When college students at Boise State ask you where you’re from and you answer California, most give you a weird look and ask you why you left. I do admit it was hard to leave the sunshine and the beaches, but there are an abundance of reasons why students move out of California for school. Here are the top 5 reasons this California girl chose Boise State for college:
1. To get out of the same city I lived in since I was born.
I’ve lived in the same city in California since I was born. I know the city, what to do there, where to eat, and all the people. They're the same people that I grew up with and have seen my whole life. I wanted to get out of that and get to somewhere bigger and better, somewhere I could learn new things about the place I would live for the next four years. Boise State provides that; a different community of people and the ability to learn about the places to go and things to do.
2. To gain community and spirit.
Boise is unlike most cities in California. The community is unified. In Boise, everyone (not just the students), are supporters of the school; either in sports or just the spirit of Boise State all together. In California, your neighbors could be fans of a wide range of different college teams, you see flags or stickers for seven different teams in the same neighborhood, even two different teams in one house. Everyone in Boise is a Boise State fan. You see merchandise, flags, shirts, even cars all decked out to support the school. It’s an amazing sense of pride!
3. To experience the seasons and scenery.
California doesn’t have seasons; there’s no fall or spring. You just have summer and winter, and some places don’t even get winter. Californians come to Boise State to see the leaves change colors and then fall from the trees, to have rainy days and snowy weekends. They come to buy a North Face jacket and thicker socks, to learn how to layer, and really experience cold. The seasons make Boise beautiful and new in the eyes of a Californian. Beyond the seasons the campus and surrounding area is beautiful. The open space, the trees, the hills, it’s something new and as a California native I soak it in every chance I get. Every day I see something new to add to the beauty of Boise State.
4. Nice strangers.
In Boise, strangers are so much nicer than strangers in California. In California, you avoid direct eye contact with strangers and you don’t say hello or spark up random conversations with people you don’t know. Coming to Boise, people do just that. Walking on the greenbelt, seeing you at a shopping center, or even getting gas you might get stopped and get engaged in a friendly conversation with a stranger.
5. Football.
People from California love football! When choosing a college, them having a good football team is important when picking where to go. Boise State fits that criteria. The Blue, the Broncos, the Corral and the game day spirit all adds to the hype of Boise State and entices football lovers to check out Boise State as a home.
The final straw was coming to Campus. This Californian was sold and fell in love with Boise and made the decision to make the move. So be prepared: if you visit you'll fall in love and become a Boise State Bronco!
