A Year in Review

By Elizabeth Davis on May 28, 2012

The academic year is coming to a close. Class attendance is dwindling while temperatures climb, clothing is being packed into boxes, and every day there is one less digit on the countdowns on whiteboards lining my hallway. It’s hard to believe the quarter is ending, but even harder to believe we’ve all made it through an entire year of college. Although next year I will be transferring to a university that offers the degree program I am now interested in, University of Denver will always be special to me. For my last Uloop post, I wanted to share my three favorite aspects of the school.

The Quarter System: The 10-week quarter system was one of the best aspects of the time I’ve spent at DU. The quarter system allows a student to take a wider variety of courses in a year, about four more than students on the traditional semester system. With academic calendar, time flew by: syllabi and introductions week one, midterms just two or three weeks later, and finals not long after that. Because of the quarter system, I was able to take fifteen different courses in just thirty weeks. I love the flexibility and freedom the system gives students.

The Location: DU’s location is perfect for any student who wants the best of both worlds. With the proximity to downtown and to the mountains, I could hike a 14’er during the day and go to a Broadway show that night if I wanted to. Being near a thriving metropolis gives the campus access to cultural events and intellectual and artistic opportunities that certainly do not exist at more isolated schools. At the same time, it’s an easy drive to hiking, rock climbing, skiing, and even white water rafting.

The Academics: Most of the faculty members I encountered during my time at DU have been truly impressive. In addition to this, because of the small size of the university I have never had a class with over 20 students. This sort of environment facilitates close relationships with professors, and stimulating in-class discussions.

Though there were both positives and negatives to the year, I can’t stress all that I’ve learned during my first year away from home. I’ll always remember being a part of DU, from the first day of orientation, to joining my peers on the slopes at Winter Carnival, to studying on the J-Mac Beach on warm spring days.

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