My name is Gwyn and I’m part of the 14% of Colorado Mesa University’s student population that comes from out of state. 

I’m specifically from Southern California, and yes there’s a difference between a southern and a northern Californian. It’s like the difference between the Front Range and the Western Slope here.  

This column will explain what it’s like to live in an entirely different environment from what I grew up in, from the type of food available to not seeing the ocean but mountains instead. 

The most devastating difference is the sushi, which I’ll probably complain a lot about; this is an issue I can not ignore. 

Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish prepared with vinegar rice and a plethora of other ingredients, mostly raw fish. It’s not an easy dish to get right but in California, you can really get it on any street corner. 

I lived in Orange County near Irvine, where a substantial amount of Asian supermarkets and food establishments are located, so I’m used to the pampered experience of somewhat authentic sushi. Not to mention it’s near the coast so the fish is just fresher. 

When I found out that there was a sushi place in the University Center (UC), I was so excited to try it and have my favorite food be just a walk away. 

How amazing is that? After trying it however, I had an existential crisis about whether I made the right choice coming to Colorado. 

I got a Philadelphia roll, which is cream cheese and salmon. The rice was stale and the salmon tasted like water and was slimy. The only good thing about it was the cream cheese, which you honestly can’t mess up. 

After the heartbreaking experience at Umai Bowls and Rolls, I tried City Market sushi, which was only a little bit better. The rice was decent and still a little bit stale.

The fish was not bad either; it was fresher in terms of how it tasted, definitely not slimy. The only problem was the price. I got an uramaki roll, which is the basic type of fish wrapped in seaweed paper and a sampler of nigiri, which is sliced fish placed on top of rice. 

It had octopus, salmon and tuna. It was surprising to see it at a City Market but it was 15 dollars for barely anything. 

It’s not like I expected the best, but getting sushi at Ralphs, which is the Cali version of City Market or King Soopers, was way better than what I have had here on a college student budget. Three bucks for two types of uramaki rolls and maybe 5 dollars for half a platter, and that is from a grocery store.  

Yes, there are fancy restaurants here such as No Coast and Suehiro’s, but I said on a college student budget. 

Some factors come into play when you compare the practical differences of making sushi on the coast versus here in Colorado. The fish is shipped in and not the freshest but there are many ways to save the quality of fish in the making of sushi. 

Like the support of good rice. It is not just a transportation method for the fish but can improve the taste by providing a smooth umami flavor from the vinegar which elevates the lightness of the raw fish. 

So please, Colorado or at least Grand Junction, learn how to make rice so it does not have the texture of rocks. I will forgive you for the fish thing because we are not near the ocean but do better. 

Also, there’s not enough soy sauce and wasabi to save the stuff from the UC. Save your 12 dollars and go to the Caf.