The College Experience — everyone has heard about it, many have had it and some never grow out of it. But what makes going to school at CMU so special?
I first came to CMU in January to visit a friend that was going here. At the time I was attending California State University, Long Beach— one of the top schools in the CSU system. But something about it wasn’t quite meeting my needs as a college student. I visited CMU and instantly fell in love. The snow was powdery and beautiful, the people of Grand Junction were unusually friendly (however, this is coming from someone whose hometown is Los Angeles) and I could tell this was somewhere I could see myself living.
So I decided to make an impulse decision and apply. Within a few months I had been accepted, leased a house with my friends and was counting down the days until I moved. Many people in my life asked me why I wanted to get away from home so badly, what was wrong with CSULB, why I would leave all my friends and family. The only answer I can fathom is simply that. . . it’s a different experience.
There is something about going to school somewhere new and unlike everything you’re used to. Although California and Colorado are not exactly night and day, there are certain things I love about being away from home that I never would have gotten back in Cali.
For starters, almost everyone I have met here lives on their own, on campus or with their friends. It is such a different community than I am familiar with. Going away for college, specifically somewhere other than a commuter campus like Long Beach, is a great experience for many reasons. A college town is ideal for students like me because although there are people who are from around here, countless others are going through the same thing you are.
It is hard to leave home, that’s for sure. Most students who go to college for the first time are around 18 to 20 years old — that’s about two decades of Mom’s cooking, seeing your friends and hanging out on a regular basis and just overall comfort that is hard to give up. If you are from outside Grand Junction or somewhere other than Colorado, chances are you were scared and unsure about making the decision to move out here. But now that you’re a student at CMU, take advantage of it. Colorado Mesa University is a great place to step out of your comfort zone. Not only is the school extremely welcoming but the people are as well. Everyone is here to help.
For those of you who are really having a tough time being away from home, you are not alone. The first week at a new school is terrifying for many reasons. I have been in college for two years already, but starting over, especially in a whole new state, is difficult. Although the beginning might be scary, chances are you’ll be thanking yourself later for making the decision to come to CMU.