MAY 8, 2025 | OPINION | By Lily Ljiljanich and Rachel Weissman (Opinion Editor)
Reaching our halfway point in our time here at Colorado College, we are feeling existential and nostalgic, but also pride in how much we have learned over the past two years. Thus, we impose our perspective on what CC has taught us about growing up onto our lovely readers.
The Social Scene
It took us a moment to find our place in the “nightlife” here. Despite such a welcoming environment, groups across campus typically stick to their favorite party spots, so it can be tough to know where you fit in. CC lacks fraternities and underclassmen-friendly bars, but don’t underestimate CC students — they know how to have fun. From flair to farties, the social scene here at CC is unique, so take advantage of it. We’ve learned that going to a frat party at Boulder is somewhat disappointing compared to Fun Running in flair. And what’s best about CC is that you’ll always find a friend at any party you attend, a quality most of us overlook, but most schools don’t have that luxury. Having a friend within arm’s reach at any given moment can come in handy during awkward conversations or unwelcome advances with no immediate way out.
Something we want to preach, but you’ll likely have to learn yourself: do not get drunk for every function. Get comfortable staying up late and being social, without substances. Relying heavily on alcohol for a night out is somewhat socially acceptable, but not sustainable. Bring a singular beer to a party (we get it, sometimes you just need to hold one and sip) and have some sober fun. As of late, Lily can be seen nursing the same empty can deep into any given night. Give yourself a few mornings without an inkling of a hangover or the dreaded hangxiety. We’ve enjoyed building weekends around early intramural sports tournaments as opposed to late night mixers. Don’t orient a party around alcohol. Get excited about spending time with people you don’t get to see every day.
With that being said, after a long Third Week, we certainly recommend celebrating your hard work with a few drinks (too many). You might find us soliciting townies for some free drinks every now and then to spice up an evening. To the surprise of our readers, we are human, and not immune to the occasional tumble or fuzzy conversation.
One of the most underrated features of CC nightlife is how close everything is. On a campus this small, you’ll never have to walk too far in the dark or the cold to get to and from a function. While some look down upon our tiny college, it turns out to be a blessing in disguise come Friday night. Your next function is probably just a few blocks down. And more importantly, home is just a hop, skip and Lime scooter away.
Remember, stay in when you need to. Forcing yourself to have fun is counterintuitive. FOMO is made up. Burnout is real. Sometimes our best weekends include hitting a fun darty, but skipping the evening function to go see a movie. Don’t be a groupie, be versatile. Remember, there will always be another party, so rest up for it.
Roommates
Hate your roommate? We can’t relate. We struck gold when we found each other. Our connection was immediate, and we can’t recall a time we weren’t completely ourselves around one another.
However, we know we are in the minority. Hearing roommate horror stories from friends has made us realize how fortunate we are to be going on two years as roommates. But even we are not immune to the occasional spat. Sometimes Lily forgets to vacuum (even though she says she will), and Rachel poorly attempts to open 7-Eleven red wine bottles, splattering a crime scene on our blinds and carpet. What do we do about it? Talk. Our roommate riffs happen once in blue moon, but we yap too damn much to have any real disagreements, solving our own problem. We encourage those roommates out there dealing with tensions within an 11×13 dorm room to take advantage of the forced proximity and talk it out, even when it’s uncomfortable (not us!) because it’s only awkward if you make it so. Give your roommate some grace and hear them out.
Also, best friends do not always make the best roommates! This applies after your first year as well. Coexisting is crucial, especially in dorm life. For the introverts out there (Rachel gets it) who need some time alone, live with someone you enjoy being with, but also can be frequently silent around and don’t have to constantly manage a friendship with. Nothing is worse than being stressed in your own room, and whether that means getting a single in Mathy or waiting until senior year to live with your besties, you have to put yourself first.
Love & Friendships
College is not quite “Pitch Perfect.” Friends come and go, but the real ones stick around. As we reach the halfway point of our college careers, we aren’t experts, but we have learned what it means to be a real friend and how to face one that isn’t. But in our first year, bubbling with excitement in our new world, we were naive. Stay grounded. Don’t get lost in going out and trying to have the best college experience and forget what you deserve. Last year, we held onto a friendship that wasn’t healthy. For a while, we were blinded by the rush of a new beginning, failing to acknowledge the damage someone we held close to us had caused.
Don’t continually justify a relationship just because the “good outweighs the bad.” From afar, that seems obvious, but when you’re deep in first year, it’s too easy to let a bad friend go unchecked. Thank God we had each other to navigate the painful, yet necessary end of the friendship. Cut your losses, it’s tough in the moment, but you’ll be grateful. Trust your gut, even if nobody else recognizes the toxicity in a friend. We’ve lived it.
It’s true what they say, first-year friendships are not always meant to last. It was hard to imagine our future in those final moments of our relationship with our toxic friend, but we are so grateful for the real connections we have naturally made since cutting our own losses. Sit with the uncomfortability of removing a bad friend and adopting a few new amazing ones, because we sure have.
Beyond the realm of platonic relationships, it’s still just as complicated. And let’s be honest, neither of us have pursued serious relationships during our tenure at CC. And we are better for it. If you’re looking for an expert, head over to Sex and CC (jk). Despite a few meaningless flings, in reflection of our time here, they are null. They are scattered throughout the fondest memories made with our friends.
However, college is the time to be flung.
Figure out what you like. Don’t fold to the hookup and/or relationship stigmas of college life. Get to know yourself before you get to know somebody else a little too well. If that time comes, and it crashes and burns, sit in the flames.
While the small campus size is preferable for the geography of the social scene, it can be consequential in the dating world. Running into an old acquaintance in the Colorado Coffee line or in the middle of a dreadful treadmill workout is somewhat inevitable. There is a learning curve in getting comfortable being seen in the light of day by those you were really only hoping to see at night, or possibly never again. Have no shame.
Adulthood
Over the last two years, we’ve learned the massive difference between being 18 and 20. Genuinely, we’ve matured a lot – a quality that we value in ourselves and others. Everyone grows at different rates, but just make sure you’re growing. Don’t hide under the guise of goofing around to avoid maturity. Take your academics seriously. Go out. Stay in. Call your mom. But still, find the balance between coming into adulthood and enjoying the fleeting moments of college.
Make your own traditions. Do the things in college that you can only do in college. In the depths of Loomis Hall, we began our favorite tradition: the Speedy Shower. With one look from Rachel, wrapped in a towel, Lily whips out her phone timer and notes app record book. Lily counts Rachel down, and on “Go!” Rachel sprints in her squeaky shower shoes to the communal bathroom. And the race begins. Rachel tries to shower as fast as humanly possible. Her best time is 2:06. We promise she is clean. This is not her nightly routine, but rather a Blockly tradition to spice up a Sunday night. Lily can hear her wet stomps coming back before the door opens. It’s a tradition we will miss when we graduate from dorm rooms to an apartment next year.
More frequently than the Speedy Shower is movie night. On our way to pick up a late-night dinner (round two) we inevitably bicker over what movie to watch, which usually turns out to be a cheesy rom-com. We occasionally opt for more sophisticated films. Back in the tiny dorm room, Rachel swiftly grabs Lily’s chair for a makeshift TV stand in front of our two-person love couch and sets up her computer. Lily arranges the gourmet take-out (far from Pinterest-ready) and prepares the napkins. We assemble ourselves on our well-worn assigned couch seats. During the movie, we relentlessly assess the actors, color grade, film angles and plot holes. We are the harshest critics from our couch. This tradition is our go-to on any given night of the week with a lull in homework. One might call us an old married couple, we call it self-care. Happy wife, happy life!
We will cherish the dorm life. Our fondest nights are often spent 10 feet apart, alone in our beds, yapping through the darkness, about meaningless things we would only discuss together. Our most decadent meals are cheffed up in an air fryer on the bottom shelf of Rachel’s desk. We fill up each other’s water bottles like clockwork, and when the frequently broken water fountain is fixed, we return, jumping with joy. We have the same favorite shower stall, taking turns in the bathroom despite the array of open showers. Make the little things big.
Among the developing traditions, we enjoy Monday night trivia with our girlfriends and hosting ritualistic pregames squished in our tiny room. Most of our friends are just a text and a staircase away, always prepared for a cocktail and a clothing swap. As the weather warms, the quad hates to see us coming with some snacks and a spike ball net. We often drag heaps of sand back into our room from the volleyball court after impromptu games and tanning sessions on the lawn. Enjoy the perks of our bustling campus and the close-knit community the Block Plan allows for.
These are the quirks you only get to revel in while enjoying college. We try to make the most of our short time here, even if that is something as mundane as a shower or an IM sports game. Amidst the internship applications and rejections, and existentialist onslaught of real-world adult issues approaching, we take time to exist as we are: college kids. Take the effort to find your people and create your own traditions. Don’t get lost in the expectations. Getting older has taught us to make the days in between special, because those are the ones that’ll stick. Maturity doesn’t mean the death of fun, but rather how you do it. Go out. Stay in. C’est la vie.