The Treasure State

If you didn't know already, I go to school at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. It's very much a ski town where overly "happy" college students can be seen stumbling around downtown on weekend nights. The Bridger mountains stretch around the town with a big white "M" proudly emblazoned on their slopes. There's a system of trails in town called "Main Street to Mountains" and they take you anywhere from campus to the foothills. I chose MSU mainly because of the way their campus made me feel and the pride they take in my major but I never imagined how much more I would get out of this decision.

I knew from the moment that I started high school that I would not be attending school at the University of Wyoming. It's not because there is anything wrong with the university or that I don't absolutely adore Laramie; I was just ready for a new adventure. Montana seemed big and wild and full of adventure and I ended up getting so much more than that.

To begin, it is absolutely beautiful here. This is the fifth state I've lived in and it is not an understatement to say that none of the previous places I have called home can hold a candle to this. I can see three different mountain ranges from my dorm window. The biggest ski area in the country is a forty-five minute drive from campus and Bridger Bowl is only fifteen minutes away. The weather always seems to be the perfect conditions for whatever outdoor activity you're craving. The people here are also fully aware of how lucky they are to live here and that's another thing that makes Montana so fantastic; they know exactly how blessed they are.

Now that ski season has officially started it is not possible to walk through the dining hall on campus without seeing someone with their snow pants on. If it's the weekend, you can't look in any direction and not see someone fully prepared to get their shred on. Everyone has a dog and they bring them EVERYWHERE. If you go shopping downtown, be prepared to meet at least two dogs that are just excited to meet you as you are to meet them. People here are also always ready for an adventure whether it's climbing and hiking in the fall or skiing and snowboarding in the winter. They say that children of winter never grow old and, based on what I've seen from the wonderful people of Bozeman, that statement has never been more true.

The cherry on top of my college experience has been three wonderful people that I am lucky enough to call my closest friends (Laramie friends don't worry, you'll always be the original squad). Let's start with the craziest kid I have ever met, Mr. Skyler Nishiyama. Skyler has the unique ability to make absolutely anyone feel welcome in his company. He is always a source of happiness in my day and I have yet to meet anyone who can make a bad day better as fast as he can. He's from Hawaii but if you didn't know that you would swear that he was born in the mountains. He runs around in the woods like a wild man, hides in bushes and makes elk calls to scare you, jumps in freezing mountain lakes, and climbs up cliffs and dead trees just for a better view. Skyler is the definition of wild and it's fantastic.

Dominic is the calm to Skyler's storm. He puts up with all of my spontaneous screaming in the car and bad singing. He is the logical one of the group and asks all of the questions that the rest of us never think of. Dom also has a wild side though that only comes up on the top of mountain peaks. He has slid down scree fields and scrambled up muddy hills. The best thing about Dom though is that he is always there for you. I usually end up at Dom's room whenever I'm bored, need help with math (which he is weirdly talented at), or when I just want to have deep conservations about life. Dom balances out the insanity of my life and it's a much needed balance.

Last but never least is Jaxen. We met shucking grapes at work and we've been inseparable ever since. She is always up for an adventure and she always takes a billion absolutely amazing pictures to document our journey. We joke that hikes always take twice as long with Jaxen because she stops every five feet to take a picture. When the pictures are as good as hers are though, we don't really mind. Jaxen is my rock in college. She deals with my mental breakdowns and spontaneity and sends me hugs over text. I talk to her about anything and everything and I wouldn't have it any other way. She is the calm to my storm and an absolute god-send who tells me about all of her amazing travels and wonderful experiences.