The University of Colorado - Boulder

Date: Feb 21 2013
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
I'll admit, CU Boulder is a place you either love or hate. I went in coming from a conservative (Republican) household and basically had culture shock. The first year I lived in Will Vill and to be honest, I think I was so caught off guard by the complete shift in attitudes, ideologies, and was utterly frightened by the newfound freedom I now had as a college student. The people I met seemed to be all the same: rich kids from California who just came here for the powder. Stay up past ten? Binge drink until dawn? Smoke hookah on the quad? Are these people crazy??

Although, I absolutely adored my classes and professors. I felt that the education I was receiving was worth the social sacrifice (For the most part). And so, I completely clamped shut my social shell and resigned myself to hating life while at this school. Freshman year, I had horrible roommates and could not find my niche. My sophomore year I commuted from my parents house and was so involved with my long term relationship, a job, and school work I didn't have time for anything else.

Somewhere along the line, I realized Boulder wasn't the problem. CU wasn't the problem. I was the problem. I let one bad experience first semester freshman year ruin my college experience. I decided enough was enough. So, Junior year, I decided well what the heck. I moved to Boulder and got a roommate. Let me tell you, it was the best decision I ever made and one I wish I had made earlier. I engrossed myself in the culture, and had some of the best times of my life. Me and my roommate clicked, I started biking everywhere and got involved with an academic journal on campus. I made friends and we would go out to Pearl St. and the Hill. I went to shows at the Fox, ate Cosmo's Pizza, had martinis at Boulder Cafe and went hiking in Chautauqua park. I even tried Yoga and Climbing. I totally reinvented myself. (I even registered as Democrat! Shhh Don't tell my parents!) After graduation, I stayed in Boulder for as long as I could. I wish I had taken steps from the beginning to really get the full college experience because, in the end, I cheated myself out of two years where I could have been happy and involved at CU.

So, as I said, Boulder is something special. People either love it or hate it. If you find yourself hating it, ask yourself WHY? Go inside of yourself and see: Am I making an effort? CU is a huge campus and there are resources for every student to be successful and have a great social life. You just need to have courage and an open mind to find yourself.