Life In Alaska
Life in Fairbanks offers potential creative writing and English majors the opportunity to write in the solitude of one of the last great wildernesses. Deep in the heart of Alaska, Fairbanks maintains a thriving arts community with excellent programs in the literary arts, as well as the visual and performing arts.
If you've imagined yourself tucked away in a quiet cabin among the birch, aspen, and spruce while working on your latest poem or short story, you have found the program that will provide you the academic support and freedom to pursue a variety of projects in one of the most spectacular landscapes in the U.S.
Most students live within 10 miles of campus in what are known in Fairbanks culture as 'dry' cabins. These cabins are rustic and solitary and all boast a spectacular view of the night sky in fall, winter, and spring when the aurora borealis (northern lights) can be seen almost nightly. Others live in apartments with a bike ride's distance from Fairbank's stores and restaurants.
With all the amenities of any small city, Fairbanks offers shopping malls, one-stop stores like Fred Meyer where students can purchase organic items and fresh produce, as well as furniture, appliances, and clothing.
Fairbanks, commonly known as the "golden heart" of Alaska, is surrounded by a vast circuit of rivers and rolling hills where the fishing and hunting opportunities are numerous in the summer and fall.
Of course, only a short three hour drive down the road is Denali National Park, well worth a visit at the end of tourist season in the fall when moose, bear, wolves, and caribou can be viewed easily from the main road.
Most important to life in Fairbanks are its people-friendly and always ready to share a meal and a good story in middle of the long winter.