Thursday, February 26, 2015

Pros and Cons of Living in Denver - Rachael Wauer

Going from living in a city that has a population of 9,874 (Waverly, IA) to living in a city with a population of 3,002,629 (Denver, CO) is a major change. A positive change I believe as well. My experience thus far in Denver has been incredible. I have discovered a lot of positives of living in a big city, and also some down sides. Denver has a lot to offer and I feel blessed to be able to study and work here for the semester.   
One thing I picked up on from the first week of living here was the convenience of resources. Everything is just steps away in this area. We live within walking distance from 16th street, which is filled with shops and restaurants. Need a grocery store? It’s less than a half-mile away! Starbucks are on every block and gas stations are on every corner. The options for food and shopping are endless. By living in the heart of Denver, we get to have everything in the neighborhood. It’s a nice perk and hopefully I will not go broke from this experience! There are so many places and restaurants I want to try and visit.
This brings us to our next pro, never being bored! There is so much to do in Denver and so many ways to stay busy. Some things I have done thus far include attending a comedy club, going to a rodeo, visit two breweries, attend two plays, go to a winery, and visit multiple museums. Outside of Denver, I have skied and hiked many times. I honestly just hope I can fit everything in that I want to do before the beginning of April! Big cities offer many options for fun and new activities.
They also offer exceptional exposure and experience. My work at ManorCare is great involvement, and many of us have intriguing internships that are setting us up for our futures. There are just endless opportunities in Denver. There are so many businesses, companies, and people to get connected with in larger cities. By living in a big city and getting involved in it, we are getting a solid foundation to build our future upon. On top of this, I am learning how to function in a large city setting. Learning the bus routes and safe paths to take and furthermore learning directions and resources I can get connected with. I am overall developing life long skills and getting exposed to many opportunities that will help me out further down the road.

For the cons I have found, I will just type a short paragraph. Nobody likes to focus on the negative too much! But traffic is an aggravating thing. With my road rage and impatience, this does not sit well with me. Then there is the cost of living. Housing is much more expensive in the city (although I am lucky enough to live in cheaper Wartburg housing at a prime location). But then I have noticed that groceries are more expensive. I cannot get my canned mandarin oranges anymore for just 50 cents. I have to pay 99 cents and sometimes even more! Then lastly, the safety in a larger city (Denver included) is not as high as in a smaller city usually. It is a busy city with a lot going on. I feel safe where I live and in my areas, but there are some negative occurrences in Denver on a regular basis. But putting that aside and all of the listed cons, I think the good out weighs the bad and I am happy to be here. Denver is a wonderful city and I cannot wait to discover more positives of it!  

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