No place like home...

In the past few months, one phrase is becoming increasingly common in many of my conversations. As I explain to friends and family why I chose to stay so close to home and attend CU, I keep finding myself parroting, almost verbatim: “I just love Boulder so much; I can’t imagine leaving.” Upon reflection, this is actually a bit of an oversimplification. Living in Boulder is a part of who I am. In asking me to live somewhere else, you might as well be offering a prime bit of real estate on the moon. Boulder is the only home I’ve ever known.

I admit that I have a very limited frame of reference. After all, I have lived in the same house since I was around 1-year-old. I have traveled around the states and out of the country, but I haven’t actually made my home anywhere else. However, I feel safe in saying that anyone who has lived happily in Boulder for an extended period of time knows what I’m talking about: Boulder draws you in, pulls you close, and will rarely let you go. There is a name for it: Niwot’s Curse. As I understand it and have often heard it told, Chief Niwot supposedly once said, among other things, “If you visit this area, you will always come back.”

I realize that for many students coming to Boulder, the locale is a perk. Of course, world-class skiing is only a few hours away, and phenomenal hiking is even closer than that, so perhaps it was a factor in your college decision. Overall, though, this city will likely only be a temporary home for a few short years. However, since many of you are on the brink of moving here, I’d like to take a moment to point out a few of my favorite parts of this wonderful city, in the hopes that you will appreciate it to the fullest.

Of course I’m going to start with the setting. The nature that surrounds Boulder is omnipresent but glorious nonetheless. The mountains are a looming and reassuring presence, always there when you need to know which way is West or if you want to head out for a quick hike. The Flatirons are unusual and iconic. Then there are little things - the glimpse of the snow-covered high peaks as you head into the valley from Louisville; the stunning sight of the yellowing aspens, well worth an hour-long drive in the beginning of the fall; the exquisite tulips on Pearl Street in early spring.

In a perfect compromise to this beauty is the weather. Where else will you find at least 300 days of sunshine per year? Be sure to bring your hiking boots, skis, snowboards, bikes, and skateboards for plenty of fun in the sun. Of course, we have our fair share of storms, as this year’s snowy spring and rainy summer have proved, but far from the gloomy gray of the east, each storm is quickly followed by another bout of sunshine. Just remember the saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes” - it will serve you well here.

And then there’s the city itself. In my eyes, Boulder always seems smaller than it really is. It has a small-town community feel, with all the privileges of local businesses and limited traffic, and yet you’ll also find everything you need within a short distance. Between Pearl Street, the 29th Street area, and even the FlatIron Crossing mall, you’ll find many familiar stores and restaurants. However, you don’t get that sprawling-along-the-highway metropolis feel that I notice often enough on road trips.

The people in Boulder are in a league of their own. The town is a mix of wealth and hippie, college students and happily settled families. People are generally kind, fit, and quirky. You’ll see brand names and dreadlocks walk down the street together. A few things to know in a quick-fire round of generalizations: Subarus tend to be the car of choice, you’ll see them practically everywhere. Black North-face jackets and rainbow colored crocs go hand-in-hand in this city. Local businesses, artists, and companies are a point of extreme pride. Be yourself in this city, and you’ll find you blend right in.

Of course, the CU campus/student-life part of the city is a very different world. While mainstream-Boulder residents sometimes mix with the university, especially for special events or performances, the two groups are generally separate. For this reason, above all, it doesn’t seem like I’ll be living in the same town next year. I feel like I’m entering a new world, one that’s different enough to provide plenty of new experiences, yet close enough to home to be comfortable and reassuring.

If you’re new to Boulder, I hope you enjoy your time here. Feel free to leave any questions you have about the city in the comments, or share anything you’re looking forward to in coming here. If you already live here, or have in the past, what’s your favorite part of the city? How does Boulder compare to other places you’ve lived?

That’s all from me for now. I’m just finished my two days of orientation on campus, so I’ll be back with a full report on the experiences and my selection of courses next week.

Cheers. :)

This blog sponsored by the CU Book Store. www.cubookstore.com

Goodbye high school...

Even though it’s nearly a month since I became a high school graduate, every now and then I get the urge to leap out of my chair and shout ‘SHAZAM - I’M DONE!’ This is largely because the knowledge that I have finished high school keeps hitting me in waves of realization, almost on a daily basis. I keep wondering how I can be done with such a large chunk of school, of time, of life!

More specifically, where did the time go? I keep asking myself whether the time passed quickly or sluggishly… and I’ve found that this question is difficult to answer. I definitely remember the months of class, homework, tests, and lunch periods, and how they would seem to stretch on endlessly. But now, looking back, the past four years are starting to seem like a blur that came and went with a few blinks, some sleep deprivation, and a bit of studying.

On top of all this, the end of my year was particularly crazy, something I know contributes to these feelings. The last few months of school were a mad time of staring longingly through windows at sunny days and crazily cramming several years’ worth of material for exams into my already-filled brain. I’m starting to wonder if this stretch of time simply disappeared into some sort of vacuum… perhaps a black hole? I really have no idea what happened to the entirety of May and most of April.

And then there’s the fact that I did not graduate. I mean, I have a diploma sitting next to my desk and have technically completed high school, but I did not attend my school’s graduation ceremony, did not wear a cap and gown, and did not do the weird little flip-the-tassel exercise. The decision behind missing my graduation is complex and already known by many of my close friends, but in a nutshell, an event that I dearly wanted to attend happened to be scheduled for the same weekend as graduation and I chose a trip to Boston over a walk across a fancy stage.

Having said this, I suppose it’s no wonder that I feel like high school never really ended; there are clearly plenty of reasons. And, yet, at the same time, it seems that the high school part of my schooling actually ended months ago - back when I made my decision to attend CU. As soon as a deposit was mailed off to one school, and letters saying “Will not be attending” were mailed off to others, in all reality, one foot was already out of the high school door.

Going along with this notion, I want to share a fairly interesting phenomenon that I have been a part of recently. In the days when social networking programs were rarely used… or non-existent, I imagine you began your first day of college surrounded by a great number of strangers. Perhaps you had friends who were attending the same school, but it was probably rare that you had very many acquaintances before Day One of the college experience. However, the world being as it is now, this is certainly not the case anymore.

In a moment of procrastination before school ended, I logged on to Facebook and decided to search “CU: Class of 2013” for any group I could find. Let me tell you, I certainly found what I was looking for, a group of hundreds of students-to-be, all excited to meet each other. Since that time, I have founded a group for my dorm and started meeting dozens of people who will be my classmates next year. I’ve spoken with my roommates, people in the same programs as I, and people who have similar interests or hobbies. I’ve already met two wonderful people in person when they happened to be in town, and have plans to meet two more. When I show up at CU on move-in day, or even for orientation, I will already know a fair few of the faces around me. And, with such a BIG step in my life coming up, I’m willing to take any help I can get to make it easier.

In all, I hope I have made two points clear in this amalgamation of thoughts: First off, if you’re a recently-graduated-high-school-student who saw the end coming, mazal tov. If, however, you’re like me, still reeling from the shock of such a huge part of your life suddenly becoming history, you’re not alone. The summer provides a nice adjustment period that I am sure many of us will be using fully. Oh, and second, if you’re about to enter college (at CU or not), try using some of the internet’s lovely tools and start meeting people now. I can’t even begin to explain how it will change your way of thinking about your upcoming future.

Cheers.

:)

P.S. I still love comments! If you have any thoughts on ending high school, starting college, or transitioning into something new, please let me know.

This blog sponsored by the CU Book Store. www.cubookstore.com