CU Boulder's Cheyenne Arapaho: My Experience

Living on campus has to be one of the most exciting aspects of starting college, at least it was for me. When I graduated high school in 2022, I spent many hours researching various CU Boulder dorms, only to find out one had already been chosen for me. Because I was a business student who participated in a summer program, I was automatically assigned to the Cheyenne Arapaho RAP. In this article, I'll be diving deep into my all-around experience living in the RAP while sharing tips for incoming students potentially choosing Cheyenne Arapaho.

Overview

Cheyenne Arapaho Hall is CU Boulders' go-to dorm for first-year business students. Because it falls under a Residential academic program (RAP), all residents conveniently take the same classes together inside the dorm. The building itself is made up of four floors, including a basement, classrooms, gender-divided halls, and an elevator for convenience. My freshman year, I lived on the second floor with all the guys. Most of them were loud, rude, and obnoxious but don't worry, not everyone is like that.

Location

When attending a large college such as CU Boulder, location plays a HUGE role in picking the right dorm. No one wants to walk long distances for class, and being far from the main part of campus can be a pain. Luckily, Cheyenne Arapaho eliminates almost all distance issues. The strategic location of the dorm leaves you less than 15 minutes away from any significant building so walking never feels like a chore. The dorm has various dining halls surrounding it, and Farrand Field is right across from you meaning summers and winters are always pleasant. Like me, If you don't care to pay hundreds of dollars for a parking pass, Cheyenne Arapaho is directly across 20th Street. You can park in the surrounding neighborhoods, and nobody cares.

Room options and Amenities

Cheyenne Arapaho offers three types of room options: singles, doubles, and triples. Students living in singles and doubles are unfortunately restricted to communal bathrooms, and have very limited bedroom space. If you want a little more privacy, go for a triple, as they have built-in restrooms and a bunch of extra space. The rooms themselves are incredibly bland and underwhelming; Take your time decorating them and have fun with it, you’ll be spending a lot of time in there! When I was in the hall, I lived in a double with a roommate and got quickly tired of it. Since Cheyenne Arapaho is a RAP, don't worry about making friends, you'll make loads of them. Because of this, I highly recommend opting for a single. You have your own space, and can always invite guests/kick them out when you need alone time.

In terms of amenities, Cheyenne Arapaho is not known for housing the nicest utilities. There are two laundry rooms, but the machines don't work all that great and tend to leave your clothes soaked. There is no air conditioning in the bedrooms, only in the classrooms, which can effortlessly lead to sweaty summer nights. The only redeeming factor, in my opinion, is the main hangout/study space known as the den. The den is located in the basement and has a pool table, two pianos, the kitchen, and ping pong - many of my memories were made there.

Final thoughts

Overall, I had an amazing time living in Cheyenne Arapaho. I made loads of friends, and having classes inside the hall was incredibly convenient. Despite this, I would not consider Cheyenne Arapaho itself to be a good dorm. It falls short in amenities, and the students tend to be over-the-top crazy. If you want to live with like-minded business students, go for it! But if you don't care to be involved, I say look elsewhere.