Nicholas Moore On Realizing Where You Want To Be

            My time out in Denver has been everything I hoped it would be and then some. Everyone is going to tell you about how the culture is so different here in Colorado than the Midwest, but to me I think it is the best of both of worlds.

            Here in Denver the pace of life is fast because it has to be, it is a city after all. But where Denver separates itself from other big cities is its friendly attitude and atmosphere. Growing up near Chicago, I was able to experience the city life and culture whenever I really wanted to. I would often times take the train in to the city with my friends or family and just walk around the city and visit museums or shops. The city was always an enjoyable place for me because I loved to escape the occasional boredom that came with growing up in a smaller town. The one thing I didn’t like about Chicago was the general attitude of everyone for themselves and the lack of compassion for some communities. Here in Denver people are always generally pretty nice to one another and the amount of dedication and care for the community I have seen from so many people I have come into contact with here in Denver. I have actually been fortunate enough to be involved with the community while here in Denver. It feels great to be able to feel like you are making an impact for the city and everyone who lives in it.

            While living in Denver I have realized the need to stay active and appreciate the outdoors is far greater than that of the people in the Midwest. I think I have spent more time at the park or hiking than I spent in my apartment the whole semester. On any given sunny day above 50 degrees you can go to the park just a few blocks away from the apartments and see the entire park covered in Denver residents enjoying the great day. In my opinion, this atmosphere is just something you unfortunately do not get to experience in the Midwest.

            Sometimes though, I feel it is important to just look past how two places differ from each other like the Midwest and states like Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Area and think about where it is you yourself fit in and how you want to live your life. Every region has something for everybody, but for me, I feel like the Denver lifestyle is something that I strongly relate with. In the end, coming out in Denver has confirmed two things for me: My love for the city of Denver will continue to grow every day I spend here and this will certainly not be my last time out West.