1.) Driving on Campus on 4/20
No amount of obstacle dodging car video games will be able to prepare you for driving at University of Colorado Boulder on 4’20. Each year, thousands of marijuana lovers flock to the campus of University of Colorado Boulder just to smoke on Norlin Quad “a big grassy area just in front of the library.” I learned this one the hard way. Not being a marijuana enthusiast myself, I had no idea that April 20th was a marijuana themed holiday and so I unknowingly drove my car onto Broadway, the street that runs along the western side of campus. I didn’t even make it one block when a huge group of people walked right into the street and directly in front of me. Pedestrians do not care where or when they cross streets on 4’20. The moral of the story is: If you have to go anywhere on or near campus on April 20th, walk.
2.) Parking on campus unless you have a permit
The parking lots at University of Colorado Boulder are notorious for their ticketing. If you don’t have a permit you will need to read the signs including fine print about exceptions several times just to be sure. Think you can just run in to the law library really quick and be back before the parking guy catches you? Think again! Whomever it is who patrols at UCB seems to take their job extremely seriously. My sister even had her car towed once. A fact made even funnier by the fact that her friend saw the whole thing happen and attempted to reach her as it was happening. Your best bet is to park on nearby streets around campus or splurge for the parking permit.
3.) Walking around Kittredge pond at night
Kittredge, apart from being one of the farthest dorms from the center of campus, also has been graced with the presence of a goose pond. While that may sound charming and quaint, the reality is much smellier. Large amounts of geese produce large amounts of goose poop. Under no circumstances should you walk around or near Kittredge pond at night. Your shoes will never make it! The smell that emanates from the pond itself is quite strange too. In fact, Kittredge pond is best avoided in daylight as well.
If you’re interested in the University of Colorado Boulder, check out our article on UCB’s Campus Tour.
4.) Dropping a class at the last minute
In my time at CU Boulder, no class sticks out to me as much as a philosophy class I took sophomore year. When the professor introduced himself at the beginning of the semester, you could already tell it would be a hard few months. A few months later we had an assignment cancelled after we already turned it in. Then the whole syllabus was changed. Finally, after not receiving a promised study guide for the final, I broke down and attempted to drop the class, but I had to do a whole lot of paperwork to explain why I had dropped and the process took over a month. When that moment comes in which you think to yourself “should I drop this class right now?” do not ignore it!
5.) Sitting in the front row at a UCB football game
While sitting in the front row at a home football game may sound thrilling, there are unknown dangers. Sure you may have the best view, but what happens when the game ends? Often if the Buffaloes win, the fans rush the field. This involves everyone descending the stairs as fast as possible to jump the barrier between the stands and the field. People who are in the front row run the risk of getting squashed up against the barrier or even potentially pushed over it. It is a high price to pay for that front row view. Check out the fifth row for all the fun of being close and none of the danger! Stay safe, Buffaloes!
Emily Harrah is a freelance translator and interpreter. She received a Bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Colorado in 2011