CSU Favorites: Spots, Traditions, and Activities (Fall Webinar Series)

Alright, hello to the people who are joining. Welcome to the fall edition of CSU favourites sports traditions and activities.

While people are kind of rolling in, here will give a few minutes before we start. But if you want to start introducing yourselves in the chat with your name and where you're from, that would be great. So we can kind of get a little bit acquainted with everybody here.

And will start in a few minutes.

Hello Kevin and Megan.

And Hannah Oh my goodness, there are so many of you.

That's great, Oh my goodness, so many people are here.

Well, since so many of you are here and typing in the chat, I guess we can get started.

If you have any questions at any point in this broadcast, feel free to go into the questions area and ask question and then are moderate are me and.

Other people who are lurking behind the scenes will come and answer. Your question will be dropping links. They'll be all sorts of things like that. So if the people who are on the panel want to broadcast, that would be fantastic and we can just get started and do introductions.

So while we're getting everybody on the panel here. OK, awesome, so we'll just kind of all introduce ourselves so high I'm capping The Cave. I'm a sophomore here at CSU. I am double majoring in natural resource tourism and marketing, and I'm also minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation.

I am from Lawrence, KS and a few things I do other than this wonderful job is I'm an RA. I'm involved in several clubs. If you have which are the Sign Language Club, Hospitality Management, Club Tour? It's in club and the list goes on. So Colin would you like to be the next one?

Yeah, I can go next. Hi everyone, my name is Colin. I'm a third year student. I'm studying chemical and biological engineering and I'm from Grapevine, TX outside of Dallas. A few other things about me. I'm involved in a few clubs here on campus. I'm also involved in the Honor Student Association officer for that. That also means I'm involved in the University Honors Program. I'm also involved in Kim Club 'cause I love chemistry and I'm also involved in Tau Beta Pi, which is an engineering Honor Society. So it's been about me.

Howdy everybody, my name is David Slifka. I'm a junior. Sorry I'm a senior now majoring in journalism on a pre law track, minoring in music production and legal studies. I'm from Morrison Co and a couple of my involvements I work at the alongside here at admissions I work at the student newspaper as well as I'm involved in fraternity life. Angry Connor area on campus.

Cool.

Oh, I think you're muted.

Is that better?

OK yeah, you're good now.

OK Great Alright. So my name is Joni. I'm majoring in politics with a concentration in government law and public policy similar to David I major minoring in legal studies. I'm also minoring in Spanish as well. Some of the things I'm involved in on campus include pre law club and I'm also involved in the diversity offices, specifically the Native American Cultural Center. So if you have any questions about that, let me know. I also do intramural soccer.

So yeah, it's great meeting everyone.

Well, awesome, thank you for that. So basically participants don't feel afraid to ask questions. We love questions. Keep em coming. If you really want to, but I'll just ask a question I guess to kick a Safan will just go down the line. What is your favorite tradition here at CSU?

Alright, for me, my favorite tradition is the bonfire we have during parents weekend slash homecoming weekend. So parents making in homecoming weekend occurs in the fall, typically on a home game for football of course and so basically your parents are looking to come up and walk around campus for example and see no see everyone around and then go to a football game, you know, under more normal normal circumstance circumstances there it is and we also have a big bonfire that we have kind of the night before I believe where everyone gathers around a big bonfire and just be one be one big family here at CSU. So that's why my favourites.

English air

Yep for myself. Just like calling my favorite tradition we have here on campus is the homecoming game. I know for the last two years. Family weekend and homecoming were on separate days and now that their combined is a really good time, you know to meet other peoples parents like friends you've met on campus as well as bring your family out and for myself. Just having a home game on campus is my favorite part of CSC tradition.

Yeah, I think we're all missing football right now because my favorite tradition is like when we make a touchdown like they'll fire off the cannon and like when I first heard it was like what is that? I was like, super scared but I thought it was so cool hearing it. And then you have counter ram that runs across the the home field and are the Ram Wranglers are there too in just such an amazing sight to see and I love that energy everyone has.

That is my favorite sort of thing that goes on.

Yeah, I also will add one hiking to the A is something that we do. We used to be the Aggies and so there is a big a in the foothills and this kind of tradition. Each year during homecoming week as well to hike up to that when you're specifically a freshman. But any year can do it. And that night, people who are alums can go up and light.

BA, I mean it's a really cool site to see because it's just all lit up and you know the alums lit up. So it's really interesting.

So another question that we have is what is your favorite study spot on campus to get all that homework done? I guess we could do other ways, so will do popcorn. David, do you want to go? Or you can go?

OK.

Yeah, I'll go with it on campus.

I think my favorite spot is there's multiple levels to our Morgan Library and the basement like an Oak. What like a full quiet zone kind of feels like a sin if you're whispering or anything down there. And that's usually the most productive spot I can find on campus. There's really bad cell service, so you know we're in about notifications on your phone or what not is not a problem, and that's where I find myself.

Oh cool.

Colin, do you want to go next?

Jago next real quick. My favorite study spot. I would have to say is also in the library, but I like the third floor for me personally. The downstairs in the basement is a little bit too quiet for me. You know, once again to each their own. Really, a lot of people really do enjoy the basement, but I'm definitely more about third floor person or I go with some of my friends will head upstairs. A little bit will just grab a table together and was counting sit down for a few hours of the day and study. And then of course here and there we'll have our little like mine breaks. We kind of sit there. The best thing about it is it's not 100% silent for me so you can have some background noise. For example it's not too big of an issue so.

Do you have some friends there? Talk to questions about different, you know homework assignments. If you have the same assignment, for example, and it's pretty good to be able to work collaboratively. And once again if you want to work individually, I would definitely say that basements pretty good place to go, but for me I do love my work together with friends, so that's that. Tends to where I go. So on Sundays you will typically find me sitting in the third floor in the library.

Cool, I can go next, so my favorite spot to study my first year of college was right in the I think it's called the kindness lounge right on in the Elysee. It's really nice 'cause you can sit down along the along these like panels and it faces the Front Range so you can see the mountains as you are studying. It's just a very nice and comfortable spot, specially when they like turn on the fire like during or they turn on the visit.

Yeah, during the winter time is so cool. That's my favorite spot, but now I've been getting into the little outside area in the library.

I'm not sure what it's called, but it's super nice and like very automine fall vibes I get so that's what I enjoy.

Awesome, I guess I can also say I like the cube. The study cube is a 24/7 hour study spot, so 24/7 hour 24/7 study spot. So I enjoyed that because it's kind of like the basement where it's like really quiet, but it's a whole big glass like building right next to the library is actually part of it, so it's definitely kind of cool experience. Just kind of get to see people walking around. And you're also at the same time studying.

Minutes early nice area to be studying.

So another one that I was going to ask and so we mentioned some of our involvements earlier. But what's your favorite activity to do here that CSU offers?

You can give you minutes. Take all that you want, but whoever has an answer first, you can just go for it.

I think I know my answer at least.

Under the great things here at CC, I would say is definitely going to be the rec center, and for me personally, the Rockwall one of my roommates. He actually works the Rockwall in Rockwall is no additional cost of students or anything like that. They have harness is blade devices, shoes, really. Whatever you're going to actually get started climbing and for someone who is terrified of Heights such as myself, it was a great way to push myself and also try and get a good workout in. And so having the opportunity to know my roommate, for example, know some people that work there. It's been really great opportunity over there after class period after class and stuff to get a good workout in and really pick up something new for sure. So while it may not necessarily be.

Something that's free club related. There's lots of opportunities inside the rec center and definitely the biggest one I take advantage of is going to be Rockwall because it's a fun time. It's like 40 feet tall and you have a good time. And like if you've never climbed before it, that's totally fine. 'cause I'm definitely not very good at it, but I am trying so it's fun.

I can go next. I think some of my favorite activities that Colorado State offers is also hosted in the rec. Center, but it's in real sports as well as club sports. I kind of injury. Doubt, but I spent my first two years here on the 18th for ultimate Frisbee team. Super great experiences like mean 25 other guys. I gotta travel around the country.

Playing Frisbee really casual, but very competitive, is at the same time and then for Inter murals, even with covid, I've been playing golf as well as corn hole. For animals it's been super fun, but beyond that I like to do in a real water polo and flag football.

Cool, one of my favorite activities or just club related sort of events that CSU offers is the Rams Against Hunger so so like cans around the Oval is 1 but another one that's really fun is going out to like stores or like grocery stores with a couple of your friends and you go out. You just go out to the community members and ask for food donations. So I thought that was really cool 'cause it really bonded me with a lot of students. I wouldn't have met otherwise.

And I'll see it was what was for, like a really great crop. Cause so I enjoyed that a lot. But backing up David an Colin on stuff the rec offers. I definitely like intramural sports too. I played soccer for the first time like up here like it was with intermural students when they're like really competitive and they're really good. But I've made a lot of good friends that way too.

I'm yeah, so if you don't mind answering another question, what sorts of events are held at the Cultural Center as one of our participants asked?

Doesn't.

Do you want to answer that?

Yeah, that's a great question. So one of the events that I really like a lot is so we would thin knock the Native American Cultural Center. We host a lot of like food nights so I know a lot of of other diversity offices like the back office or like the black African Cultural Center.

The other offices in the Laurie Student Center. They have a lot of their own cultural food knives or the host a lot of like movie nights. I know over zoom. Right now we're doing things in that nature just to still have that connectivity.

Then sometimes we also go out to just restaurants. Just hang out a little bit activities. So like in the in the knack office, we have a women's beating circle, so we'll just make some like earrings and like bracelets. And it's very fun. It's not just constrained to just women or men who identify with that culture. Diversity offices are open to anyone willing to pop in and learn a bit about, you know, different heritage.

That's awesome, yeah and.

Call and I have a question that you could maybe answer. What are some activities you can do when the weather is bad?

Oh, when the weather is bad for me personally, I guess I'll say that once get being from Texas, I love the cold, which is why are there is not here in Colorado in the 1st place. So for me personally I also live with a few other out of state people. So I had one other remains is also from Texas, so we seem to go outside and you have a snowball fight here and there. For example, like we're definitely those people that will run around the intramural fields for example, and throw snowballs at one another. And you know we have a good time in the hangout getting out the snow outside of that as well. You can also really explore so much of Fort Collins during that time. For example we have different bus systems that run on.

All four Collins. I'm saying If you don't actually want to be outside for too long, there's plenty of stores that are open in Old Town. Fort Collins, for example, and playing playing great things you can do that are inside. Once again rec center place. Take advantage of. Also, I think you know, kind of during the spring semester. There's also men's basketball games that go on, for example, that you have access to the student, so there's plenty things to do there inside that are both on campus and off campus, and I would definitely want to mind is exploring so much for Collins because there's so many places that are really, really meant for students to come hang out in those areas. And like some of the places even have like a nice fire pit things outside and go hang out. So even when the weather is cold, for example.

Lots of great things you can do.

Awesome, thank you everyone for your questions. I promise we're getting to every single one. But David, there's a question for you. Would you be able to talk more about Greek life and what you like about it?

Yeah, so Greek life is something I'm not at legacy or anything like that, meaning I don't have any family members that have been involved in fraternity and sorority life prior to me attending college. I'm actually first generation student, but what I think is really unique that Colorado State offers is the diverse communities of what you're looking for. Whether that's more of a academic focused or I guess I could group studying.

Kind of a similar thing is you to MVC's, which are culturally based fraternities and sororities as well as religious affiliations or social chapters. I'm a member of a social fraternity as well as a Greek honorary, which means basically I'm in the top 5% academically as well as I have leadership roles that got me into that organization just kind of things dealt me look like a better candidate for out of college, but I think we just offer so many different communities that no matter what you're looking for, you can find the right fit.

I don't think there's a specific chapter that's perfect threat, like anybody or one that everyone should go to. I just think that there's home for anyone in this fraternity and sorority life community.

I'll also in the chat, put a link to our website.

Awesome yeah that would be great.

Um, so Megan asks, are there any good running routes around the campus and I don't know if any of you run.

Or do you I do so love I wanna let y'all if you do just go for it.

Yeah I can. I can start with it. Actually, one of my roommates is in the running club on campus. I also know some people. There's even an ambassador on the cross country and track team, so there's all different opportunities for running. I know there's a little over 280 miles of bike lanes if running on pavement is something that doesn't bother you, so there's plenty of like roots to go through all around Fort Collins.

I'm lucky enough that I live less than 1/4 mile from Horsetooth on the West side of Fort Collins, so I end up running up there and do a lot of trail running. There's plenty of hiking routes which are great that aren't difficult enough or too steep of a grade that runs an option, and I think if running is your thing for Collins is a really great spot for that.

Alright, what kind of go to kind of switch it up a little bit?

Do many students go to home sports games?

Let us tell you how many students go to horn home sports games.

Um?

A lot do, but I will let the panelists.

Tell you all about it since I am here to moderate I should let them have the floor.

OK.

Oh I, I could start so I feel like there's a large like population of students that go to you know the home games. Obviously to support is like very important. Everyone is like all for you know, showing up and showing out as definitely really fun, especially showing up with your friends and things like that. But throughout the game I feel sometimes it loses the crowd and people sort of dissipate, but most times I feel like.

You know we have like a lot of field stands. I know during basketball season you know you can always find you know a seat, but you gotta get there earlier. Also totally fill out. I love basketball games. You can ask me about, you know experience, but that's like, but I'll hand it over to David.

Yeah, so I kind of find myself when I have free time going to as many athletic events we have on campus. Even if those were some of our club ones like lacrosse or women. Soccer, even swim and dive we have on campus at least for the women's. There's some Mail club teams as well, but we have Moby Arena which hosts are basketball games as well as our women's volleyball and then campus stadium for football. I would say it's no matter what event you're going to everyone's to energize. Everyone's wearing their green gold.

The crowd atmosphere is really what makes it for me. Even though our athletes are incredible, just being able to go out with friends and it's a really great social event. I have no complaints. I love going out to our athletic games.

Yeah, the next thing I'll say about that too for it so everyone that doesn't know actually a student sports here on campus or actually no additional cost of students. It's part of actually your tuition and your fees. Once you're on campus. So this means that you can go online. You can reserve your tickets that way, so it means that there's no extra money coming out of your pocket, which is great because it means a freshman when you are living on campus, you have access to the stadium will be arena where all these games happen, for example. So it's really, really easy to get out just for a weekend. Like for one day basically, and go see the light goes to the football game or the basketball game, or the women's volleyball games. Really anything like that.

A lot of times two through a lot of really interesting things with different colors, like there's a white out day. And there's also like an orange out day as well on the Orange update. May be kind of confusing for a lot of people as well, but back before we were, the Rams were the Aggies and we had orange and green where primary colors and so we have one day year especially for football at least where we wear orange in the crowd. For example, an there's fun days with lots of different activities that do to make sure that the students are going to have a fun time when they go to games. And I've really never been disappointed going to game. I've had fun the entire time and being able to live so close to campus, especially being on campus as a freshman makes it super accessible to a lot of students an.

Definitely worth your time.

Well, awesome, there's a question. What is your favorite thing about Old Town Fort Collins?

It's yeah.

That's a big question. There's a lot down there, but it's a great. Yeah, you can go ahead.

There's no food for me. I was literally literally there last night. Just to you know, get a good burger from Cooper Smiths that is my favorite. Yeah yeah, it's my favorite restaurant here in Fort Collins at they make their own strawberry like root beer super good then we haven't been in Jerry's in Old Town Square, so I find that really appealing. I tried Walrus Ice Cream for the first time yesterday as well, so that was really cool, but I love.

You know all of the business and like the little shops and Commerce sound there, it really makes the college like town vibe like really?

I'm your next. Yeah, I will say that for me the food is definitely the eight huge wrong, factorable temp. Fort Collins for sure. Coopersmith's also my favorite place in Old Templar Collins, but there's so many places you can try, but if he to places like Rio Grande, there's also blue. Galleon are pretty good on close to Old Town but I would say for sure like desserts or some of the good ones that are out there. There was Walrus Ice Cream which is a Fort Collins like local thing. There's also the churn which is also for Collins in local and there's also Marys Mountain Cookies, which that place is so amazing if you it is.

Cookies some my favorite things to get from there. Like whenever my mom's here. I'm always like yeah we should go to this place and she never says no so it always works out for me. So lots of great places for sure but in Old Town there's lots of great food but there's also definitely stories from kind of poke your head into and see what's up in there as well. So but the food? Yeah, that's a strong candidate right there.

I think.

I will kind of Hope, Yeah David here.

Not.

OK, one of my favorite things about Old Town is all different kinds of events they host. For example, my favorite is usually the last weekend in April we have something called folk om next, which is Fort Collins music experience or experiment, and they have like in two nights it's really affordable. I think I paid like $30 for both nights last year.

There's over 200 local or at least Colorado based artists and bands playing in every little spot. Whether it's like a coffee shop or like a thrift store, and they take out where the mannequins in the little shop front entrances and they throw a band up there. There's just music going on for like 48 hours straight and most of that takes place in in Belltown.

Ah, it's definitely.

Very booming down in Old Town down there there's thrift shops. There's a lot. There's a lot of local businesses and go down if there's. If that's one thing I'll give Old Town a lot of credit for its their food and local business. 'cause it is. Fort Collins is definitely the place for that.

I'm going on to the next question there is.

Um question from Hannah of what are some outdoor activities that are available all year round and then kind of like another side question? I'm going to put into it. Thomas wants to know what the best skiing areas are nearby.

I can touch on a skiing air real quick because there's one kind of their one that not a lot of people know about, for example, but if you know someone that has a car in skis, for example as a place called snowy range. Actually the sticker except it's going to be bad, and there it is. Yeah, it's in looking into Wyoming. It's like an hour North, which the great thing about that is that for a long time you don't have to worry about going through the Denver traffic when you want to go skiing, so you just headed to Wyoming a little bit. It's really not too far from here, so it's been a pretty easy one to go to. Definitely not the biggest resort by any means, but if you just want to be there for the skiing and have a place to stay during lunchtime, for example like.

Definitely a great place to go for sure, but there's also plenty of skiing opportunities. Located all around Fort Collins and plenty of opportunities to actually get to the mountains. Here from CSU, there's a club called CSC which provides the bus or risk, which are typically runs every weekend. And then there's two main passes that people get. It typically alternates passes for weekend, so great ways to make sure you can go skiing if you don't have a car for example, or know someone that has a core but definitely one of my favourites is snowy range, which is just a little bit North of here so.

Anyone have any all year round activities they'd like to share? What they enjoy doing?

I like, I haven't personally tried this, but I see students play spikeball. I think it's called in the fall and in the spring time I think it's such an interesting game that they play with like I at least like five other friends. That's when I see and also like CSU has beautiful like filled out front of their rec center and so you can use that year round to play whatever. And if you need to borrow ball.

From you know the wreck they can can do out a soccer ball or like a volleyball. You can check that out with your kilogram cried right here and then you get that. So it's really cool. There's the sand volleyball and that's I know that it's not year round. But I like to talk about some of the resources and just.

Active engagement opportunities you can take from the rec center.

David Reebok speed.

Yeah, sorry. I'm I'm trying to wrap my head around things. You can do all year like 365 days. Obviously we do get snow. I think the amount that we get in Fort Collins is not as much as you know stuff on the western slope or even down in Denver. We get hit a little bit less. That doesn't mean you know we don't get like six 8 inches in a lot of snow storms that come through, but at the same time a lot of it melts within like 72 hours. Even the same day.

Just growing up in Colorado, the weather you get to see your it's kind of ridiculous and a great way. It's just you never know what's gonna happen. So bring some layers, but I guess to answer your question, things like I guess hiking. You can do all year round if you get a pair of snowshoes, you can get those on campus at the rec. There's a center in there. You can check him out at as well as you know, just I can regularly and snowshoeing those same paths, then mountain biking. You can get some snow tires. That's what I usually do. Big on mountain biking, so that's something I ended up doing all year round, but mostly nose nose.

Really crazy but.

Most of the year.

Also add here too.

How long it'll be quicker promise, I'll just leave it for sure. Definitely there would be some days worth going to be snow, and if you want to go out there, you're not going to be able to see the grass, for example. But there's definitely in this way few days and have the opportunity to actually take advantage of that. Like for me personally like I've been, I've been enjoying fishing, but that's one of those things you can't do in the middle of winter, so definitely have things to do for both of whom we will find. That's really not that hard to do, so something's definitely can't be done here around. Some things will have some info. Wait a few days for, but you will find yourself you if you decide to come to CSU will find things.

New during both, you know. Snowy days and sunny days for sure.

One thing that I was going to add, so whenever there's like an outside activity or outside.

What you wanna play also have like indoor soccer fields, there's an indoor basketball court, so you obviously would be like.

It is important to take advantage of those like resources available, so yeah.

Awesome, so Glenn wants to know what do we do in our free time?

As of late personally, I've been doing a lot of studying, but I also enjoy hanging out with friends and going to Old Town and going to the rec to workout. For instance, 'cause That's still up and running with Kovid. They just have a few covid procedures that here and there for that.

But on y'all can go at that too. That's my life right now.

Yeah, I definitely resonate with the studying part. I'm taking the L sat to go to law school here in a couple months, so hitting the books has been a lot in terms of my free time. I do internship at a recording studio, which I didn't mention earlier. It's not like a huge thing. I've been helping him start up for a few years, so the music production thing playing music. That's usually how I fill my free time as well. As you know, being able to see family and friends.

So one of the things I like to do in my free time. I have a projector in my room so I can like project it on like the wall. This is like a white wall so I kind of like move some chairs around, get my friends not like obviously during these times, but like in my roommate we get the projector out and we get the pillows down and we project like I'm working on top of this. False is really nice and it's something that's really fun and it's been keeping me going, especially on the weekends. So that's really cool.

Awesome.

Yeah.

It do for sure. Yeah, definitely seeing your friends is one thing you'll find yourself doing a lot just because the fact that you live much closer to your friends then you probably do in high school. You know may live in San Diego to friends for example, but you won't realize that you know all of your friends you have. Especially the freshmen will be typically right on campus there, so you'll find yourself hanging out with friends for like most of the day. Like in my in my opinion for sure, like once again I go study with my friends even though they're not necessarily in the same class as I hope we still go do that. So hanging out with friends is definitely a big time studying. Make sure do that. That's a pretty big one doing that a lot right now as well.

It also just being like sports fan for example and watching games whenever they're on, and you know, hopefully the Mountain West. Let's have some football here soon, but lots of different things to do.

Well awesome, Alondra is wondering, is there cultural food in Fort Collins and that I'll just answer that right there? Yes, there's a lot of diverse food, food places in Fort Collins. They're all really good. 'cause like I said, local pretty good. Also not local though, like it depends if any of you have any of y'all been to like a really good?

Food place on or off campus. I'm trying to think of where I went recently, but I can't think of the name.

Tom Youngs Cafe. That's like Vietnamese. Little bit of everything though. But that's definitely my go to spot when I go off the embassy.

When I like the like most, it's my most favorite is what must I guess second to Kupersmith, but it's a place off campus with still in college. So it's like right adjacent to the Oval. It's called Thai station and they have the best Thai food ever. You all need to try it if you haven't, and then we serve you boba tea if you want. And like these really cool like glasses. So it's a very exquisite an affordable experience. I just love it a lot.

Awesome.

Let's see.

We have a lot of questions coming through. Oh, so she wants to know how did y'all feel about your transition from high school to college?

I would say one thing is time management is a big thing at. You'll probably hear this a lot if you ask people, especially at different universities too. If you like if you ask about time management, they'll probably say that's one of the biggest things you have to learn. I can tell you that, and chances are you'll have to learn that for yourself. Still, like you will be like, yeah, I'm good at Time management, but for me personally like I grew up playing lacrosse for nine years and so I'd stop playing. When I got to college. But it's one of those things that that meant there was time that I was freeing up for myself, and so that means that I technically had the most like free time of my entire life.

When in reality this you have to balance a lot of what you're doing, so it's definitely a change for sure, but I really enjoyed every minute of it. College is a lot of fun to be part of, so that's kind of my take on it.

I think I was a little spoiled. I went to a college prep high school that was like K through 12. So I even at like third grade level there like you needed this for college.

So I've always had that in my mind. I think one thing that's really nice, especially in the dorm, said meeting a lot of people that didn't come as prepared or that transition from really small town to, you know, a campus of our magnitude was intimidating is there's a lot of programs and offices on campus that are designed to help. One thing that was hard for me in a lot of my friends was writing and getting really good at that. A collegiate level. We have a writing center on campus. They can in like 24 hours if you send them like drafts of things, they'll sit down with you and.

Hope you kind of rewrite things or figure out better language assignments like that. There's there's all different kind of opportunities on campus for getting more accustomed to the workload here at Colorado State.

Yeah, I feel like with a lot of students don't really touch on or like hate to admit is missing home and missing your family. I am the eldest of like for kids so it was definitely hard missing my my sisters and like my grandma and my grandma is like my best friend so I was calling her like almost every day so just that part keeping in touch with your family. Whether that's on FaceTime, my grandma sent me letters just kind of recognizing that there.

Here for you and with you in spirit kinda helps you keep going along, especially if you're not a state student. I know is much harder to be away from home, but it's nice. I was able to come to CSU with a lot of my of my hometown friends, so I was very lucky and fortunate to kind of have a reminder of home with me still. And some of them of those people are my best friend. So just keeping those your circle tight and keeping in touch with your family.

Is it was important to my transition from high school to college, especially as you become a young adult, you know and you're out of your parents home. So yeah.

Awesome, I'm kind of, I guess a little bit of a similar light question. It's one. What's one thing you wish you knew going into freshman year?

I wasn't messing like less or something, but I didn't know what something that I would like to tell everyone for sure is that when you get to campus, even if you're from out of state, for example, everyone is looking to make friends you know. Don't be afraid to be the first person that step out and say, like, hey, like I'm look, I'm calling where you basically and learning more about them is simply something that everyone has to go through and it's being added state student. I knew one other person from my high school that came here and they live on the opposite side of campus from me and it's one of those things where it wasn't very close to nested begin with. But at the end of the day we're here. Everyone is looking for friends. No one's going to be like Oh no. I must be friends or anything like that.

Course the fact the matter is is that everyone's looking for France and just reaching out taking the first step is huge and definitely don't be afraid to do it. And as an engineering honor student who also was definitely into roof, it's all those stereotypes. For example, I can tell you that it's definitely going to be OK. We'll get through it.

Sort of a call and had to say not being afraid to approach friends, but also not being not being afraid to approach you like your professors. Sometimes it's very intimidating, but it's important to reach out to them. Email them, go to their office hours. That was something I was so afraid to do. Just getting over that fear that something I wish I would have known freshman year. Just don't be afraid to go in and ask for help. That's important, like to succeed into distinct knowledge that you know you weren't born knowing.

You know college comp are like calculus or sociology. You know it's important to go and ask for help and also getting ahold of their TAS is important. So reaching out and fully taking advantage of what the professors have like to help like the material or like going over on.

Email email wasn't something I use a lot in high school and when I got to college, email was huge. So definitely start using email a lot now because you use it so much and let's get to University or college.

Awesome will go with this next question here. What are the best dining facilities on campus and what are some of the good menu items?

I know we're all not necessarily always eating dining Hall food, but.

Um?

I personally like the academic village Rams horn because they have really good grilled cheese.

Do they still do grilled cheese fried? Is that what you're talking about right there? Yeah, those grilled cheeses from academic village. Those are like some of my favorite things for sure. There's also other global foundry which is kind of the North side of campus, has a lot of good options in there, including like a pizza bar, but also said that my favorite and it's kind of an underrated one for sure. But it's in Braden, which is kind of close to the academic side of campus and they have ram, which in there, which I don't know why. But that's like my favorite thing to go to like as a freshman. I did not utilized it nearly enough, but thankfully I have some off campus meal plans these days, and so I'm able to actually go through and do that. And so.

It's like subway, but it's better. I can't like. I can't explain it any better than that. It's so good.

I can go, I want to say one thing, calling you mentions Brayden, sometimes some of their food can be underrated. They have a late night, so late night stretches from 8:00 PM till 11:00 PM with one correct and during that time period they will have a lot of just finger foods and so they have wing nights like everyones day an I think Friday we might so good because you can eat insane amount of wings, endless wings and then you get a lot of cool sauces, Parmesan, Garlic, Parmesan.

Mango habanaro, so that's one of my favorite foods on campus.

Awesome.

Sorry.

Oh my goodness.

Um?

OK, I'm sorry I'm trying to pick a oh water so if he wants to know what are some of the best hikes with good views?

So I think we can talk about little bit bout Horsetooth there.

Um?

Y'all can go or I can go isn't any anything is good.

I'll go real quick. Yeah, Horsetooth is definitely one of the common ones for sure. It's really not too far from campus, for example, and you can see it on campus. I really does look like warts teeth for example, so that's where the name comes from. It really does look pretty similar. It's pretty good hike for sure. It's pretty nice 'cause you actually get a look kind of over the Plains and look back over Fort Collins, but you can also have a chance to kind of look back towards the lesson system or the mountains up there. It's definitely the most popular ones from students as well, so it's definitely not so you're going to have hard time finding like a ride to, for example, or anything like that would definitely be ways for you to get out and go see.

Horsetooth, pretty nice. the Super great view. Of course at the end at the end is kind of fun. You can sit on top this big rock and it's kind of like you're like on the peak of like this one, little foothills. You can look seriously both ways. Lots of great views and definitely a super common one for CSU students.

I'm uh, I mean it's not in Fort Collins necessarily. I will say I don't recommend having a car on campus for freshman year because there's such great transportation on campus and through the city of Fort Collins, but that you're bound to find one or two people your freshman year that has a car is really willing to take it around and do trips, and less than an hour and a half away is Rocky Mountain National Park. And there's so many spots. I mean anything from like fishing, hiking. The views are incredible. There's.

There's so much there, it's hard to speak on. You can get, you can get lost in that place and in a good way.

But I would say looking into that is some of the best places in Colorado I've seen.

Really quick Matthew, was wondering, I'll just answer this really quick. Matthew was wondering about the dining plans. We have the options for 1014 or 21, meal plan and basically that's just how many meals you can get in a week and it's really easy. You just go in that. We were having reservations but that currently is no longer so we don't have to have any reservations anymore. You just go in and they scan your ram card and then that's like one recorded meal for the day. For whenever you go in.

And so with Prince with the 21, you can have up to 314 up to two like you get the deal. So it's really. I think person is really effective and efficient way to kind of go through the dining halls if you wish to use. Currently with covid you don't have to use two meal swipes in order to have two meals in that period. If you feel like you're not getting enough, that's a new development that is there. But that is the dining plans.

Yeah.

Also, I don't want like under more normal, more normal circumstances. Well I'm ur legislation there for as long as you can definitely go pick up and go for a second. So once you're in like your end not to worry bout nothing like how much figuring. Take for example like I know someone who seriously would like hang out for like 2 hours spring classes and like well I'm not saying they recommend that by any means. It's definitely something that I've seen people do. So once you're in feel free to hang around and get as much food as you like.

Yeah, and then almost out of time, so I'm just going to answer some of these questions really quick. And then I have one kind of final question for our panel over here, but Thomas there is the rec center you asked if there's an easy, inexpensive way for students to lift and work out. Yes, the rec center. It is actually as I'm pretty sure Colin said it is part of our student like fees to begin with, so you're not. There's no additional cost to going to the rec center as long as you're a student here at CSU.

You go in, you swipe your card and you're free to workout. Currently with the code procedures we do, they make it don't make they encourage and you will only be let in if you do. The daily symptom checker here and if you wear mask when you're going inside there as well. I'm working out, but as long as you're following those two things you are free to work out whenever you want within the hours they are open. But they are back to normal opening hours and everything and Matthew. What are some of the better freshman dorms?

I personally think that all of the dorms have very unique factors to themselves that make them wonderful and all of their own ways. I'm also biased though, because I'm currently in a RA in academic village, so I'm a little bit biased towards academic village, but I know everybody else might have their favourites, but before anybody asks anymore questions, they ask this last question. I want to plug really quick. We do have other webinars that we do.

Throughout the week you can just see all of them listed on the admissions website to sign up for the times they are about out of state. Students in state students. Topics like these like there's all sorts of ones that you can go to that are super fun, super informative, and so if we didn't get to your question today or you have more questions, you can of course go to one of those and have those questions answered there or even message your admissions counselor. That is a also very good.

Idea to do get to know them. They're always there to help you.

You're very sweet people and their wonderful. So to kind of before we leave here, I want to ask. Jordan asked this question, but I was going to ask you anyway. So Jordan, you read my mind, what made you pick CSU?

OK yeah, I'll go first real quick. I was going out of state student living from Texas is you can fly to from the flag behind me. Texas really does not have these things called mountains. So definitely like the closest mountains to me are still the Rocky Mountains and so definitely when I first decided to come up here I decided you know what I'm going to want to see different schools in Colorado and I was actually a dead set on going to our rival school which is in Boulder. So I came up here and I was like look I want to be in the mountains. I want you to Mount this, that and the other mom was like Alright we should go to war. CSU. At first I was like Nah I don't need to do that. I was like I'm going to go to school.

Alright, I'm going to Boulder and yet here I am. Also Cola, iPhone. Love the campus during my tour for example. Lots of great things all over campus. It's definitely hard to give that kind of feeling over a video like this, but having everything to visit campus and see didn't spaces all over campus and see the people was definitely super exciting. And my thing that I can't like to say is that I came to CSU like I came to Colorado for the mountains and stable because the people here on campus are seriously so great. That's wonderful. It's A wonderful community. Part of seriously.

Yeah for myself, I'm Colorado, born raised and it didn't really feel like I wanted to leave the state just to browse a guy. And I like all this stuff this day has to offer for me. I did to her. Pretty much every college, public and private in Colorado. I will say I kind of got hooked on Colorado State part in person tour. The campus is really lovely. I think the town of Fort Collins is really great compared to other schools. I think Fort Collins and Colorado State has like a different demeanor and everyone's like.

Actually, really friendly. I don't just say that to say that you know your first day on campus in your loss and you talked to a fifth year grad student or whoever they help you find the building. It's just a different kind of friendly nature that just hooked me as well.

I echo what David and Colin have to say about campus being super friendly.

Julie, I applied to five other in state schools. I'm from Pueblo Co, so that's about 2 hours South of Denver and so I got into like every school that I applied to. But eventually what made me choose CSU was my senior year. I did a earth my junior year. I did. Uh so is the state science fair? And I visited Fort Collins and say host the science fair every year.

Came and while I was here, I heard the train go by. And so the train kinda like is stops traffic and sort of this thing where like everyone is super get super annoyed by it but I love it a lot because where I'm from investor customers are very industrious still kind of working camp Subs like subsidy subtown I don't know part of problem and their train goes by every night in Publix like when I'm going to bed I can hear the train.

No tickets, last Hall and so when I came up to Fort Collins, I heard the train and I kind of made that connection and that was sort of assigned to me that I can make a home for myself here in Fort Collins. And ever since then it's been quite true. I've been like really comfortable with the people here. I've done a lot of self growth for me personally.

And I love for Collins and CSU itself, because they pride themselves on the principles of community and basically what that is is 5 policies that they have for themselves in the last one is social justice and I love that one. The most sort of what drives me everyday, because diversity and inclusion is super important to me. So when I think about why I choose who it is because it reflects a lot of my core values, yeah?

Yeah, definitely. I'll share my story too 'cause I too am a student. I definitely agree with everyone said, especially the train part. Lawrence KS train too. And I actually really love it. It's you know sometimes when trying to get somewhere I'll get a little annoyed at it then I'll hear it at night and I'll love it again. But I definitely pick CSU. Just echoing that community aspect. I definitely at first I was really not planning on going to CSU and then I just ended up visiting on a whim.

And it was like once I visited, I knew I had to come here because it just kind of felt like home again. Once I visited that second time, everyone was so nice. Everyone in Fort Collins is honestly really nice. They love talking to you. They love hearing about your stories, 'cause people from Fort Collins? Yes, there are people from for cons. But there are also people from all over that chose to live here. And so it's a very welcoming community where everyone kind of is in the same boat of like we love Fort Collins like we love CSU and so you're all kinda here together. But especially on the CSU campus.

You definitely know that everybody has your back, like if you needed something you could just ask anybody walking by and they probably not even probably they would help you. I would help people so I know that everybody else would do so. Just kind of very comforting feeling and I definitely feel very supported academically and socially here as well because your advisor, your academic advisor specifically such when you come here is always there to support you and will help you make your schedule and everything like that.

So.

With all that said, that is all we had for y'all today. I hope you enjoyed it.

Panel panel over here. Thank you for everything that you did and we will hopefully see you on campus next year. But with that enjoy possibly signing up for other webinars or other informational sessions messages counselors and will see you soon. So bye.

Bye everyone go round.

There we go.