that would say differently.