The Scarlet Scribes have had a strong focus on collaboration this semester. Their Song-Writing Workshop, which was held on March 26, and their Student Art Gallery in April are focused on celebrating student creativity. The Song-Writing Workshop, which was followed by an Open Mic and Karaoke Night was held in the Campus Center’s Executive Meeting Room and was in collaboration with Active Minds. 

Mia Morris, the president of the Scarlet Scribes, describes her love of collaboration with other Rutgers–Camden clubs. She credits an openness and great chemistry with other presidents of other clubs for strong collaboration: “That’s actually how I ended up collabing with The Gleaner, as well last semester, and the Criminal Justice Org this semester… We stay busy!” For their March event, Morris connected with Violett Springate, the president of Active Minds. 

Morris and Springate bring different creative strengths that balance the Song-Writing Workshop. Morris highlights how this collaboration will assist in the workshop: “She is a musician,” Morris said. “She’s going to help you with finding the right tune, melody, beat… then my job is to help you figure out the words.” Morris also notes how many of the individual members of the E-board for the Scarlet Scribes have had multiple works published, plus credits Springate as a seasoned performer. The event also had food catered, as well as other activities, such as a photo op and making friendship bracelets, while students are not working on their songs.

Additionally, Morris is very excited about the Student Art Gallery that the Scarlet Scribes will host in April. This event is not in collaboration with other specific clubs, but more in collaboration with any students who are interested in participating. This gallery is not just meant for written work, but any type of art that students would like to showcase: “I want your paintings, I want your sculptures, … I want those beautiful pieces of art you hide in your room.” The Student Art Gallery will also feature live performances by students who would like to do so. The Student Art Gallery is meant for all students with showcase-ready works of art. It will be the last event the Scarlet Scribes host for this semester. 

When it comes to the process of writing, Morris and the graphic designer of the Scarlet Scribes, Alana Weil, heavily emphasize how writing not only is a medium of self-expression and reflects self-experience, but can be strongly influenced by others. For Weil, listening to others’ work benefits her future projects: “…I see everybody’s writing as a form of inspiration for new ideas … I like the way this one person wrote, and I will take that as a source of inspiration…” for writing her next piece. 

Sharing artwork and personal pieces may make some people very nervous or shy. However, Weil states that the energy for the Scarlet Scribes events is more encouraging than nerve-racking. Weil further explains, “I would say the energy for each event is pretty high because, at the end, everybody is coming together, sharing their talents, and just having a good time.” She and Morris also note that the Scarlet Scribes offer a creative outlet and personal expression separate from academic pressure. 

The Song-Writing Workshop/Open Mic Night and Student Art Gallery are the last two events for this semester. More information will be released later regarding the Student Art Gallery in April.

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Is music playing during study sessions useful for enhancing focus? That idea feels right to plenty of students at Rutgers Camden. Whether walking through the campus, getting ready for class, or having late-night desk sessions. For many, headphones are a regular part of their daily routine and a key tool for staying motivated while studying. 

Noise fills many learners’ routines each day, which means music usually tags along during schoolwork, too. Quiet rooms work best for some people, whereas some notice focus clicks better with music. One thing stands clear, how people learn leans heavily on the individual.

Music shifts how Gionna Hollingsworth feels when she hits the books. The Rutgers-Camden senior notices her drive changing based on what’s playing. “Happy music sparks quicker progress through assignments,” she explains. A jumpy beat keeps her moving fast and focused. Yet slower songs pull her energy down. When melodies turn somber, time drags, and effort fades. What fills her ears shapes how hard she works.

Yet music does little good in certain classes, Hollingsworth pointed out. Silence works better where deep attention is key. When she prepared for statistics exams, total stillness and silence helped her mind stay sharp. Background music sometimes eases the load and keeps concentration, though this isn’t always the case during harder tasks. 

Though Hollingsworth leans toward quiet, some classmates find that tunes help them stay locked in. For Savannah Shaw, another Rutgers Camden senior, hitting the books without sound pulls attention thin, leading her mind to drift fast. “When I study in silence, it doesn’t work for me because my brain starts wandering elsewhere,” Shaw said. “I’ll have ten different thoughts at once, so I need music.”

Focused by sound, Shaw finds music helps her stay on task. Rather than breaking concentration during study sessions, the background noise prevents random ideas from taking over. Noise becomes a tool, guiding her thoughts back when they start to wander elsewhere.

Music choices while studying differ widely among students. Hollingsworth finds silence best, yet Shaw thrives when music fills the air. Instrumentals often help those distracted when words overlap their thoughts. Familiar tracks sometimes anchor attention rather than break it. Comfort plays a role just as much as quiet does. Nerves settle more easily with known melodies humming along. Each mind adapts differently to the noise around it.

A tune now and then tends to ease tension when hitting the books. Establishing a routine, such as a custom playlist or a cozy environment, can make studying more comfortable. Over time, many students develop study habits based on what helps maintain attention the longest.

As midterm season draws near, wearing headphones has become a daily habit across Rutgers-Camden. Whether tucked away in the silent library or navigating the loud campus center after class, learners surround themselves with all kinds of sound while tackling papers or reviewing study sheets. Even though everyone studies differently, plenty continue to experiment with different routines to switch things up and find what works best for them. 

Study habits vary from student to student, and music is just one of the tools people use to stay focused. While some students prefer quiet spaces, others depend on music to keep their minds engaged. As students develop their routines, their study playlists may become just as important as their notes and textbooks. On a campus where headphones are everywhere, music has clearly become part of how many students get their work done. Whether it helps block out distractions or simply makes studying feel less overwhelming, many students continue to rely on it as they work through assignments and prepare for exams.

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As part of Women’s History Month, we commemorate the accomplishments and history of women every March. The Mujeres Club at Rutgers-Camden is establishing areas for women on campus to get professional development, empowerment, and mentoring during this month. The group fosters a supportive community for students while showcasing Latina leadership through networking events, mentorship programs, and student-led projects.

Women’s History Month provides a chance for organizations throughout campus to honor women’s achievements while emphasizing the necessity of representation and leadership. For many students, clubs like Mujeres (which means women in Spanish) serve an important role in creating venues where women, particularly women of color, may support one another as they navigate college life. Mujeres promotes social and professional connections among students through events, mentorship initiatives, and networking opportunities. 

The club wants to ensure students feel empowered to take on leadership roles, explore career choices, and form long-term relationships with peers and mentors. By bringing together students, alumni, and professionals, the organization seeks to build a network of women who can support and advise one another as they go through their academic and professional lives.

On March 26, 2026 in The Bridge office, the club is hosting EmpowHer, an all-female networking event that aims to connect undergraduate students with alumni and professionals.

President and co-founder Raizel Febles shared her motive behind the EmpowHer event, “The goal is to bring together like-minded professionals and alumni to interact and meet young women in their undergraduate journey. We want them to discuss how they got to where they are and explore different careers and avenues students might want to pursue.”

 The event reflects the club’s broader mission to support women and create opportunities for connection across different stages of life and careers. The event highlights Latinas in dominant fields and shows how they empower others, while encouraging young Latina students to achieve the same success.

However, for Febles, she believes there is still room for greater representation within higher education leadership:

“I would love to see more Latinas in staff and faculty positions,” Febles said. “In higher roles such as deans or vice chancellors, we still lack Latina representation, and I would love to see us represented in those spaces.”

 Public relations representative Isabella Bourdain expressed how the organization has helped foster a strong sense of belonging, “To me, being Latina on this campus means being part of a large network of people who genuinely look out for one another.” Bourdain continued, “Growing up, I didn’t really have a large community of Latina women around me, but now I can confidently say that I do.”

Bourdain explained that Mujeres is where Latina students can feel supported both socially and academically, “Mujeres creates a space on campus for all women, but especially Latina women, to grow and learn together. It’s a place where we can lean on one another, empower each other, and be authentically ourselves.”

Raizel Febels and Amaya Solar founded Mujeres with the goal of creating a Latin club focused on Latin women to establish a community of connection and events that would make students feel at home. The organization has various ways of connecting and establishing itself. For example, they have a mentorship program as a way of strengthening student ties. For example, the mana program matches upperclassmen with underclassmen who have similar majors to aid students in making the move to college.

According to Febles, creating community among Latina students is one of the organization’s core goals: “I love being a Latina at Rutgers–Camden,” Febles said. “I see so many students who have similar backgrounds and upbringings as me. Our culture and community has a strong presence on this campus.”

For many members, Mujeres provides more than just a student organization; it offers a sense of community and continues to empower students to support one another and pursue leadership opportunities on and off campus through events such as EmpowHer and through the mana program. As Women’s History Month continues, the club hopes that students will leave its events feeling empowered, connected, and confident in their skills.

Febles also expressed, for the fellow Rutgers-Camden Latinas, “What I hope people take from Mujeres events during Women’s History Month is that the world is literally ours. There is no limit to what we can accomplish, and there is a network of women looking to uplift young women in their journey.”

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Ramadan is a time for reflection, devotion, and strength for many Muslim students, an entire month is dedicated to praying, and getting closer to their religion. However, with the constant demands of college, balancing both your personal life and your academic life can be extremely difficult, especially with certain challenges that come with participating in Ramadan. 

The month of Ramadan follows the lunar calendar, meaning its specific date changes every year. Those celebrating Ramadan get up before dawn to have a meal before they start fasting until sunset. This is done every day for the month of Ramadan, alongside this Muslims also are required to pray 5 times a day, also spanning from sunrise to sunset. While this schedule seems manageable, it can be a struggle for college students to maintain alongside their academic responsibilities.

“College doesn’t slow down during Ramadan. Students are fasting from sunrise to sunset while still trying to keep up with schoolwork and extracurriculars” says Muslim Student Association President, Laiba Mahmood. Alongside having to deal with their daily schedule, Muslims students also have to do it while not feeling their best physically, this all can be especially demanding for students who dorm in college away from home, since their usual support system isn’t there.

Participating in Ramadan can also prohibit social activities, due to the fasting or praying many Muslim students may not be able to participate in social gathering events due to their own obligations. Some gatherings, like going out for lunch, may feel isolating since they aren’t able to participate as well. 

“Professors and classmates sometimes don’t realize how physically demanding fasting can be, especially during long days of classes, exams, or work” says Nazifa Hasna, the MSA Secretary.

Participating in Ramadan takes up time and energy Muslim college students usually have, not having proper food accessibility for Muslim students adds onto their struggles. Many dining options are not halal for Muslim students, so food preparation on top of normal activities can be a difficult task for students, especially after fasting the entire day.

However, there are ways colleges are accommodating Muslim students during Ramadan, according to an article by Inside Higher Ed, several colleges have decided to implement accommodations for Muslim students, like extended dining hours for those who need to break their fast, or providing boxed meals. Other accommodations that can be given are different exam session times, so that Muslim students are able to take their exams after breaking their fast.

At Rutgers–Camden specifically, Ramadan events take place on campus such as the Community Iftar that occurred on March 2nd, in the Campus Center. There is also a Wudu station (a place where Muslims can wash themselves before prayer) in the Campus Center for Muslim students who need to pray. There are also several other Muslim-focused events that the MSA holds during the month of Ramadan, that anyone can participate in.

While it may be difficult to balance academics and the expectations of Ramadan, there are support systems out there for students. “Ramadan builds a really strong sense of community. Even though it’s challenging, students come together for iftars, prayers, and support, which makes the experience really special” says Nazifa Hasna.  One of the main purposes of Ramadan is community, and while Muslims may have their struggles during the holy month, participating in your community, and devoting yourself to your religion makes it worth it for many individuals.

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Rutgers-Camden students looking for quiet places to work may find fewer options later in the evening, as some study areas close earlier than campus buildings. The issue affects students who commute, work jobs, or spend long stretches on campus and rely on study space outside regular class hours. 

The concern becomes more noticeable around midterms and finals, when more students are trying to find places to read, write, and prepare for exams. While some campus facilities stay open later, not all spaces offer the same level of privacy or quiet. 

Paul Robeson Library remains open until 10 p.m. during most of the semester and the Campus Center stays open until 11 p.m.. While library hours are extended during finals week, some dedicated study spaces close earlier which can leave students with fewer quiet options as the evening goes on. 

Jennifer Levy, president of the Rutgers-Camden Student Governing Association, said late-night study space has not recently been a major complaint among students: “To my knowledge, late night study spaces have not been brought up as a concern by students recently.”

Levy said the commuter makeup of Rutgers-Camden helps explain that response. Because many students leave campus after classes end, she said fewer people may be looking for study space late at night than at schools with larger residential populations. 

“Given that our student population is primarily commuters, the majority of people studying late on campus are slim,” Levy said. 

At the same time, Levy said the commuter nature of the campus creates a different need. Many students remain on campus between classes and may be looking less for very late-night access and more for private, functional places to study during busy daytime hours. 

“That being said, it also means the availability of spaces during the day time, peak student hours, may be limited,” Levy continued. 

Levy shared that student feedback has been focused more on the need for private or closed-off study areas than on extending building hours. She said commuter students in particular may benefit from spaces where they can work between classes without distractions: “Feedback heard has been to provide more private areas for students, specifically commuter students, to use in between classes.”

She pointed to possible improvements within spaces that already exist on campus. More enclosed areas in the library, she said, could help improve access, and updates to common student areas could create more secluded places for students who need quiet. 

Levy also said some newer campus spaces, including The Bridge, already offer more closed-off areas. Even so, she said space remains a practical limitation. 

“The biggest barrier to creating more spaces is the lack of available space within campus buildings,” Levy continued. That limitation may shape how quickly any changes can happen. In the longer term, future development projects could create opportunities for more study areas or redesigned student spaces. Levy said the Cooper Street Gateway project, expected in 2027, may eventually open the door for that kind of expansion. 

For now, the discussion appears to center less on keeping campus open later and more on whether Rutgers-Camden has enough suitable study spaces when students actually need them most. On a commuter campus, that may mean rethinking how existing spaces are used during the day as much as it means looking at evening hours.

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At Rutgers Camden many first year students are not utilizing office hours provided by professors. This tool is given to students to allow them to get clarification on schoolwork, get extra help with the course load outside of class hours, and ask questions one on one with professors rather than in front of an entire class. However, freshmen have commented that they struggle with taking advantage of this academic resource. Many say they feel nervous or even unsure of how to come to their professors. 

Office hours can be defined as scheduled times professors set aside outside of the class for a more hands-on and individual conversation with students. This is to ensure that students do not feel disconnected from their professors and also give them a safe space to express their needs, whereas in class they may feel less comfortable doing so. 

According to Professor Cavanaugh, a professor at Rutgers Camden University, office hours are a crucial part of academic success. She even went as far as to say, “They obtain more personalized feedback about how to approach assignments and their career goals.” Along with this, the professor mentioned that she has seen upperclassmen utilize this tool far more than first year students using office hours. 

Gizelle Lizardi is a freshman at Rutgers Camden currently in her first spring semester in college. She mentioned that there has been a major transition period moving from high school to college. Not just with the lifestyle, but also with academics. Many freshmen are still

adjusting to college academics compared to high school. Not to mention that office hours are not always mandatory nor specifically talked about in class. While some professors may encourage students to come to see them early in the semester, these announcements tend to fall flat. Many first year students like Gizelle find going to office hours uncomfortable. 

Lizardi said, “I do not feel comfortable approaching a professor outside of class. I probably would never approach one if I saw them somewhere.” She then went on to say that she believes these feelings of being nervous is most likely the main cause of lack of first year students attending office hours, “I think the main factor is nervousness. Many students probably don’t want to be the only ones there and also don’t want to spend the time there.” Another interesting conclusion she had was that there is less structure in college academics compared to in high school. The freshman stated, “There’s no one telling me what to do, I have to take initiative on my own learning experience, it’s strange”. 

While there is an adjustment to college academics, office hours can be used as a tool to bridge the gap between a student and professor in the classroom setting. Professors have found that the students that choose to attend office hours have found great success in their academics. Professor Cavanaugh believes that it improves one’s understanding of the course material. It can also further reinforce relationships with Rutgers Camden professors, which can be helpful later on for recommendations, and even shows students that they are able to take initiative for their grades. Professors at Rutgers Camden urge first year students to become familiar with the process of using office hours and to take advantage of these opportunities.

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The Rutgers-Camden NAACP chapter held their third annual Black Excellence Gala on Friday, February 27th, in the campus center. The event, which ran from 5 to 10 PM, featured a night of performances and history lessons for students, faculty, and community members. The theme for this year’s gala, titled “Black Dandyism at its Finest,” was a focus on the fashion movement with political undertones.

The event kicked off with a video address from Sen. Cory Booker, who shared his reflections on Black History Month. Trumpet Chichs & The P.A.C.E. Band, Raptor Royales Dance Team, and Afro Dynamics Dance Team entertained the gala’s guests. Reet Starwind, a poet, performed on stage with interactive crowd participation including his poetry workshop titled “The Midnight Note.”

NAACP Secretary Natalie Smith, a sophomore majoring in both criminal justice and music, said that this theme was selected to build off last year’s event. “Last year’s theme was ‘Black by Popular Demand,’” Smith said in an interview before the gala. “We wanted something bigger and grander here. This year we wanted to be grand so everybody who is attending is going to be expecting long, beautiful dresses, really nice, tailored suits, feathers, hats, props, everything.”

“Black dandyism is not just about dressing in suits. It is a cultural movement in the black diaspora that seeks to challenge stereotypes with their fashion as a means of exerting power,” said Smith. The 2025 Met Gala’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, served as the inspiration for the NAACP’s gala which will feature a focus on black style.

Professor Stacy Hawkins, from Rutgers-Camden Law, gave a lecture on the history of black dandyism at the event. She explained that the history of black dandyism began in the 18th and 19th centuries when enslaved and colonized black people wore tailored suits to take back their dignity. She also mentioned abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who wore tailored Victorian suits while campaigning for abolition, and Toussaint Louverture, who wore French military uniforms during the Haitian Revolution.

“Dandies took the clothes of their oppressors and turned it into elegance,” Professor Hawkins explained her speech, continuing with the zoot suit period of the 1930s and 40s. She mentioned that young people stole suits from stores during the riot in 1943 and took them to the streets with them as an act of rebellion. “His wardrobe is a battlefield,” she said, reciting a poem at the end of her speech.

The gala also featured an award ceremony for individual student leaders of Black organizations on campus, as opposed to awarding organizations as a whole as they have in past years. The idea came up during a winter retreat: 

“I presented the idea of yes we could still give an award to each organization, but why don’t we highlight actual individual student leaders within those organizations” Smith said. “I feel like there are a lot of students who do excellent work.”

Each of this year’s awards paid homage to a historical figure in the black community that the student represented. Natalie Smith received the Nina Simone Award for speaking about important matters. Kenneth Geffrard received the Purple Heart Hosea Williams Award for his work in justice and activism. Athletes were also honored, among them was Cameron Downs of the men’s basketball team. He received the Luol Deng Award for being a talented athlete with great accomplishments off the court. 

According to Mohammed Sharif Kanuteh, a senior at Rutgers University-Camden and chair of the NAACP environmental and climate justice committee, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that went into organizing the event. 

“What goes on is a lot of man work in the back of it” Kanuteh said. “It’s getting people ready, vendors marketing funding communication, and the cherry on top is having the event and hopefully making it a success.”

Kanuteh noted that the gala has grown each year, recalling that the previous year’s gala saw the mayor and many senators attend. This year, they hoped to see Senator Cory Booker, which he did, through the video message he sent to the audience.

Professor Maisha Aziz led the gala in an interfaith prayer and delivered a speech on the power of young people to change the world, recalling the stories of Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her bus seat at the tender age of 15, the Greensboro Four, who were all under the age of 20, and the Petersburg library sit-in, where over 140 black students desegregated the public library.

“They made a difference,” Aziz said. “Wherever your young people are, wherever you gather, you can make a difference.”

The gala recognized a plethora of Black student organizations, including the African Student Union, the Haitian Student Union, CARIBSA, and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). The event also recognized a few fraternities and sororities, including Theta Phi Beta sorority (of Thea Omicron Chapter) and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity of (Mu Psi Chapter). The food was served by campus dining after NAACP and its partners did a taste-testing of the food.

Natalie Smith closed off the night and expressed her hope that everyone would grow closer together through this event. “Put things aside in their life and just have fun and just recognize that Black is beautiful Black is intelligent and it is important to exercise our Black excellence always,” Smith shared.

The event had a strong turnout and good energy according to attendees. A photo booth was available, and the food reviews from guests were glowingly described, “as very good and authentic,” by gala attendees.

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Every day, students use wifi for everything they do on campus. But how reliable is the on campus wifi?

Currently, at Rutgers-Camden, internet access on campus is free, but there are two different options. The first option is RUwireless secure. This is a secure network only available to Rutgers staff and students with a valid Net ID and password. The other option is RUwireless, which is a non-secure network for guests visiting the University. When connecting to the guest Wi-Fi, guests must accept the terms and conditions repeatedly for each new session.

Approximately 5,822 students attend Rutgers Camden, and every day they rely on the University’s internet for everything they do. Canvas, a cloud-based learning management system by Instructure, is how students access their assignments, tests, quizzes, and announcements. It’s also where they submit them. While offline students can still access their course sites and assignments, unless they are connected to Wi-Fi, they can’t submit anything. 

Consoles, streaming devices, and smart speakers use a different wifi network, though. The wifi network these devices need to connect to is RUatHome. This is because they can’t support the security requirements needed to authenticate the connection for RUwireless secure. In order to connect these devices to this network, though, you first need to register your devices on the ResNet Device Registration Portal. By using the paraphrase portal, you can either scan a barcode with the device or enter a temporary password to register your device.

Kay Irwin is a junior and computer science major at Rutgers Camden who’s also an IT student consultant for the campus and has had her own issues with the campus wifi, “My experience with the wifi here has honestly been pretty poor. Both the dorm wifi and the secure campus wifi are very unreliable. The signal is weak, and it disconnects frequently, which makes it hard to use for anything that requires a stable connection.”

Despite these potential problems, the campus does offer help in the form of the RU-Camden IT Help Desk. Students have the option to either visit the help desk in person at the Paul Robeson Library, email help@camden.rutgers.edu, or call (833) OIT-HELP. They offer technical support to both faculty and students. In addition to this, both professional IT staff and student consultants, like Kay, work there to provide this assistance.

According to Kay, a very common issue that they get a lot is students coming to the help desk because they had problems connecting to the wifi and staying connected. She continued, “Most of the time we can help them get connected, but many of the problems come from the network itself being weak or unstable, so there isn’t always an easy fix on our end.” Furthermore, she added, “wifi and Ethernet connections seem to be one of the most common technology complaints students have.”

Rutgers Camden provides Ethernet ports in both residence halls. Though in some of the apartment-style housing, the ports may only be available in the living room. In order to use these Ethernet ports, you need your own Ethernet cable, which is Cat 5 or higher. Kay plays video games in her room, and according to her, it’s impossible to use the wifi for it because the game will constantly lag and even disconnect. She added, “The only way I’m able to play or have a stable connection is by using an ethernet cable in my dorm room.”

Though Kay admitted that even the Ethernet option has its own complications. She explained that there’s a whole setup and registration process for connecting devices to the network that confuses a lot of students, so they get a lot of calls about that at the help desk. She added that the Ethernet port in her living room didn’t even work, so she had to remove the wall plate and use the one in her bedroom instead. She stated, “That was frustrating because I was literally told by my boss that the Ethernet ports in the rooms were going to be removed and that the living room ones would be the only connection.”

In the end, Rutgers students can be faced with both positive and negative outcomes regardless of what they choose to connect to. In a world where everything we do relies on technology, though one mishap can lead to turmoil for a student and their classes.

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At Rutgers Camden, it is nearly impossible to go unnoticed in the back of a classroom. With most courses averaging 15 to 20 students, the university’s small class sizes shape how students participate, connect, and experience campus life.

Students say the intimate setting increases visibility and accountability. While that can create pressure, many believe it also strengthens academic engagement and relationships with professors.

Savannah Shaw, a nursing student, said fewer students demands greater focus, “It’s a more intimate setting, and the professor can genuinely know you by name.” She explained that knowing she is recognized in class motivates her to stay prepared and engaged. “I’ll be damned if my professor knows me as the girl who doesn’t know what’s going on.”

In her nursing courses, participation is mandatory. Professors frequently call on students and ask questions throughout class, making it difficult to sit back without contributing. Shaw said that level of visibility has helped her retain information more carefully. Other students echoed that smaller classrooms create stronger accountability.

Prisca, a senior, said being recognized by professors influences her performance. “I usually work hard because I am known by professors most of the time,” she said. Although Prisca said her studying habits remain the same regardless of class size, she described smaller courses as “community-like,” where it is easier to connect with peers and faculty.

Students also noted differences in classroom interaction. Discussions are more frequent, and peer engagement happens naturally. Prisca recalled her psychology class, where students regularly turned to a partner to discuss ideas before sharing with the group, which she said made her feel more involved in the course.

Zoey, an art history student, said the dynamic contrasts sharply with large lecture halls, “Less people in a classroom means I’m more comfortable speaking up.” She added that smaller courses encourage better discussion and stronger student interaction.

Still, increased visibility does not always bring comfort. Zoey said that fewer students in a room can heighten social anxiety because it becomes harder to remain unnoticed. However, she believes the benefits outweigh the discomfort, especially for students seeking stronger connections with professors.

Several students said smaller classes make it more likely for professors to learn names, recognize strengths, and provide individualized feedback. That familiarity can make office hours and follow-up conversations feel more approachable.

Classroom size, students said, is often an overlooked factor that significantly shapes the college experience. Many described Rutgers Camden’s academic environment as different from the traditional image of crowded lecture halls filled with hundreds of students.

The scale of the campus also contributes to repeated interaction. Students frequently see classmates in student organizations, work study roles and other campus spaces, reinforcing relationships formed in class. Conversations that begin in the classroom often extend beyond academics.

At the same time, students acknowledged that class size alone does not determine success. Prisca emphasized that learning ultimately depends on individual effort, regardless of how many students are in the room.

Even so, the inability to “blend in” was described as a defining feature of the Rutgers Camden experience. For some, it creates anxiety. For others, it builds confidence.

Whether viewed as intimidating or empowering, students said small learning environments impact not only academic performance, but also how connected they feel to the campus community.

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