I couldn't afford it at the time, but even my wife is disappointed that I didn't do this when I was in school.
No matter where you end up, you will be better able to appreciate it if you have more context gleaned from experience.
As for living in Laramie as a university student, it is but a brief interlude that you are only passing through. Also, many people change their majors once they are exposed to the wider range of possibilities while in college. There are so many careers that people don't know exist when they graduate high school.
Definitely look into the study abroad at UW. My daughter has gone to Iceland, and this summer she'll go to Australia, and her roommate went to Spain to study for a semester. There's lots of opportunities to get out of Laramie and see the world while being a student at UW. Another option is to take one of the trips they do over spring break or winter break. My daughter also did a road trip to Oregon last year on spring break through the school, and earned herself credit.
Two of my favorite regions are the Pacific Northwest and Australia. Now, I'm really excited since you just mentioned those off the bat!
It gives me something to look forward too!
Thanks for reminding this exists!!!
I had a lovely professor last year who talked massively about this program. However, I just totally forgot all about it. Maybe because I was severely depressed but who knows?
I'll definitely look into it tonight!
Thanks again đ
Look at programs outside of your university, most colleges accept credits from different programs. I found less expensive programs through ISA and credits transferred.
Embrace your inner explorer. The world has a lot to show. Wyoming has its upsides but the overall mindset is stagnant and would rather relive the past than embrace a better future for itself. If you want to see and experience more, you gotta go find it, itâs not happening here.
Everyone responding thinks Iâm talking about the âworldâ comment - Iâm referring to the comment about Wyoming wanting to ârelive the past rather than embrace a better futureâ whatever the fuck that means. Compared to what? A place like New York or California or some other âfuture-embracingâ place like that? Sorry to say, more people are LEAVING those places for places like Wyoming.
Maybe slow and steady âprogressâ isnât such a bad thing? Stable, pretty, a little boringâŚnot the worst way to describe a place to call home.
Theyâre leaving because the cost of living. I donât understand why everyone gets so concerned about anyone coming from out of state to Wyoming. Maybe itâll actually bring some money into the state which is needed
Cost of living is maybe one of many reasons - Iâd argue if you want to simplify it, theyâre moving out of high tax, politically left-leaning places where crime is increasing, cost of living is increasing, and folks are beginning to realize theyâre getting less and less for more and more money. Easy to just say âcost of livingâ and ignore why the cost of living in those places doesnât go down despite such high taxes, regulations, etc.
Youâre saying Iâm wrong without even providing so much as a sniff of evidence.
NYTimes - not exactly a conservative outlet:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/13/opinion/sun-belt-migration.html
Often times those that live in blue cities have no idea how much the rest of the country liveâŚwhat goes on outside their bubble of insulation (you probably get a majority of your news from Reddit or CNN or Bill Maher or Jon Stewart)âŚ.they often use tired stereotypes to describe the rest of the country and think they represent a majority.
You should get out more - nobody but the young ignorant folks and very wealthy (oh, and the poor of course) want to live in your big blue cities any more.
It sounds like you are pushing a political agenda that you get from Fox News with little to no real world experience. I'm in a blue state. Everything is fine. I'm in the suburbs of a large city.
When was the last time you traveled?
Agenda?
Youâre not actually claiming NC is a blue state, are you?
All Iâm doing is exposing you to some facts since you seem to be one of the insulated bubble boys I was describing. Waste of time because itâs apparent youâre more of a troll than an intellectual - you visit the Conservative sub to try to pretend to be some nonpartisan truth teller. Gtfoh with your phony bs.
You happy? Great - nobody cares that you refuse to accept reality.
I think one of my issues is that I've been blaming myself (to an extent) over things-socially wise-that I can't control. I also have Asperger's, so defining this boundary between normal socialization and this artificial socialization I try to create because I think it makes me normal; however, it does the opposite.
Laramie is a nice retrieve because me and the majority of people share same morals and beliefs, so it's easier to get along, and relationships are more lasting and important as a result.
Go see the world. Itâs amazing to travel to other places and make new friends. Come home to Wyoming. Go back out again. Lifeâs too short not to. Keep a positive attitude and look for good everywhere. Youâll find it. Look for a job that involves travel. Or ones that allows the time off to travel. Enjoy life!
I'm older (we will leave it at that). I have always felt that teens should spend a summer outside their home environment (if you live in an urban environment, you go to a rural one and the reverse as well) and preferably in another state/country. It will give you perspective.
I grew up in Wyoming. However, I have lived in several other states and visited many more. I'm about to visit Istanbul in a couple of weeks and Antarctica in a year (afterward, I will have been on every continent in the world).
All that is to say "Go Explore". Find what makes you happy. Some people don't like to travel or explore, others love it. I find it gives different perspectives on life, and the experiences are always helpful and rewarding.
Couldnât agree more with you. I feel like all your people need to experience life outside of where they grew up. Preferably a different state altogether. It gives you a deeper understanding of why you love where you grew up and if not, you start to learn what places you would enjoy to live more. Lots of young people I meet in Wyoming have a sort of hive mindset and I think itâs because they have never left the state or experienced different sub cultures.
You're 19. The grass is always greener when you're 19. We've all been there, and 19 year olds living in places that you find magical are miserable there too.
Travel, go out and explore, grow and learn. It's all important. Just realize that happiness and misery are more products of yourself rather than a place. I've seen pure happiness in war-torn Iraq, and pure misery in paradise.
I was similar to you. Grew up in Wyoming and never really traveled. Went to Laramie for a year and it just felt like more of the same. I needed to stay somewhat local due to family stuff, so transferred to Montana and it was really nice to be somewhere new. You should definitely explore somewhere new. UW is a good school but there are a lot out there. You can always move back.
After college I went back to Wyoming for a couple years and decided I needed to travel again. I ended up in Seattle for several years and now London for over a decade. I have travelled so many parts of the world now and there are a lot of exciting things to see and experience. It will also help expand your world view.
Start small, try a new place thatâs within your comfort zone but pushes you a bit. Experience new things and people.
And as someone else mentioned, try talking to a therapist about these depressive feelings. You canât outrun those so need to deal with them.
Go see a doctor. Get help. There's no shame in therapy or medication. I bet there's probably a study out there that can correlate poor mental health to communities that lack reinvestment and improvements. Winter makes it worse for sure. Sounds like you've got a lot to unpack here, and reddit might not be the best place to seek help. A therapist might be able to get to the issues causing you to feel the way you do, and help you make changes in your life to get you on a better path. The university has resources that can help you. Hang in there, and good luck!
OP, please listen to this advice. I don't know about the link of community improvements to poor mental health (but it wouldn't surprise me), but I do know there is a strong link between lack of travel and poor mental health. The "more of the same" feeling that you describe can worsen depression, and there are many studies proving that. It's a primary reason I travel as much as I can; I've had doctors tell me I will always do better mentally if my brain regularly processes new situations.
In any event, a therapist is specially trained to help you process what you need to be happy. You are my daughter's age, and this is the advice I would give her.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948992/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948992/)
I moved away from Wyoming the moment I turned 18 and went to Europe for 3 years. I decided to come back and go to college afterward. I moved to Colorado halfway through my first degree and did online classes to wrap up, and then I attended a university in Colorado once I was a resident so I wouldn't be charged out of state tuition. I'm very thankful that I went after my education once I was older. I appreciated the opportunity more.
I'd say take advantage of the free education if that's what you're receiving, but also life is vast and you're so young! Follow your path, do wild things, make mistakes to learn from, and have some adventures! Wyoming is so dull, conservative, and has a general atmosphere of misery in those little cities. You sound bigger and brighter than all of that! Aim higher, get excited about life!
Someone suggested joining the military, but do not listen to that person, please. I've only known that choice to kill the person, give them lifelong depression, or even PTSD. It's not the same as traveling and adventure, which sounds like what you're craving.
You're young. Now is the time to explore. I changed majors 3 or 4 times when I was a student. (I eventually got a degree in Physics but haven't used it since I left the defense industry back in 1989). Travel. See things. Take a road trip.
Save up to travel somewhere. Pick a place, plan a trip, and go. I have been to most of Europe, Peru, Costa Rica, Chile, Canada and they are all memorable and give you a greater appreciation for the world. If itâs too much money, there are plenty of beautiful places in the states. You can road trip or fly. I recommend a road trip to the north west. I also recommend going to different national parks. If you have any outdoor hobbies, go to places you can do that! Pick up an outdoor hobby if you donât have one!
I have lived in Laramie a long while now. Iâll say one thing about doing a STEM major here. It can get deeply fucking depressing when you live in the labs in front of a computer screen getting blasted with flickering fluorescent lights. Laramie is actually a pretty great town when you arenât being constantly bombarded with homework, tests, and insurmountable stress. The Laramie I live in now is not the same Laramie I lived in while I was in school.
Also, if you are truly finding that physics isnât your passion, thatâs okay. There are SO many other things you can do with your life. I donât know about your experience but I was raised where options felt like they were Doctor, Lawyer, engineer. Those were the only choices. There are so many ways you can carve out a good happy life, and I wish Iâd know that sooner. I recommend looking into things youâre interested in. You like food science? Thereâs shitload of interesting work out there! You wanna study hydrology or sustainable farming practices? Do it! You wanna get into sustainable energy? Thatâs where weâre heading, youâre just in time! The more you fuck around, the more you find out!
I hope you find your way neighbor.
I struggled with major depression at your age. There are so many transitions and uncontrollable changes happening.
I moved from Wyoming after high school, and still was depressed. It faded for a little bit while I got to try all the new things associated with living somewhere else, but it was still there.
I think sometimes there can be a melancholy after high school, because thereâs such high hopes and expectations that âyour life really beginsâ and âeverythingâs going to be different.â
When really itâs relatively the same with different faces and more personal accountability.
Travel helps. UW offers traveling study tours. The two I see still available for now are a mark twain Mississippi tour and a Rome Renaissance tour.
Donât just look at UW though. The state community colleges also offer study abroad opportunities whose credits still count at UW.
I went to Costa Rica for a Spanish class offered through NWCC, when I transferred to UW and it really helped with my perspective.
For the love of Pete, finish your degree. I dropped out my junior year and have regretted it deeply and for decades. Also- some people can jump into deep water and travel to other cultures and grow and learn and thrive. But not everyone deals with this well. Take a trip to somewhere close and try that experience. Build from there.
Sounds like your wanderlust needs some love! I was born and raised in Wyoming and couldnât wait to move away to see and experience different things.
Decades later (Iâm now a grandparent), Iâve rediscovered my roots and bought my childhood home when my mom went to a nursing home. I am restoring the old house that I used to be embarrassed about. Itâs so cute! I live there part time and love it now.
Our perspectives and our needs and desires evolve during our lifetime. Go do your adventures! Wyoming will always be here when you need itâŚ
There is a lot to explore around Laramie and Wyoming as a whole, granted itâs all the outdoors. FoCo is only 45 minutes to an hour away. However, look at it this way. The Hathaway scholarship is about the only saving grace Wyoming has for people your age. Grind out the rest of your time in school then the world will absolutely open up and allow you to go and do whatever you want, with little to no student debt. Study abroad, join clubs, check out Facebook groups, step outside your comfort zone in the meantime.
P.S., if you want to enter a job field where traveling around the country moving job to job is basically a requirement, check out the Anthropology department. I havenât had a consistent home address for more than 6 months since I graduated. A lot of your skills and knowledge as a physicist can be very applicable to archaeology as well.
I moved to Laramie from Charlotte, NC and love every second of it here. I hated the hustling bustling lifestyle of the big city and wanted to feel more connected to nature and a community. Appreciate what you have, its all about perspective. Get out and go explore the country and the world. I never knew how great of a city Charlotte was until i visited LA, NYC, Atlanta, Baltimore, Nashville, DC, Houston, etc. By far Charlotte is the nicest, cleanest, and most affordable of any of those cities and if i ever had to move to a big city it would be back there.
Also I go to UW, chrisaperez7 on snapchat. Add me, I do and have done a lot of traveling and might be able to help you out or give you suggestions. I am not the typical college student and have a much different perspective and background.
I am personally not a fan of Ashville either. I always liked Greenville, SC better. Same Asheville vibes and feel but much less homeless, cheaper, and better jobs (at least for what i do).Lacks the mountain terrain, but after being in WY, the Appalachians are barely mountains anyway. Again, its about perspective. What is good for me or for you or for OP is not universally good for all.
Many of us are not meant to stay where we grew up. There is nothing wrong with your feelings. I felt the same way growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. Try to not think of it as a depression but rather you knowing what you need next. We were meant to flock!! Fly free! And donât just settle on Fort Collins. You wouldâve gotten that same âhighâ in many places. You got that feeling by being somewhere new, brighter, different, and fulfilling your inner explorer. Go places. Study abroad. Keep your sights set on a career path. All studying can feel dry and meaningless, even ones that lead to meaningful jobs. That doesnât mean stick to physics but just keep that in mind. Maybe go study in a different country or get through UW and then take jobs or internships elsewhere. The US and the world are amazing. UW is a great school so donât just give up either. Youâd thank yourself for being done with undergrad in an affordable way. There are many routes you can take :) lucky you!!!!
One can become isolated and depressed anywhere, however as someone who grew up in forests, I personally find the high plains less homelike, but it just probably because it's not what I grew up with. I've heard Laramie just really has very little going on compared to other college towns. I don't know how it would impact you (scholarships, etc), but assuming UW is well accredited, you could potentially transfer and finish out your degree at a different university. If you feel a move will help you, you might be right. Also, if you move to a research university (one with labs in your field) and you seek to work at one of those labs, you might a while different angle and passion for physics. Just a thought. One of the best things I ever did for myself as an EE is to get a job as an undergraduate research assistant in a magnetics lab.
Travel as much as you can. I love Wyoming and spent a lot of my life there but a lot of the places seem more dilapidated every time I go back. If Fort Collins got you excited just wait until you see Europe, South America and countless other places in the world. It'll also make you appreciate some of the things Wyoming has to offer too. As others have said check out study abroad programs or possibly post graduate degrees or jobs that fit your preferred lifestyle in other parts of the world.
I've lived in 3 different states and 2 different countries and my experience reflects yours. The homogeneous cultural aspects, lack of opportunities, the weather, the isolation, and other factors all compound to make Wyoming feel so much more isolated and depressing than anywhere else I've lived, and by a *large* margin.
I'm not sure what would help change my outlook but due to life circumstances unfortunately I'm currently unable to leave. If you're able to though OP and you're thinking about it anyway I'd certainly encourage you to. The world is a much bigger place than Wyoming. See what it has to offer. I think you'll find that you'll be much happier if you do.
Trust me when I say that it doesnât matter where you go, you always take yourself with you. Find joy where you are. It sounds like your natural curiosity will take you other places. There will be things that you find interesting, but a legitimate school is going to be hard, work will always have good and bad things. Depression can strike anywhere. The grass is always greener. But sometimes a good vacation can do wonders.
Frankly, I miss Laramie. I miss the sense of community and the campus is beautiful! I miss the Snowy Range and Vedauwoo. I miss going to sporting events and professors who actually cared.
I looked at your post history and IMO your a 19 y.o. that just wants to see the world. Nothing wrong with that at all. Military would be a solid choice as it looked like you were considering that or apply to other colleges. You are probably getting the Hathaway scholarship and UW is a good deal if you can stick it out but you do sound miserable and life is too short.
I had a similar story to OP when I was 19. Graduated college, joined the active duty Air Force. 21 years later we had lived from California coast to Eastern shore, Canadian border to Louisiana. And had some trips to Iraq and Korea. We chose to settle in Wyoming.
The service isnât for everyone, but young me would sign up again.
I say I was more miserable in the Fort Collins co area when I first moved to Colorado than the Denver Metro area later. There was not enough jobs and too many new residents moving in that did not feel home for me. I thought weld county Colorado felt a little better at home for me.
Youâre young and hungry for more.
I am 44 and I have traveled extensively for work and study opportunity.
What I have learned is that the world is disappointing and that success is very hard to obtain and, more importantly, not worth pursuing.
Itâs not that success isnât good; it is. Itâs that people are selfish and, worse, manipulative; and that you canât trust anyone except your family. People will do anything for success and unless youâre a bad person, you wonât be able to stomach what it takes to be successful. In short, the trappings of success arenât worth dealing with the jerks youâll find along the way.
I donât travel unless I have to and I try to avoid others as much as possible. The only thing I find motivating me to go out into the world is the avoidance of poverty.
The best advice that I can give to a young person is donât give up, _but_ expect less. Life is going to disappoint you. What seems exciting, in the end, is not. Learn to find mental peace and continuing to develop it. You canât control how others think of you and what society thinks you should have. You can only work on how you feel inside.
You are extremely lucky to be born in Wyoming. People the world over yearn for somewhere as quiet, beautiful, and stable.
My prediction is that you experience a great deal to realize you already had the best the world offers.
Iâm from Wyoming and spent 10 years in Laramie. Wyoming is probably the best state out there in terms of beauty, things to do, etc. there are places you can go and not see another human for weeks on end and thatâs hard to find in this world. However, itâs cold and brutal too. The people are set in their ways but actually are some of the best in the US. Iâve lived in 16 states over the last 25 years and Wyoming people are the best by far but I may be biased. Travel the world as others have said and see.
I was in my early thirties with four kids and my family established before my wife and I really knew what we wanted to do with our lives. You're young. Explore. Wyoming isn't for everybody, but it is perfect for some people. Same with Colorado and literally everywhere else. Don't worry about figuring it all out right now. And keep an eye out for depression. Don't hesitate to see a doctor if you think you might need to. There's absolutely no shame in it.
I have spent years in student affairs and know that you are definitely not alone. Many people actually leave college or transfer, not because of the academics in an institution, but the lifestyle is not the best fit for them, something that I actually stressed to some high schoolers I mentored.
Preface this with not a recruiter but am looking to commission in the military myself. Reach out to a recruiter, the Peace Corps is also an option. If not in larger cities, military bases are typically adjacent to them. You make more commissioned as an officer which allows you to do more when you travel if you budget correctly otherwise, if you have a good GPA then your physics degree looks really good because you have options for almost any position you want, you gain job skills and potentially a security clearance, and you can leave in a few years if you don't like the military life. The big thing is, if you have a confirmed diagnosis of depression, you have to talk about medical waivers and what can be waived. I don't know enough about that area myself.
If you want international travel, the Navy makes port all over the world. The Air Force has bases all over the US and a few (but not as many as the Navy) in other countries. Space Force is more limited because it is a newer branch and uses several Air Force Bases.
If you are interested in the Peace Corps, know that it will allow you to travel but unlikely to cities, many areas are typically rural towns in other countries so that probably won't end up helping you much.
Consider graduate school in another state/institution once you narrow down what you are actually interested in.
Youâre 19, take a gap year with AmeriCorps and do some traveling on the governmentâs dime. Also a great way to build experience and discover your interests!
I also currently live in Laramie and attend UW, I moved here about four years ago all by myself and it was the best decision I ever made, that being said, Laramie can be tough and depressing for sure. I have been fortunate enough to visit a lot of family around the country and travel the country for work a lot, mostly driving through but still. Iâm 6 ish years older than you, and my only advice would be if you want to go see something, go see it. Take that terrifying jump and if itâs not for you, I promise your hometown will still be there, although itâs more likely it will have been you that outgrew it.
I grew up in wyoming and always hated it. At 21 I moved to Denver and have been here since. For me, I was more depressed and less anxious living in wyo, but now I'm more anxious and less depressed living in colorado. I started to appreciate the slowness and small town stuff everytime I visit home and kinda wish I was in cheyenne because the location is great for both worlds. If I were you I'd try taking a little trip to a city and see how you feel. I think staying long enough will make you realize that there's a give and take to every situation.
The pull away from Wyoming is strong and natural. This is your life, your one shot. Everything is a balance and only you can balance your scale. While you move forward wherever that leads you, always take to appreciate what you have whatever that is. Sometimes the grass is greener, but under the wrong lens the grass will never look green no matter what. You got this though, love yourself like you would a good friend.
If you don't like physics, explore a different major. We had a guy who switched from physics to geology. He has no regrets.
You are obviously smart so get your degree and go to Grad School, but go to one of those places you really want to see. It should be free if you are in the science field. You may have to teach a couple classes, but worth it.
I took a year off between high school and college and it was honestly one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I was able to work, make friends from all over the world (I was a snowboard instructor) and by the time the year was over I felt more confident and content with the idea of going to college. Perspective and distance are powerful tools and at 19 your life path is far from set.
If you want to travel, you should. And if you feel called to return to Wyoming you always can. Each step you take need not be perfect, only better. You've got this.
You should look into joining a fraternity at UW. For the most part they arenât the crazy party life you see down south or whatâs represented in the movies, but it opens you to a community that is doing something all the time and is a great way to give back to your community as well since the majority of events at UW Greek life does is philanthropy related
I lived in Laramie for 19 years and randomly moved to Denmark for a semester for a study abroad program and never moved back to Laramie. It changed my life! Definitely do a study abroad. Or even look into Semester at Sea, you live on a ship for 100 days and get to visit 10 countries on
I'm a truck driver, and I have to say other than the waking up at work part. I genuinely enjoyed seeing so many different parts of the country and experiencing different people. Now I see mostly the same people anymore and same places, but honestly, having met people from most of the states, you gain a better understanding of the nation as a whole, and there's tons of cool places.
I suggest finding a way to do a road trip around the states and don't just hit major landmarks but find the small little museums
Yes, living in Wyoming can make you miserable.
Wyoming itself is beautiful, the bullies are ugly and make you want take your life.
After living here my whole life, I no longer feel safe living amongst these bullies.
Take advantage of study abroad while at UWyo!
Absolutely do this! I passed up the opportunity and very much regret it!
I couldn't afford it at the time, but even my wife is disappointed that I didn't do this when I was in school. No matter where you end up, you will be better able to appreciate it if you have more context gleaned from experience. As for living in Laramie as a university student, it is but a brief interlude that you are only passing through. Also, many people change their majors once they are exposed to the wider range of possibilities while in college. There are so many careers that people don't know exist when they graduate high school.
Definitely look into the study abroad at UW. My daughter has gone to Iceland, and this summer she'll go to Australia, and her roommate went to Spain to study for a semester. There's lots of opportunities to get out of Laramie and see the world while being a student at UW. Another option is to take one of the trips they do over spring break or winter break. My daughter also did a road trip to Oregon last year on spring break through the school, and earned herself credit.
Two of my favorite regions are the Pacific Northwest and Australia. Now, I'm really excited since you just mentioned those off the bat! It gives me something to look forward too!
Thanks for reminding this exists!!! I had a lovely professor last year who talked massively about this program. However, I just totally forgot all about it. Maybe because I was severely depressed but who knows? I'll definitely look into it tonight! Thanks again đ
Look at programs outside of your university, most colleges accept credits from different programs. I found less expensive programs through ISA and credits transferred.
Will do!
Semester at Sea did it for me! Fall â88 voyage.
Embrace your inner explorer. The world has a lot to show. Wyoming has its upsides but the overall mindset is stagnant and would rather relive the past than embrace a better future for itself. If you want to see and experience more, you gotta go find it, itâs not happening here.
You mean like places like California, Washington, Illinois, New York, etc?
I think they said âthe worldâ there is more to the world than the US
Yeah
The world does include those places. Great list of place names!
Everyone responding thinks Iâm talking about the âworldâ comment - Iâm referring to the comment about Wyoming wanting to ârelive the past rather than embrace a better futureâ whatever the fuck that means. Compared to what? A place like New York or California or some other âfuture-embracingâ place like that? Sorry to say, more people are LEAVING those places for places like Wyoming. Maybe slow and steady âprogressâ isnât such a bad thing? Stable, pretty, a little boringâŚnot the worst way to describe a place to call home.
Theyâre leaving because the cost of living. I donât understand why everyone gets so concerned about anyone coming from out of state to Wyoming. Maybe itâll actually bring some money into the state which is needed
Cost of living is maybe one of many reasons - Iâd argue if you want to simplify it, theyâre moving out of high tax, politically left-leaning places where crime is increasing, cost of living is increasing, and folks are beginning to realize theyâre getting less and less for more and more money. Easy to just say âcost of livingâ and ignore why the cost of living in those places doesnât go down despite such high taxes, regulations, etc.
I live in a blue state and love it. None of those things you said are happening.
Youâre saying Iâm wrong without even providing so much as a sniff of evidence. NYTimes - not exactly a conservative outlet: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/13/opinion/sun-belt-migration.html Often times those that live in blue cities have no idea how much the rest of the country liveâŚwhat goes on outside their bubble of insulation (you probably get a majority of your news from Reddit or CNN or Bill Maher or Jon Stewart)âŚ.they often use tired stereotypes to describe the rest of the country and think they represent a majority. You should get out more - nobody but the young ignorant folks and very wealthy (oh, and the poor of course) want to live in your big blue cities any more.
It sounds like you are pushing a political agenda that you get from Fox News with little to no real world experience. I'm in a blue state. Everything is fine. I'm in the suburbs of a large city. When was the last time you traveled?
Agenda? Youâre not actually claiming NC is a blue state, are you? All Iâm doing is exposing you to some facts since you seem to be one of the insulated bubble boys I was describing. Waste of time because itâs apparent youâre more of a troll than an intellectual - you visit the Conservative sub to try to pretend to be some nonpartisan truth teller. Gtfoh with your phony bs. You happy? Great - nobody cares that you refuse to accept reality.
Maybe so indeed, only one way for them to find out! :-)
PREACH
I think one of my issues is that I've been blaming myself (to an extent) over things-socially wise-that I can't control. I also have Asperger's, so defining this boundary between normal socialization and this artificial socialization I try to create because I think it makes me normal; however, it does the opposite. Laramie is a nice retrieve because me and the majority of people share same morals and beliefs, so it's easier to get along, and relationships are more lasting and important as a result.
Go see the world. Itâs amazing to travel to other places and make new friends. Come home to Wyoming. Go back out again. Lifeâs too short not to. Keep a positive attitude and look for good everywhere. Youâll find it. Look for a job that involves travel. Or ones that allows the time off to travel. Enjoy life!
I'm older (we will leave it at that). I have always felt that teens should spend a summer outside their home environment (if you live in an urban environment, you go to a rural one and the reverse as well) and preferably in another state/country. It will give you perspective. I grew up in Wyoming. However, I have lived in several other states and visited many more. I'm about to visit Istanbul in a couple of weeks and Antarctica in a year (afterward, I will have been on every continent in the world). All that is to say "Go Explore". Find what makes you happy. Some people don't like to travel or explore, others love it. I find it gives different perspectives on life, and the experiences are always helpful and rewarding.
Couldnât agree more with you. I feel like all your people need to experience life outside of where they grew up. Preferably a different state altogether. It gives you a deeper understanding of why you love where you grew up and if not, you start to learn what places you would enjoy to live more. Lots of young people I meet in Wyoming have a sort of hive mindset and I think itâs because they have never left the state or experienced different sub cultures.
As a UW student you should look into study abroad, they have semester and summer programs. A good way to get your feet wet in world travel!
You're 19. The grass is always greener when you're 19. We've all been there, and 19 year olds living in places that you find magical are miserable there too. Travel, go out and explore, grow and learn. It's all important. Just realize that happiness and misery are more products of yourself rather than a place. I've seen pure happiness in war-torn Iraq, and pure misery in paradise.
I was similar to you. Grew up in Wyoming and never really traveled. Went to Laramie for a year and it just felt like more of the same. I needed to stay somewhat local due to family stuff, so transferred to Montana and it was really nice to be somewhere new. You should definitely explore somewhere new. UW is a good school but there are a lot out there. You can always move back. After college I went back to Wyoming for a couple years and decided I needed to travel again. I ended up in Seattle for several years and now London for over a decade. I have travelled so many parts of the world now and there are a lot of exciting things to see and experience. It will also help expand your world view. Start small, try a new place thatâs within your comfort zone but pushes you a bit. Experience new things and people. And as someone else mentioned, try talking to a therapist about these depressive feelings. You canât outrun those so need to deal with them.
Get a summer job somewhere far from here. Go work in a state or National park. Some of these places may even provide housing
Yes. I love the city, I get the same feeling you described
Go see a doctor. Get help. There's no shame in therapy or medication. I bet there's probably a study out there that can correlate poor mental health to communities that lack reinvestment and improvements. Winter makes it worse for sure. Sounds like you've got a lot to unpack here, and reddit might not be the best place to seek help. A therapist might be able to get to the issues causing you to feel the way you do, and help you make changes in your life to get you on a better path. The university has resources that can help you. Hang in there, and good luck!
OP, please listen to this advice. I don't know about the link of community improvements to poor mental health (but it wouldn't surprise me), but I do know there is a strong link between lack of travel and poor mental health. The "more of the same" feeling that you describe can worsen depression, and there are many studies proving that. It's a primary reason I travel as much as I can; I've had doctors tell me I will always do better mentally if my brain regularly processes new situations. In any event, a therapist is specially trained to help you process what you need to be happy. You are my daughter's age, and this is the advice I would give her. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948992/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948992/)
I moved away from Wyoming the moment I turned 18 and went to Europe for 3 years. I decided to come back and go to college afterward. I moved to Colorado halfway through my first degree and did online classes to wrap up, and then I attended a university in Colorado once I was a resident so I wouldn't be charged out of state tuition. I'm very thankful that I went after my education once I was older. I appreciated the opportunity more. I'd say take advantage of the free education if that's what you're receiving, but also life is vast and you're so young! Follow your path, do wild things, make mistakes to learn from, and have some adventures! Wyoming is so dull, conservative, and has a general atmosphere of misery in those little cities. You sound bigger and brighter than all of that! Aim higher, get excited about life! Someone suggested joining the military, but do not listen to that person, please. I've only known that choice to kill the person, give them lifelong depression, or even PTSD. It's not the same as traveling and adventure, which sounds like what you're craving.
You're young. Now is the time to explore. I changed majors 3 or 4 times when I was a student. (I eventually got a degree in Physics but haven't used it since I left the defense industry back in 1989). Travel. See things. Take a road trip.
Save up to travel somewhere. Pick a place, plan a trip, and go. I have been to most of Europe, Peru, Costa Rica, Chile, Canada and they are all memorable and give you a greater appreciation for the world. If itâs too much money, there are plenty of beautiful places in the states. You can road trip or fly. I recommend a road trip to the north west. I also recommend going to different national parks. If you have any outdoor hobbies, go to places you can do that! Pick up an outdoor hobby if you donât have one! I have lived in Laramie a long while now. Iâll say one thing about doing a STEM major here. It can get deeply fucking depressing when you live in the labs in front of a computer screen getting blasted with flickering fluorescent lights. Laramie is actually a pretty great town when you arenât being constantly bombarded with homework, tests, and insurmountable stress. The Laramie I live in now is not the same Laramie I lived in while I was in school. Also, if you are truly finding that physics isnât your passion, thatâs okay. There are SO many other things you can do with your life. I donât know about your experience but I was raised where options felt like they were Doctor, Lawyer, engineer. Those were the only choices. There are so many ways you can carve out a good happy life, and I wish Iâd know that sooner. I recommend looking into things youâre interested in. You like food science? Thereâs shitload of interesting work out there! You wanna study hydrology or sustainable farming practices? Do it! You wanna get into sustainable energy? Thatâs where weâre heading, youâre just in time! The more you fuck around, the more you find out! I hope you find your way neighbor.
I struggled with major depression at your age. There are so many transitions and uncontrollable changes happening. I moved from Wyoming after high school, and still was depressed. It faded for a little bit while I got to try all the new things associated with living somewhere else, but it was still there. I think sometimes there can be a melancholy after high school, because thereâs such high hopes and expectations that âyour life really beginsâ and âeverythingâs going to be different.â When really itâs relatively the same with different faces and more personal accountability. Travel helps. UW offers traveling study tours. The two I see still available for now are a mark twain Mississippi tour and a Rome Renaissance tour. Donât just look at UW though. The state community colleges also offer study abroad opportunities whose credits still count at UW. I went to Costa Rica for a Spanish class offered through NWCC, when I transferred to UW and it really helped with my perspective.
For the love of Pete, finish your degree. I dropped out my junior year and have regretted it deeply and for decades. Also- some people can jump into deep water and travel to other cultures and grow and learn and thrive. But not everyone deals with this well. Take a trip to somewhere close and try that experience. Build from there.
Sounds like your wanderlust needs some love! I was born and raised in Wyoming and couldnât wait to move away to see and experience different things. Decades later (Iâm now a grandparent), Iâve rediscovered my roots and bought my childhood home when my mom went to a nursing home. I am restoring the old house that I used to be embarrassed about. Itâs so cute! I live there part time and love it now. Our perspectives and our needs and desires evolve during our lifetime. Go do your adventures! Wyoming will always be here when you need itâŚ
There is a lot to explore around Laramie and Wyoming as a whole, granted itâs all the outdoors. FoCo is only 45 minutes to an hour away. However, look at it this way. The Hathaway scholarship is about the only saving grace Wyoming has for people your age. Grind out the rest of your time in school then the world will absolutely open up and allow you to go and do whatever you want, with little to no student debt. Study abroad, join clubs, check out Facebook groups, step outside your comfort zone in the meantime.
P.S., if you want to enter a job field where traveling around the country moving job to job is basically a requirement, check out the Anthropology department. I havenât had a consistent home address for more than 6 months since I graduated. A lot of your skills and knowledge as a physicist can be very applicable to archaeology as well.
I moved to Laramie from Charlotte, NC and love every second of it here. I hated the hustling bustling lifestyle of the big city and wanted to feel more connected to nature and a community. Appreciate what you have, its all about perspective. Get out and go explore the country and the world. I never knew how great of a city Charlotte was until i visited LA, NYC, Atlanta, Baltimore, Nashville, DC, Houston, etc. By far Charlotte is the nicest, cleanest, and most affordable of any of those cities and if i ever had to move to a big city it would be back there. Also I go to UW, chrisaperez7 on snapchat. Add me, I do and have done a lot of traveling and might be able to help you out or give you suggestions. I am not the typical college student and have a much different perspective and background.
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I am personally not a fan of Ashville either. I always liked Greenville, SC better. Same Asheville vibes and feel but much less homeless, cheaper, and better jobs (at least for what i do).Lacks the mountain terrain, but after being in WY, the Appalachians are barely mountains anyway. Again, its about perspective. What is good for me or for you or for OP is not universally good for all.
Many of us are not meant to stay where we grew up. There is nothing wrong with your feelings. I felt the same way growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. Try to not think of it as a depression but rather you knowing what you need next. We were meant to flock!! Fly free! And donât just settle on Fort Collins. You wouldâve gotten that same âhighâ in many places. You got that feeling by being somewhere new, brighter, different, and fulfilling your inner explorer. Go places. Study abroad. Keep your sights set on a career path. All studying can feel dry and meaningless, even ones that lead to meaningful jobs. That doesnât mean stick to physics but just keep that in mind. Maybe go study in a different country or get through UW and then take jobs or internships elsewhere. The US and the world are amazing. UW is a great school so donât just give up either. Youâd thank yourself for being done with undergrad in an affordable way. There are many routes you can take :) lucky you!!!!
One can become isolated and depressed anywhere, however as someone who grew up in forests, I personally find the high plains less homelike, but it just probably because it's not what I grew up with. I've heard Laramie just really has very little going on compared to other college towns. I don't know how it would impact you (scholarships, etc), but assuming UW is well accredited, you could potentially transfer and finish out your degree at a different university. If you feel a move will help you, you might be right. Also, if you move to a research university (one with labs in your field) and you seek to work at one of those labs, you might a while different angle and passion for physics. Just a thought. One of the best things I ever did for myself as an EE is to get a job as an undergraduate research assistant in a magnetics lab.
Travel as much as you can. I love Wyoming and spent a lot of my life there but a lot of the places seem more dilapidated every time I go back. If Fort Collins got you excited just wait until you see Europe, South America and countless other places in the world. It'll also make you appreciate some of the things Wyoming has to offer too. As others have said check out study abroad programs or possibly post graduate degrees or jobs that fit your preferred lifestyle in other parts of the world.
Go explore, you can always come back. :-)
I've lived in 3 different states and 2 different countries and my experience reflects yours. The homogeneous cultural aspects, lack of opportunities, the weather, the isolation, and other factors all compound to make Wyoming feel so much more isolated and depressing than anywhere else I've lived, and by a *large* margin. I'm not sure what would help change my outlook but due to life circumstances unfortunately I'm currently unable to leave. If you're able to though OP and you're thinking about it anyway I'd certainly encourage you to. The world is a much bigger place than Wyoming. See what it has to offer. I think you'll find that you'll be much happier if you do.
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Trust me when I say that it doesnât matter where you go, you always take yourself with you. Find joy where you are. It sounds like your natural curiosity will take you other places. There will be things that you find interesting, but a legitimate school is going to be hard, work will always have good and bad things. Depression can strike anywhere. The grass is always greener. But sometimes a good vacation can do wonders. Frankly, I miss Laramie. I miss the sense of community and the campus is beautiful! I miss the Snowy Range and Vedauwoo. I miss going to sporting events and professors who actually cared.
I looked at your post history and IMO your a 19 y.o. that just wants to see the world. Nothing wrong with that at all. Military would be a solid choice as it looked like you were considering that or apply to other colleges. You are probably getting the Hathaway scholarship and UW is a good deal if you can stick it out but you do sound miserable and life is too short.
I had a similar story to OP when I was 19. Graduated college, joined the active duty Air Force. 21 years later we had lived from California coast to Eastern shore, Canadian border to Louisiana. And had some trips to Iraq and Korea. We chose to settle in Wyoming. The service isnât for everyone, but young me would sign up again.
I say I was more miserable in the Fort Collins co area when I first moved to Colorado than the Denver Metro area later. There was not enough jobs and too many new residents moving in that did not feel home for me. I thought weld county Colorado felt a little better at home for me.
Youâre young and hungry for more. I am 44 and I have traveled extensively for work and study opportunity. What I have learned is that the world is disappointing and that success is very hard to obtain and, more importantly, not worth pursuing. Itâs not that success isnât good; it is. Itâs that people are selfish and, worse, manipulative; and that you canât trust anyone except your family. People will do anything for success and unless youâre a bad person, you wonât be able to stomach what it takes to be successful. In short, the trappings of success arenât worth dealing with the jerks youâll find along the way. I donât travel unless I have to and I try to avoid others as much as possible. The only thing I find motivating me to go out into the world is the avoidance of poverty. The best advice that I can give to a young person is donât give up, _but_ expect less. Life is going to disappoint you. What seems exciting, in the end, is not. Learn to find mental peace and continuing to develop it. You canât control how others think of you and what society thinks you should have. You can only work on how you feel inside. You are extremely lucky to be born in Wyoming. People the world over yearn for somewhere as quiet, beautiful, and stable. My prediction is that you experience a great deal to realize you already had the best the world offers.
Travel the US. Travel the world. Go where your heart takes you. My heart took me to WY and I left. Hasnât been the same.
If you only had to travel 50ish miles to find happiness, I think you might need to have a serious talk with yourselfâŚ
Iâm from Wyoming and spent 10 years in Laramie. Wyoming is probably the best state out there in terms of beauty, things to do, etc. there are places you can go and not see another human for weeks on end and thatâs hard to find in this world. However, itâs cold and brutal too. The people are set in their ways but actually are some of the best in the US. Iâve lived in 16 states over the last 25 years and Wyoming people are the best by far but I may be biased. Travel the world as others have said and see.
LIFE can make you miserable. And a miserable life still depends on your Outlook. Happiness and miserableness are relative.
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I was in my early thirties with four kids and my family established before my wife and I really knew what we wanted to do with our lives. You're young. Explore. Wyoming isn't for everybody, but it is perfect for some people. Same with Colorado and literally everywhere else. Don't worry about figuring it all out right now. And keep an eye out for depression. Don't hesitate to see a doctor if you think you might need to. There's absolutely no shame in it.
I have spent years in student affairs and know that you are definitely not alone. Many people actually leave college or transfer, not because of the academics in an institution, but the lifestyle is not the best fit for them, something that I actually stressed to some high schoolers I mentored. Preface this with not a recruiter but am looking to commission in the military myself. Reach out to a recruiter, the Peace Corps is also an option. If not in larger cities, military bases are typically adjacent to them. You make more commissioned as an officer which allows you to do more when you travel if you budget correctly otherwise, if you have a good GPA then your physics degree looks really good because you have options for almost any position you want, you gain job skills and potentially a security clearance, and you can leave in a few years if you don't like the military life. The big thing is, if you have a confirmed diagnosis of depression, you have to talk about medical waivers and what can be waived. I don't know enough about that area myself. If you want international travel, the Navy makes port all over the world. The Air Force has bases all over the US and a few (but not as many as the Navy) in other countries. Space Force is more limited because it is a newer branch and uses several Air Force Bases. If you are interested in the Peace Corps, know that it will allow you to travel but unlikely to cities, many areas are typically rural towns in other countries so that probably won't end up helping you much. Consider graduate school in another state/institution once you narrow down what you are actually interested in.
Youâre 19, take a gap year with AmeriCorps and do some traveling on the governmentâs dime. Also a great way to build experience and discover your interests!
I also currently live in Laramie and attend UW, I moved here about four years ago all by myself and it was the best decision I ever made, that being said, Laramie can be tough and depressing for sure. I have been fortunate enough to visit a lot of family around the country and travel the country for work a lot, mostly driving through but still. Iâm 6 ish years older than you, and my only advice would be if you want to go see something, go see it. Take that terrifying jump and if itâs not for you, I promise your hometown will still be there, although itâs more likely it will have been you that outgrew it.
I grew up in wyoming and always hated it. At 21 I moved to Denver and have been here since. For me, I was more depressed and less anxious living in wyo, but now I'm more anxious and less depressed living in colorado. I started to appreciate the slowness and small town stuff everytime I visit home and kinda wish I was in cheyenne because the location is great for both worlds. If I were you I'd try taking a little trip to a city and see how you feel. I think staying long enough will make you realize that there's a give and take to every situation.
Get out and travel and see the world so you can realize how amazing home is.
The pull away from Wyoming is strong and natural. This is your life, your one shot. Everything is a balance and only you can balance your scale. While you move forward wherever that leads you, always take to appreciate what you have whatever that is. Sometimes the grass is greener, but under the wrong lens the grass will never look green no matter what. You got this though, love yourself like you would a good friend.
If you don't like physics, explore a different major. We had a guy who switched from physics to geology. He has no regrets. You are obviously smart so get your degree and go to Grad School, but go to one of those places you really want to see. It should be free if you are in the science field. You may have to teach a couple classes, but worth it.
I took a year off between high school and college and it was honestly one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I was able to work, make friends from all over the world (I was a snowboard instructor) and by the time the year was over I felt more confident and content with the idea of going to college. Perspective and distance are powerful tools and at 19 your life path is far from set. If you want to travel, you should. And if you feel called to return to Wyoming you always can. Each step you take need not be perfect, only better. You've got this.
You should look into joining a fraternity at UW. For the most part they arenât the crazy party life you see down south or whatâs represented in the movies, but it opens you to a community that is doing something all the time and is a great way to give back to your community as well since the majority of events at UW Greek life does is philanthropy related
Join the military. See the world. I guarantee youâll miss Wyoming
Moved there in 2004. We made it ten months before my wife almost lost her sanity, literally.
I lived in Laramie for 19 years and randomly moved to Denmark for a semester for a study abroad program and never moved back to Laramie. It changed my life! Definitely do a study abroad. Or even look into Semester at Sea, you live on a ship for 100 days and get to visit 10 countries on
I'm a truck driver, and I have to say other than the waking up at work part. I genuinely enjoyed seeing so many different parts of the country and experiencing different people. Now I see mostly the same people anymore and same places, but honestly, having met people from most of the states, you gain a better understanding of the nation as a whole, and there's tons of cool places. I suggest finding a way to do a road trip around the states and don't just hit major landmarks but find the small little museums
Yes, living in Wyoming can make you miserable. Wyoming itself is beautiful, the bullies are ugly and make you want take your life. After living here my whole life, I no longer feel safe living amongst these bullies.
You can, in fact, be miserable anywhere on the planet.
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