Lindsay pictured to the left stands outside on the Cheyenne Mountain Resort deck.<\/p><\/div>\n

Growing up, Lindsay Morgan bounced back and forth between the Midwest and Denver because she had family in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Her college choices came down to Purdue and Iowa, both on that top 100-universities list. Ultimately, the choice was Iowa. Illinois that feeds directly into the University of Iowa, and because of that Morgan\u2019s choice was convenient to be closer to extended family and get an education.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIowa was my choice because I loved Iowa City,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cIt was a great town and it was close to family. Being in the Big Ten didn\u2019t hurt either.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Proximity is one attribute people consider when choosing where to go to school. For Morgan, having family in her area was viewed as a bonus. After getting her degree at the University of Iowa, Morgan returned to Colorado and began teaching. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sports<\/h6>\n

While not a giant hub for professional sports, the Midwest is home to many schools that play in powerhouse NCAA conferences, such as the Big Ten and the Big Twelve. Forty-three schools are labeled as Division I schools and they play at the highest level of competition. The region\u2019s athletic atmosphere is tantalizing for fans \u00a0<\/span>\u2014<\/span> and the athletes love the challenge as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

Maddie Beal, from Colorado Springs, is a volleyball player at the University of Minnesota, and she knows what she and her teammates are up against during conference play. Seven of the national champions from the past ten years are all from the same conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying in this conference is amazing but also very difficult,\u201d Beal said. \u201cEvery team that we play in the Big Ten is very good <\/span>\u2014<\/span> every game matters. One bad game by a player can lose a game, but it\u2019s the best experience getting to play with other women who are the best players in the country.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While the pinnacle of sports exists for the athlete, it does for the fans as well. The excitement in power conferences brings college cities to life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jordan Pictured to the right stands outside of Seven Falls.<\/p><\/div>\n

Jordan Tibbetts is a student at Kansas University. He played basketball in high school but never considered playing in college. Game day at the Allen Fieldhouse is always filled to capacity and the Jayhawks provide excitement for their fans every night they play.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Fieldhouse is the greatest college hoops atmosphere in the country,\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cI was a fan of Kansas basketball before I ended up going there, but once I was there I transformed into a diehard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It helps when the team is always winning <\/span>\u2014<\/span> the Jayhawks have made the NCAA tournament every year since 1984 and have their program\u2019s all-time record of 2,217 \u2013 839.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Community<\/h6>\n

A sense of belonging is something that all people crave. While moving to a new city can be daunting, the ability to feel at ease with your surroundings is something that appeals to many who flock here, even in the larger cities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emma Kidd, from Colorado Springs is a senior at St. Louis University. She ran track and learned a lot about herself through the experience of living in Missouri.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdjusting to a new culture was different,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cI learned a lot about myself being away from home, made decisions for myself that were tough but the support of the friends I made out here really made life easier.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Savannah Cathcart, from Boulder also attends the University of Kansas. She agrees that the environment played a big role in her decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe lifestyle was really laid back and I loved that,\u201d Cathcart said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coming from the Rocky Mountains, chill is the prevailing attitude, so Cathcart fit right into her new surroundings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a sense of community and everyone was nice and down to earth,\u201d Cathcart said. \u201cI loved KU <\/span>\u2014<\/span> it was the right fit for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A popular state park in Iowa is filled with nature trails.<\/p><\/div>\n

From Colorado, many of the schools in the Midwest are less than 12 hours away from home, which makes for a reasonable road trip. People say the summers are hot, the winters are brutal and the Midwest is flat. It is the polar opposite of what Colorado is, but for those who choose to move here, their reasons are validated by their experiences <\/span>\u2014<\/span> and that means they can enjoy the best of both worlds.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Midwest has its charm and students from Colorado are tapping into it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":8424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n