Colorado to Virginia

Coming from a small town outside of Boulder, Colorado, many people ask me why I decided to come to William & Mary. Being so far away from home, I often wonder this myself. After getting my various acceptance letters, I narrowed down my decision between one large, public institution and William & Mary. At first, I thought that I was going to go to the other university hands down. It’s more well known in Colorado, and I was scared that people wouldn’t recognize the name “William & Mary” if I went here.

But when I visited both colleges over spring break of 2015, my decision was clear. I attended Day for Admitted Students last year, and immediately felt like William & Mary was going to be my home. I could picture myself walking around campus with a backpack, and sipping coffee on the Sadler Terrace. At every other school I visited, I struggled to put myself in the shoes of the students. At William & Mary, however, Day for Admitted Students allowed me to become a student for a day, helping me to see what life would be like if I made Williamsburg my new home. I went to mock lectures, ate on the Sunken Garden, and talked to prospective students who all seemed to be just like me. The vision of my future became clear. I could picture a life here.

I also chose William & Mary because it felt relaxed and comfortable when I visited. Compared to the other university, Williamsburg was separated from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With cute local coffee shops and dog-walkers taking over Williamsburg, I felt calm as soon as I drove onto campus. I think that college is a stressful time, and if I’d chosen to live in a city or “college town” environment, I would have been even more stressed. Williamsburg grounds me and helps me to appreciate the beauty of what I have around me. Being at William & Mary feels like the small town I’m from, and brings home from CO to VA.

-Shannon Fischer ’19