If you're going to hit the books again, you may as well do it in Colorado.

“For West is where we all plan to go someday. It is where you go when the land gives out and the old-field pines encroach. It is where you go when you get the letter saying: Flee, all is discovered ... It is where you go to grow up with the country. It is where you go to spend your old age. Or it is just where you go.” 
― Robert Penn Warren

There's something truly liberating about leaving the East Coast and heading West. With the ever-present traffic, the live-to-work mentality, fierce job competition, and other joy-dampening factors found in the eastern states, it's no wonder that Denver has seen an influx of D.C., Virginia, and Maryland residents, particularly young and mid-career professionals, who are in pursuit of a graduate degree. If you need a break from the East Coast or just want to escape for a few years and better yourself amid stunning scenery, 300 days of sunshine, and chill vibes, then consider these reasons to head to Denver to enhance both your career and your life.

1. Opportunity is around every corner. Want to learn how to snowboard? Curious as to how to make craft beer? Interested in the entrepreneurial aspect of legal cannabis? You can explore so many new hobbies and industries while also padding your resume. 

2. There's always something to do. Hiking, skiing, brewery tours, stand-up paddleboarding, you name it, there's always something to do to fill your time during study breaks.

3. People are much friendlier. Attitudes are contagious, and since so many other out-of-state transplants are happy to be there, it's hard not to catch the happiness bug. Besides, when you find yourself removed from the stuffiness of the East Coast, you'll be surprised how much it was negatively affecting you.

4. Colorado has the best economy in the country. With an eye-popping GDP (302.9 billion in 2017!), healthy job growth in industries like oil and gas, tech, and cannabis, don't be surprised if you get snatched up by a nearby employer after graduating. 

5. People talk about things outside of their jobs. It seems that on the East Coast the only thing people care about is what you do for a living. In Denver, you'll be asked what you like to do instead of what pays your bills.

6. Healthy lifestyles are encouraged in Colorado. Get ready to invest in athletic and outdoor gear because fitness and an adventurous spirit are both part and parcel of the Colorado lifestyle. Let's be honest, it's hard to want to stay indoors with all that natural beauty surrounding you. Besides, all those feel-good endorphins running through your system will energize you for schoolwork.