Posts Tagged ‘Iowa City’

Cool Stuff

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

The following post is a list of cool stuff I experienced this year.

  1. I learned how to read a map. Wait, what? By taking the recreational, single credit hour class “Basic Orienteering,” I was given the chance at reliving childhood dreams of being Lewis/Clark. Although I wasn’t mapping the unknown or making friends with Native Americans, I did learn how to use a map and compass to navigate around in the woods. Will I ever need this skill? Probably not. But after hiking something like 5 or 6 miles around MacBride Nature Recreation Area, I did realize more of what I’m capable of. My group used a map and compass to find 11 different markers attached to trees, and did so completely off-trail. Plus, I snapped some really cool pictures. I’d suggest taking this class if you want to re-experience a childhood running around outside, or to appreciate the beauty of Iowa nature. Whatever recreational 1-hour class you pick, just make sure you do one before you graduate.
  2. Iowa City is one of the few cultural hubs in the state, which means we get a ton of cool shows. Aziz Ansari, Bo Burnham, Michael Ian Black, and Seth Meyers were a few of the speakers/performers I managed to see this year. There were countless others that graced the city with their talents and craft, not to mention a lot of musical talent that visited. I even managed to organize and participate in a comedy show at Public Space 1 (the stand-up’s getting there…). Before you dive into actual adulthood, be sure to do something artsy in Iowa City.
  3. Finally, I type this last point with tears rolling on to my keyboard (*sniff). Not really, but the last big point I’m going to mention involves the general academic opportunities I’ve been afforded at the University of Iowa. I (finally) made the effort to make friends with a TA, and the knowledge and outlook I learned from them has helped me grow a lot over the last few months. When junior-year talks about college started way back in high school, a lot of my classmates were concerned about becoming lost in the numbers of a large university. Iowa is a pretty big place, but you can stand out if you make the effort. The many opportunities to get involved make it seem a lot smaller.
Did you know Iowa was capable of this? Do you see the face?

Did you know Iowa was capable of this? Do you see the face?

I’m pretty pumped for the next two years.

-Adam