Growing up in Colorado, much of my childhood was spent outside. Entire weekends were spent in the mountains, hiking, camping, and skiing. Mosquito-filled summers were filled with neighborhood laughter and the familiar bark of a family dog. Cold winters were warmed by the exhilaration of ski trips and the inherent beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

Some of my best memories come from these outdoor adventures. 

When I started college, I was exposed to people who had vastly different childhoods than I did. My new peers originated from all over the United States and had been exposed to a vast array of traditions, norms, and preferences.

Colorado State University student, Claire Marie Killeen, grew up in San Diego, California. She also spent a lot of time outside, it just looked a little different. When I reached for the sun on the mountaintops, Killeen was looking out at the open ocean full of exploration. She enjoyed time with her friends, her job at a local ranch, and spending time at the beach.

“I played outside all the time,” Killeen said. “I didn’t watch TV, but I feel like that’s weird for California. I worked 9-5 at the ranch on the weekends. I went to the beach a lot. Basically, I was always outside.”

Killeen’s experience during summer break was similar to my own as well.

“I would go to the ranch, take care of the horses, and hang out with friends,” Killeen said. “That was my default. With friends, we’d walk around Encinitas a lot and shop and get boba. Or we’d sit on the beach. We’d go to parks and have picnics. We were just always outside wandering around.”

A few states over, CSU student Nora Cheeseman grew up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved all around Hamilton County. Cheeseman described her childhood as very quiet, rural, and Catholic. However, her experience was different from her peers.

“My experience was very different because my parents divorced when I was in first grade,” Cheesman said. “That really shaped it because we were going back and forth between two houses. If you forgot something it was the end of the world.”

On top of dealing with divorced parents, Cheeseman attended a private, all girls, Catholic school. Growing up in the rural suburbs of Cincinnati this wasn’t unusual. 

“I was not educated on issues that would have been addressed here,” Cheeseman said. “The state determines what is taught in schools and what is required. Football is also a big thing there. Everyone would go to the games.”

Despite the differences in hometowns, Cheeseman and Killeen ended up in the same region and are now learning about the typical Colorado childhood, as I learn about theirs.