The best Chipotle order is hard to come across. It takes experimentation and mixing different combinations of ingredients. Too much rice and it’s bland. Forget the salsa and you’re missing flavor. You can’t just throw everything into the bowl and hope it works; that wouldn’t taste very good. College — especially at the University of Connecticut — isn’t all that different. It’s all about balance, experimentation and creating something that works just for you.
- Rice And Beans: The Foundation
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Your college is your rice — it’s the base everything else builds on. The opportunities offered at the school are the basis of what the future holds. Brown rice or white rice, what would you choose? White rice is softer, brown rice is firmer. Do you choose a college that has a firmer academic base or one that is not known for that? This decision will help carve the future you want to pursue. Like the rice in your Chipotle bowl, will your base be softer and have the beans melt into the rice, or firmer to build stronger on top of it?
The beans? They’re your major. Just like beans give your bowl substance, your major adds substance to your college experience. The professors you learn from, the classes you take and the people you meet along the way shape your perspective and influence the path ahead. The major and minor you choose are what will help lead you down a certain path and direction in life. The professors you learn from and the people you meet along the way will determine how all your future experiences will go.
Original photo by Bailey Brake - The Protein: Personality
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The protein is the core of the bowl. Your personality — the core of who you are — is what makes your entire UConn experience uniquely yours. College is a learning experience: a time for growth and self-reflection, which is all a testament to the strength of our person. The situations encountered in college can change a person in the blink of an eye. There is nothing more important than staying true to oneself. This is the portion that will shape the outcome of your entire college career, similar to the protein in a Chipotle bowl which controls the taste, texture and substance of the entire bowl. The placement of the protein at the center layer of the bowl, and the type of protein you choose all determine how pleasing the bowl will be. Choosing the strengths of your personality, staying true to yourself and growing at this phase will be the center and major building block to your future.
- Toppings: The Fun Stuff!
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This is where it gets fun. Salsa, cheese, corn, sour cream, guacamole — it’s the extras that make your bowl exciting. In college, toppings are the experiences that make your time unforgettable. HuskyTHON, basketball games, late-night Dairy Bar runs, study groups that turn into best friends — these are the flavors you’ll always remember.
Original photo by payge lederman - Chips And Guac: Finishing Touches
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At UConn, the little extra effort (like guac or salsa) is what makes everything come together — just like putting thought into your chipotle bowl. Just like Chipotle, your UConn experience is what you make of it, so don’t be afraid to try something new (and never skip the guac).
The truth is, Chipotle is only as good as the thought you put into your bowl. And your UConn experience? Exactly the same.
