When deciding where to go to college I had a few requirements. I wanted to combine my desire for adventure and love of horses by attending a college away from my home state of California with a college that offered an equine degree.

Do not get me wrong, I love Northern California. I love the weather and how in the middle of winter during the day the temperature rarely goes below fifty degrees, which means you can ride all year round. Being a foodie, I also appreciate the endless variety of awesome places to eat. But, when it came time to deciding where to go to college I wanted to experience something different from where I grew up. I have always loved horses and knew that I wanted a degree in the equine field. My desired field of study narrowed down my search quickly. After reading about the Equine Program at University of Montana Western I scheduled a trip to Montana with my parents. We flew into Bozeman and drove an hour and half to UMW which is in Dillon, Montana. The nickname “Big Sky Country” says it all. During the drive I immediately fell in love with the vast, peaceful views of the surrounding mountains and limitless vistas. My college visit was great and I easily decided that Montana Western was a match made in heaven for me.

Being from a city with the population of one million which can be a bit congested to say the least, it sure was a pleasant surprise to move to a town of 4,000 year round residents. UMW is a small college with about 1300 students so as I began my classes I quickly started to meet new people that had many of the same interests as I do and easily felt at home in this unique, close-knit town that embraces the college community.

As with all new adventures there are things that took some getting used to. The biggest adjustment was the concept that winter is really a season. As I mentioned in Northern California winter is merely a few clouds even fewer rainy days with the drought season of late and 55 to 60 degree days and maybe a frost or two in late January. In Montana winter is real. It consists of freezing temperatures, snow, ice and lots of wind. I’ve learned to bundle up and embrace the tranquility of the picturesque snow falling and appreciate the wonder of mother-nature.

A second adjustment was that Dillon’s food options are limited when it comes to eating out, but on the upside all establishments offer a super friendly atmosphere and delicious menu choices. There are several great pizza places, a fabulous Mexican food truck, the savory Sweet Water Café and of course, the trendy Sparky’s Garage right next to the college.

Another aspect of living in a remote small town is that you have to be up for driving long distances. It is a normal part of life when living in Dillon that residents decide to drive forty five minutes north to Butte, Montana to just go for food or clothing shopping. A lot of people also drive a little longer to either Missoula, Montana or Bozeman, Montana on a regular basis to do various activities. Personally, I love road trips so driving long distances to go to different towns without battling traffic jams has been a fun and enjoyable driving experience.

There are many wonderful things that have been introduced to me since arriving in Montana. I have found that I share Montanan’s appreciation and love of outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and rodeo. Montana also has several natural hot springs and on cold nights my friends and I have become a hot springs enthusiast who loves to relax in massive hot soaking tubs. Overall, attending college in Montana has been just what I was looking for. I’ve made friends that I will have for a life time and University Montana Western has been a great college experience combining horsemanship with business management preparing me for my future in the equine world in the super cool town of Dillon, Montana.