If I've learned one thing from being a Content Creator for The Odyssey it is that when you write about personal experiences, life issues, or anything relevant to my life than the likelihood that I will achieve the amount of shares that I am supposed to get each week is slim. People don't seem to care about what I actually have to say when it isn't relevant to anything they care about but I cannot blame them, I'm exactly the same way. Why would I care about what people have to say if it doesn't hold any relevance to my life? But that's okay. This week's article isn't going to be about the presidential debate, my problems, or anything like that. This week's article will be about what I have learned by attending the University of Wisconsin- Platteville.
Before I start I need to give you, the reader, a little background information on myself. I do not come from a small rural community like the one I currently live in. I grew up in a large suburb about 30 minutes from the Twin Cities in Minnesota (for those who do not know where the Twin Cities are). I went to a HUGE (and I literally mean the size of a college campus) high school. I had large class sizes in my high school (like 35 to 40 students). I went to school, went home, stayed out of trouble. I had 2 close friends in school but I spent a lot of time alone because I was to scared to speak my mind in fear of what others would think of me. I found my place in school through painting my senior year. I spent all my free time in the art room, before school, after school, during my free period. I basically lived in that room. I didn't know anything else. When it came time to decide on a college I knew I didn't want to go to school with anyone I knew, I wanted to get as far away as possible from all the stuck up people I went to high school with and I found my home in Platteville, Wi. Now, that you're all caught up than let's begin.
1. 1% of the Population...
Is from Minnesota. When I am asked where I am from I have to respond with "I'm from the Twin Cities area" because if I say "I'm from Cottage Grove" it is automatically assumed that I am talking about Cottage Grove, WI and that's not where I am from. And when someone actually knows Minnesota well or is actually from Minnesota I actually get really excited. I can honestly say that I am the only person from East Ridge High School to EVER attend UWP (and I probably be the only one). I am so proud to be a Minnesota Girl because I'm apart of the 1%!
2. Being able to have people guess where you go to school
Let's be honest, no one knows anything about rural colleges. You tell them where you go to school and they get this super confused look on their faces. It's almost kinda funny but also kinda sad because they don't know how awesome it is.
3. Alcohol
There's a saying, it's even in our t-shirts. Drinking all day doesn't make you an alcoholic, it makes you a pioneer. Enough said.
4. The People
I've meet so many different kinds of people by going to UWP. We've got it all. The farmers, the city kids, the suburb kids. You name it, we've got it. I've learned so many things because I've meet a variety of people.
5. Judging people
We don't do it.... at least out loud.
Going to college in a rural city was the best decision I've ever made. It helped me grow as a person and I couldn't be happier. Thanks UWP.
