In Montana, she saw snow for the first time, and she reveled in the calm and quiet of the season.

"I remember that first snow that I saw was in Glacier park. It was just beautiful. It was like in a painting," Zhou said.

On the campus visit, she and her dad got lost, and a UM guide came to her to lead her to the right place. She figured that wouldn't happen at a larger university.

"That made a strong impression on me. If I came here, I would have a lot more attention or help from professors," she said.

Zhou wasn't totally unfamiliar with the Grizzlies, either. On her stepdad's first visit to China, he brought her a long-sleeved Grizzlies T-Shirt, maroon with a small pawprint. It was too big for her to wear, but she kept it.

"I was meant to come here," Zhou said.

***

As a student at UM, Zhou cracked up her roommate with her love for snow. She doesn't ski, but she ice skates in winter and tromps through the snow and is otherwise delighted by the season, as she is with school.

"I truly love the academic system here, and I really thrived and found my passion," she said.