I’m 5 feet, 3 inches, which is just below the average height for an American woman. And UMass is just below 1,500 acres in size. It’s safe to say my ability to maneuver around this big campus took some getting used to. Walking around a high school campus is a lot less strenuous than a college campus, especially if you have little legs like me.

I’ve gotten in the routine of leaving my room five minutes earlier in order to get where I need to be on time. The additional five minutes gives me and my little legs extra time to get down the hill from my dorm, which is necessary since I’m a slow walker. I honestly have no idea if this is because of my height, but my taller friends seem to be doing just fine when they walk. I, on the other hand, have to speed walk to keep up with them.

When I’m late and in a rush is when I feel most disadvantaged by my height on this campus. However, I always manage to get a good workout in, whether I mean to or not, simply because this campus is so big. Don’t let the size of the campus scare you, though. You learn to get the hang of it very soon after coming. Also, there are buses to take you to anywhere on or around campus.

Although I have to hustle a little more to get from class to class, I’ve never been so in shape. My legs shrank noticeably in size after just my first semester here, which I attribute largely to how much walking I do. After my third semester here, I have gotten in the routine of walking and honestly never take the bus because I love the built-in exercise. Even if you’re short, walking around a big campus is easy to get the hang of.