Community, finals, coffee and connection:  CMC Steamboat is “a magical place”

This article was first published in CMC student Bailey Peth’s blog Bluebird Sky: Loving Life at 6700 ft

Music: Complicated, Yonder Mountain String Band
photo of sunset over Steamboat SpringsThis song has got me through my finals. A couple weeks ago, something strange descended upon our little slice of heaven.  People’s faces went pale, their eyes grew bloodshot, and their hair stood on end. A dark mood seemed to posses everyone in sight, each person complaining about the same thing. The cause of all the unrest, finals week; the pale faces are due to stress; the blood shot eyes from sleep deprivation and caffeine overload.

Thursday afternoon, two o’clock. I sat in my Wilderness and the American Ethics class and realized that I was sad for it to be over. Never before did I have a class that I was thoroughly excited about. I learned that there are like minded people out there, people who actually care about the planet they live on and are working to help it. I feel a sense of family with the people in that class even though we never really learned each other’s names. I know I could walk up to anyone from the class and feel comfortable talking to them like a friend. We all have the same goal; we are all here for the same reason. I think it is people like the ones in that class that gives this town the sense of community we have, everyone just wants to preserve our valley and love it the best they can.

For two weeks in a row our cozy mountain life turned into a whirlwind of studying, tests, papers, presentations, and free coffee. However, slowly and one by one, everyone took their last test, turned in their last paper, did a victory dance, and went home.

I went back to the dorms at eight o’clock last night and the parking lot was emptier than I’ve ever seen it. A peaceful lovely quiet had descended upon campus.  Street light reflected off the sheet of ice we call a parking lot, dusted with snow. I felt the stress of the last two weeks leave my body; my first semester of college, in the books, a shining moment in my academic career. I did better this semester than any other semester of my thirteen years of school, and I had the most fun. As I thought these thoughts the place in my heart for Steamboat and CMC grew a bit bigger. This really is a magical place.

Happy Holidays everyone, I hope you get to spend this time with your families, both related and not. In this time of year that is easily consumed by rampant greed and consumerism, I encourage everyone to put those thoughts aside, and put the people you love in the forefront of your mind, and your heart. Things will break and come and go, however true family will always be with you.

The first thing I did when I got up today; high tailed it too Grand County to see my family.

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