Why I chose ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø

From the first day I visited, I knew ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø was the school for me. I visited ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø  in November 2022 and as soon as I arrived, I felt welcomed. During my college decision-making process, what really stood out to me was how great my campus tour was. The interactions I had with the people around campus, especially my tour guide, significantly impacted my decision to attend. At that time, there were already eight other schools I was considering. 

I had not planned to attend a school so far from my home in Colorado, but ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø turned out to be the best choice for me. I always knew that I wanted to major in speech-language pathology, so I was concentrating on schools that offered this program. Choosing ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø was the best choice for my education, and I am so grateful I decided to attend.  

Another great aspect of being an out-of-state student is learning to be independent. Even though I am only in my first year at ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, I already feel like I¡¯ve learned a lot about myself and living on my own. For example, I have learned about time management. Sometimes I need to prioritize doing homework over going out with friends. There will always be fun things to do, but it¡¯s important that I remember why I am here, which is to do well in school. 

As great as independence is, being an out-of-state student can be hard. It¡¯s hard being thousands of miles away from home and missing my family. A lot of times, my in-state friends will drive home on the weekends to see their families, and I sometimes wish I could too. Unfortunately, 850 miles isn¡¯t exactly your casual weekend road trip.

Despite the occasional homesickness, being an out-of-state student has allowed me to build stronger  connections and meet more people. The connections that I¡¯ve made and the amazing opportunities that I¡¯ve had have made ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø my home away from home. I have been able to form relationships with other out-of-state students. I have met several students who are also from Colorado, and I plan to fly home sitting next to one of my friends. 

There is an out-of-state engagement group that meets once a month and provides food from the Quad-Cities area. Another out-of-state student at ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø runs this campus group. At the last event, she provided a helpful guide with activities and fun places around the area. For example, this group takes students to places in the area, such as Snowstar ski resort. 

Overall, I really enjoy attending ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø, and I wouldn¡¯t change anything. ÖйúÌå²ÊÍø has provided me with great opportunities and great memories already. I am so happy to be here. I can¡¯t wait to see what I will accomplish.