For the past 17 years, I have considered Colorado my home. Despite this, every time I come back from college on my vacation breaks, it continues to surprise me with it's beauty, altitude, food and other amazing attributes. Colorado is the place where you see people wearing flip flops all year, the state of the 303, the state you can look at the mountains and feel like you are in a postcard, and the state that I always find myself coming back to.

Growing up in such an amazing state, like this one, you start to appreciate the little things that make Colorado the interesting and fun place like it is. Whether this is seeing the cliff jumpers at Casa Bonita as a school field trip, or eating ice cream in the winter time, or being so excited to go to Water World as a kid and as an adult, or showing endless support for the Broncos despite their embarrassing loss in the Superbowl, it is the little things like this that make me continue to come back and love this place more than I ever did before.

Although this state is only 1 of 50, I truly feel like Colorado is one of those places that sticks out from the rest of the states. Colorado will always be remembered for some specific times that makes this place so special. This is the first state to be different in accepting marijuana and legally welcoming in more hippies than you thought possible. Also, it is the state you can attend the best concert you will ever go to at Red Rocks, or even finally accomplishing your first 14'ner that you have been wanting to do. It is these things that make Colorado the place that it is, and those times the times you will remember.

So now I leave you with this. If you haven't been to Colorado, I highly encourage you to visit, but be careful, because you honestly might not want to leave a place as beautiful as this one. Colorado is the one place where you find people outside more than they are inside, regardless of the weather. Colorado is the place you see trucks with all wheel drive drifting in the snow. And Colorado the place where the people and the atmosphere are filled with love, open arms and joy to be living in a state as special as this one.

I hope one day to raise my family like I was raised, and show my kids this absolutely amazing place. Once I left Colorado for school, I appreciated every part of it that much more, and I know I will always find my way back.