Making the transition from high school to college can be a nerve wracking experience. From final exams to frat guys, college students–new and old–have plenty to worry about. 

Not all college students have the same woes, however. 

While students at some schools worry about their course load, a quick Google search makes it seem like students at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) have to worry about: taking a knife to the jugular, exploding meth labs and the constant fear of armed robbery.

But is that true? Is Grand Junction really an unsafe place to live?

Despite schools shutting down in response to a global pandemic, many high school seniors across the country are still looking for the university of their dreams.

And for many people, making a decision about which college to attend has more to it than strictly the school. For some, the town around a college is just–if not more–important.

The town can amplify one’s experience. A good college town can be the place where a student may take their future spouse on a date or work a job at a quaint restaurant. Half the college experience is the surrounding area.

In 2018, the FBI Uniform Crime Report ranked Grand Junction as the least safe city in Colorado. There was an uptick in property crimes and violent crimes which helped earn Grand Junction the lowest spot on the list. 

“As far as CMU campus, it’s great. I’ve heard some stories […] I know Ted Bundy took a girl here, I’ve heard sex trafficking stories, but thats as far as I know,” Sullivan Frazier, a student at CMU said. 

Frazier is by no means alone. Many CMU students have “heard some stories”. Satanic rituals in the desert, a subtle Ku Klux Klan presence and drug-related crimes are often murmured about within the confines of different tables in the dining hall.

“[I heard that] Clifton has a conspiracy to invade and pillage Grand Junction for their mineral rights,” Peter Juntunen, a business student at CMU said.

According to city-data.com, the 2018 crime report for Grand Junction was higher than in 88.4% of other U.S. cities. More recently, the same website claimed that there were 356 registered sex offenders living in the city as of April 22, 2020. 

“The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Grand Junction is 173 to 1,” city-data.com said. 

“Just like anywhere, there’s [vulgarity] everywhere. I think here [Grand Junction] specifically, I mean, there’s homeless people walking around and it’s not that it’s unsafe, you just feel unsafe. So yeah, I’d say I feel a little unsafe at night if I’m alone,” Gissel Ferrer, a CMU freshman said. 

Homelessness and poverty is higher in Mesa County than many other areas of Colorado. This is sometimes attributed to increased crime rates and drug use, a problem that’s been on the city agenda since at least 2019.

Look, dangers are everywhere, no matter what part of the world you’re in. Every city poses its own risks, and carries with it its own pros and cons. In the end, it’s all relative. CMU is a vibrant and modern campus. The school’s facilities are up to date and renovated.

The student community is welcoming and hospitable. And Grand Junction is a wonderful region. Less than two hours from Moab, Utah, the area is chock-full of hikes waiting to be taken, rivers to be kayaked and memories to be made. 

Hopefully one of those memories isn’t getting shanked. 

That was a joke… sort of.