College Talk

Just got back from a jam-packed weekend of college tours. SO tired, but SO pleased. 

Appalachian State University, Boone, NC

What a breathtaking campus. I mean really, what college campus is electrically independent from its own town, powered by steam? 

This is by far one of the more "green" schools I've visited. The trees seemed to touch the sky and the snow was barely trickling down. 

The school is in the super small town, called Boone. 

The entire community is just about made up of college students and alum. My favorite spot was this coffee shop called BeansTalk. 

First off, the little shack looks as if it was a work of art itself. You walk into a 10x20 room (most of it is a just coffee table and cash deck) 

and order your modest latte (no frappaccino's here), have a little conversation with the coffee guy about the newest band to hit the streets of Boone, 

or maybe about the nature hike scheduled for next week, grab your cup, and either plant it in the claustrophobic area downstairs, 

or head to a loft up above with a sweetie or a friend. 

You can tell that every student just adores being a student there. No doubt. I mean, you really have to have a lot in common with your 

classmates for choosing this hidden wonder over the thousands of the colleges in the country. That's what I love about it, every student 

loves the wilderness, the frigid conditions, the peaceful social life. Truly, the quintessential mountain village.

The George Washington University, Washington D.C.

I thought my future was in the Blue Ridge Mountains until I got to GW, then I found myself completely frustrated and torn. 

Okay, you're thinking rural village to urban metropolis, but really, this community in the heart of D.C. is a city within a city. The community is 

so close-knit, but turn the corner and you're at the White House, two steps back and you're walking the cobblestones of Georgetown. 

This place has culture. If you love meeting people of various ethnicities and learning foreign languages, I highly suggest it. 

What I love the most is every building of the school is designed so differently than the next. Sure, this school is old, but its history is 

what you should be curious about. Some buildings are really modern and trendy, but if you get sick of all that contemporary stuff,

your next class is in a brick building with a staircase built a hundred years ago. The diversity is mesmerizing and the people

you will meet there will teach you about a world you never knew. I already met some students and prospective students, just like me, 

who are waiting for an experience like GW to really open their eyes and show them how big this world really is.

And think about this, there are more internships at GW than there are students, you won't go hungry! And for a writer, like myself, 

this place is in the hub of journalism and all things writing. Seriously, don't think twice about another school. 

Two incredible schools, one difficult decision-which one do I choose?!