Freshman move into their CU Boulder dorms (Courtesy of the University of Colorado Boulder)
Alexia: Hi! I’m Alexia Bailey, a sophomore here at CU Boulder. While I may just be in my second year, I’m here to share everything I’ve picked up so far, which is a surprising amount of information. “What’s Eating at Alexia” is my unofficial and unfiltered guide to some of the things that being a CU Boulder Buff brings. Think of it as your guide to navigating everything that makes CU Boulder, well, CU Boulder. Whether you’re a freshman finding your footing or a senior with “no body, no crime” level grievances about finals week, I’m here to share my takes, tips and honest observations on everything from the sometimes-unpredictable Buff Bus system to navigating campus protests (or dodging them entirely). College is a wild, unforgettable ride, and “What’s eating at Alexia” is here to make sense of some of it, one opinion at a time.
If you’ve ever broken up with someone on Farrand Field, you already know where this article is going.
Walking away isn’t always this dramatic, however. In fact, sometimes it sneaks up on you in the most unexpected places. For me, this summer, that place was my little brother’s back-to-school night at my former high school. And while he walked out carrying a class schedule and the premature regret of taking AP pre-calculus, I left with something else entirely: the knowledge of when to walk away. You see, while I was wandering those familiar halls, I kept running into former teachers and staff, the same people I had hugged goodbye at graduation not all that long ago. Talking with them gave me a renewed appreciation for leaving. Because without leaving, I wouldn’t have grown both intellectually and also as a person.
I’m saying this as I’m sitting in my newly christened apartment writing this column, and it feels like proof that walking away works. I left behind an old space that didn’t fit anymore, and now here I am: messy, imperfect, but finally in a place that feels a little more like home. As a sophomore here at the University of Colorado Boulder, this is my second time leaving my hometown for Boulder’s Flatiron Mountains. When my parents and I unpacked all my stuff and said our goodbyes this time around, it was definitely as hard as it was last year, but I came equipped with the gift of experience and knowledge. I knew where Muenzinger was, and I could find the nearest bus stop with ease.
I wouldn’t say that walking away from something means that you don’t care or love it anymore. I just think that sometimes we need to learn when it is time to let go and walk away for our personal growth. It’s like having a childhood friend. As you both grow, your paths don’t always stay in sync. Maybe you’re buried in midterms while they’re starting a full-time job, or maybe the things that once bonded you—recess games, sleepovers, the shared awkward misery of middle school—don’t quite hold you together anymore. And that’s okay. Letting go doesn’t erase the love that was there; it just makes room for the new chapters waiting ahead. Letting go is important in a way that doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking a step back, giving yourself permission to breathe, or quietly deciding that this chapter has run its course. It’s noticing when something weighs more than it lifts and choosing to make space for what will help you grow.
Whether it’s changing your major or breaking up with your boyfriend on Farrand Field, I feel like walking away from things is something that we Buffs are well-versed at. I’m not saying that we are quitters because, quite frankly, we’re anything but. What I am saying, however, is that sometimes walking away is the bravest thing you can do. Buffs know that letting go of a toxic lab partner, a bad roommate situation, or even just the world’s worst Cheba Hut order isn’t failure; it’s growth. Because if you never walk away from what isn’t working, how can you ever walk toward what is?
I write this as the new freshmen slowly make themselves at home on our lovely campus, and I, for one, am so excited to welcome you all to our beautiful campus. Leaving your home for somewhere that is unfamiliar can be extremely daunting, but believe me when I tell you, you made the right choice, and you will find a home here at the University of Colorado Boulder. And to all my returning Buffs, remember: growth doesn’t stop after freshman year. We’re all still figuring out which classes, which friendships, and which late-night adventures are worth our time and energy. Sometimes that means sticking it out, and sometimes it means walking away, and that’s okay. Every step we take, every choice to leave or stay, shapes the people we’re becoming. So embrace it all: the messy dorm rooms, the awkward Zoom calls where your camera and microphone decide not to work, and yes, even the lingering sadness of your parents dropping you off once again.
Welcome home, Buffs.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Alexia Bailey at alexia.bailey@colorado.edu
