My name is Haley Busyn and I am a freshman at the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. I am currently a biology major with an intended chemistry and Spanish minor. After graduation, I hope to go to school to become a physician assistant. Frankly, these plans are subject to change as I am only halfway through my freshman year.

There are many reasons why I chose the University of Denver. DU is a mid-size school located just a 20-minute light rail ride away from the city and a two-hour drive from the mountains. My school operates under a quarter system. This allows students to get more credit hours under their belt than with a semester system, but it means that classes are faster paced. The average class size here is roughly 20 people. Though this school is pretty small, it is home to 17 Division 1 teams. Needless to say, there is always something to do around campus, downtown, and in the mountains after finishing up schoolwork of course.

Right now, I am just about halfway through my second quarter of my first year. I am currently taking 17 credit hours. My schedule includes Organic Chemistry 1, Calculus 2, Rhetoric and Academic Writing, and Biology 1. Additionally, I have labs for Organic Chemistry and Biology once a week. These labs can last up to 4 hours and add over 5 hours to my homework load every week for lab reports. However, I do actually enjoy doing the experiments like today’s dissection of a grasshopper, squid, starfish, and a frog in my Biology lab. Pretty cool! Right?

In the past, students at the University of Denver did not have class on Fridays. However, things have changed, but that doesn’t stop students from going up to the mountains. One of the highlights of my winter quarter was going skiing in Vail for my MLK weekend. Two of my friends are from Vail, so we were able to stay at their homes and they provided us with home-cooked meals. The most memorable part of the weekend was skiing in waste-deep powder for the first time. Overall, I am so lucky to have met such great girlfriends so early in my college career.

A few weeks ago, there was an uplifting buzz on campus. Students at DU woke up that morning to a thrilling text announcing a snow day. Everyone at DU took advantage of the day off. Some students built their own ski jumps. Others skied by tow rope behind trucks. I, on the other hand, took advantage of my day off by studying for my organic chemistry test that was the following day. Though I didn’t get to play in the snow, I did get a good grade on my test the next day. Only a week after the snow day, temperatures were in the upper 60s.

The University of Denver is a stupendous place where students study hard and play hard. DU has connected me with so many special friends, professors, and peers. What is not to love about the mountains, 65-degree temperatures in February, and small class sizes? Do come to DU.