How does campus feel differ between the University of Washington and Trinity College?

They do feel very different. The University of Washington tends to feel big, energetic, and spread out, with the atmosphere of a major public research university in the middle of Seattle. Trinity College feels much smaller and more self-contained, with a tighter residential community and a day-to-day atmosphere where students are more likely to recognize people across campus.

At UW, the sense of place comes from a beautiful, iconic campus, especially the views around the Quad, Mount Rainier on clear days, and the mix of historic buildings with a busy urban setting. But socially, it can feel more decentralized. There are many student communities, clubs, majors, and subcultures, so students often find their niche rather than feeling one unified campus identity. Day to day, that can mean more independence and more movement between campus and the city. For some students, that is exciting and full of possibility. For others, it can feel a little impersonal unless they actively build community through housing, activities, or their department.

Trinity is more likely to give you that enclosed, intimate college feel. It has a traditional residential liberal arts campus in Hartford, and student life is often shaped by living on or near campus, seeing the same people often, and having smaller classes where professors and classmates become familiar quickly. The community can feel close-knit in a real way, though that also means the social scene may feel more visible and harder to disappear into. Students who like a strong campus center, recurring faces, and a more contained rhythm usually notice that difference right away at Trinity.

If what you mean by a strong sense of place is physical beauty plus the energy of a large university connected to a major city, UW has that. If you mean a campus that feels more personal, bounded, and consistently communal in everyday life, Trinity is much more likely to match what you are picturing.