Andi

Ever since my first year at The University of Iowa I’ve always been pretty overwhelmed when it comes to planning the next semester’s worth of classes. High school made it easy because you would pick your classes, and then they would generate your schedule for you. College you have to do it all on your own. Sure your advisors can guide you, but they can’t do it for you. My biggest struggle is always my fall semesters. I have to juggle 3 separate schedules: class, work, and marching band. All 3 are very important for me, so picking out the right classes at the right times has always been crucial.

One of the first things I consider when planning my schedule is was classes do I absolutely need to take. I give those a higher priority and try to base my schedule around when that class is offered. A class I would consider a necessity would be a prerequisite course or a class require for your major. You can always squeeze electives in when you need to. It’s much harder to do that for necessary classes.

Next up, I factor in any other important classes; like classes for my minor for example. Those are next on the totem pole. You also need to be mindful of when classes might be. Meaning are they only offered in the fall? Or only in the spring?

After those, then that’s when I try to take into account the actual times of day those classes are offered. I personally prefer to take morning classes, so I can have my afternoon free for work and marching band. If I can swing it, I also like to avoid Friday classes. That helps open up my weekends for either homework, or to travel home if necessary.

The most important thing is to decide what your priorities are. For me it’s to get the classes I need, and in the morning. While some people might prefer to finish their gen-eds first, and only take afternoon classes. It all depends on your own preferences. Happy scheduling!

Go Hawks!

So I’ve been quite MIA for some time now, but that’s because I’ve been gone for over 10 days! Even though all my absences from classes were excused, that doesn’t mean I got a break from school. I was gone because my only sister was getting married, which was definitely a memory I won’t forget. She had an amazing wedding, and I did the very best I could as Maid of Honor. But the downside was, I really had little to no internet access while I was out of the state. That made keeping up extremely difficult. So my goal right now is to get all caught up before Halloween. Who wants to miss all those awesome costume parties? So wish me luck as I play a little catch up on 10 days worth of missed classes! I plan to be back with some fun blogs soon!

Taking notes on a computer isn’t for everyone. I know I don’t take computer notes for all my classes, but this semester I find myself using it for a majority of them. Now I’m not saying taking notes on your laptop is the best option, but sometimes it’s necessary. So, here’s some reasons and tips for taking notes while on your computer!

1. When taking notes in Microsoft word, use the notes template! It’s a lot easier to keep organized by using the tabs than trying to basically write a paper.
2. Odds are, you can type faster than you can write by hand. So, while your professors speed through their lectures to get through all the material, you won’t fall behind. After 3 years I’ve found it’s easier to get the information down and go back and read it to fully understand, than to let yourself fall behind and giving yourself serious anxiety when you realized you didn’t take notes down on a certain topic.
3. You can skip around. Unlike notebook paper, you can go back and add things in without it crowding up your page. When you hand write and you want to go back and add information, you might not have room. Plus, professors will usually skip around or refer back to other topics, so skipping around lets you have all the information in one place instead of digging through all of your notes.
4. Another great thing is to bold, or italicize important information. You can even highlight or change the font color, where with writing by hand you’re pretty limited on what you can do to make information stand out.
5. Another bonus? You can easily add pictures, tables, or graphs into your notes. Many professors post their slides online so you can pull the pictures they use straight into your own notes. How easy is that?
6. The biggest tip I could ever stress to some is save frequently. Sometimes you might be in a rush to get to your class, so you shut your laptop and go. If you exit out of the document in your next class and you forgot to save? You’re out of luck. I have a Mac so ‘command S’ is my best friend. I’m constantly using that shortcut to make sure I’m saving All. The. Time.

Now, this may seem like I’m a notebook hater, but I’m not. Nothing is better than being able to flip through pages, and it makes the studying process a lot easier. But given the amount of information I’m trying to get down all at once, I typically find a computer is the way to go. You just have to be extra careful to stay off all those social media websites, the less distractions the better. If you find yourself wandering off onto the Internet too frequently, either sit closer to the front, or go back to hand written notes. If you’re going to go to class and not paying attention, why did you even bother showing up? So, best of luck Hawkeyes, get all those notes down, and rock those midterms.

Go Hawks!

Even though I’m a senior living off-campus, that doesn’t mean I don’t know anything about the dorm! I lived in Slater my freshman year, and then my sorority house as a sophomore (which is generally the same idea as a dorm), and not to mention I still have plenty of friends living on campus! So needless to say, I’ve had my fair share of making meals, and other treats within the comfort of my own room. Because, let’s be honest, no matter your meal plan, sometimes you need a break from the marketplace food. So I bring to you a list of easy and fun food ideas that you can make within your own dorm room!

• Ramen. Obviously a college must have. It’s super cheap, and can give you a pretty decent meal. My personal favorite is the oriental flavor, and then just to kick it up a bit, I add a dash of cayenne pepper. An easy thing to do is to just buy different flavors! If you’re always sticking to the same one, you can get pretty tired of it.
• “Soup-to-Go” Cups. Soup is always an easy choice. So if Ramen is not for you, try other soup related options! My favorite are the Campbell’s Soup-to-Go cups. They come in all your classic Campbell’s soup flavors, which to many people can be more appetizing than ramen. Another major difference is the price. Instead of 25 cents or less, you’re usually paying a couple dollars for just one cup. But a big perk it has over ramen? If you’re running late you can take it with you!
• Electric Kettle. Well this obviously isn’t a meal, but this is definitely a must have for your dorm. It’s definitely  lot easier than trying to heat up water in your microwave. And during those cold months it’s perfect for tea and hot cocoa!
• Microwave Eggs. To a lot of people this concept sound gross, but my freshman year it was a staple. This is great for scrambled eggs. All you need is some cooking spray (so it doesn’t stick when you cook it), a bowl, a fork, and 2 eggs. All you have to do it crack the 2 eggs, whisk them up, and put them in the microwave for about a minute! To make it a little tastier I add in some shredded cheddar cheese and some pepper before I cook it! (Bonus: you can use the shredded cheddar cheese in another meal)
• Quick & Easy Walking Taco. The biggest difference between this and a regular walking taco, is you don’t use beef. Instead use a can of chili (I would suggest having a can opener on hand for this one). All you will need is a bag of Doritos or Fritos (whichever you prefer), that shredded cheddar cheese I mentioned earlier, and pretty much any other taco toppings to your liking! This can be sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, whatever you’d like! It’s a quick and fun meal you could make when you have a long night of studying ahead of you!
• Pizza Rolls. Obviously not the healthiest choice, but they are just too delicious to pass up. Not to mention super easy to make. Just pop them in the microwave, and done!
• Popcorn. Sounds simple enough right? But there are tons of options to make it a little more interesting than your classic butter. My favorite is adding parmesan cheese and garlic salt! Some other options are: kettle corn, melt shredded parmesan on the popcorn, various seasonings like white cheddar! You can get really creative with what you put on it, so just experiment with it! Just make sure whatever you use is microwave safe, and you don’t burn your popcorn…
• Easy Mac. Easily one of the biggest college staples for your dorm. There are all kinds of brands that make quick and easy microwaveable cups, but my favorite is the velveeta shells. I always add a dash of garlic salt to add a little something to it.
• Eggless Cookie Dough. Now this may not be a meal, but it’s definitely a sweet treat! Just google search for your favorite cookie recipe, but eggless! That way you can put it in your fridge and save it for dessert! I personally love sugar cookie dough, and chocolate chip cookie dough (just minus the chocolate chips, I’m not a fan of chocolate).
• The C-Store. If all else fails, there is a C-Store near by all the dorms. It has plenty of frozen, shelf food, and snack for you to buy with either your own money, or hawk dollars. And if that fails too, you can always order some delivery!

Hopefully this helped give you some ideas of some good eats to make within the comfort of your own room!

Go Hawks!

So this will be my 4th year of blogging for The University of Iowa. I definitely have to say I’ve truly enjoyed having this outlet during my college days. If anyone has been following my blog out there, you would know that I am a member of a Panhellenic sorority! Just not which one…

So with the excitement of Bid Day now subsided, and the emotions of it being my final Bid Day being tucked back inside, I thought it would be a fun idea to final reveal what chapter I’ve been a member of all these years! Drum roll please….

I am a proud member of the Delta Zeta sisterhood!

Coming into my final year as a senior in Delta Zeta is a weird thought. It seems like just yesterday I received my very own bid and ran outside to meet all my new sisters! Sisterhood is difficult to explain to someone who isn’t familiar with it. It may seem like odd to suddenly call a bunch of strangers my “sisters.” But it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. With over 140 members it’s impossible to be best friends with everyone, but even if you aren’t the closest you still have each others backs. You share bonds much deeper than friendship, and memories you could never replace, or get somewhere else.

Part of the recruitment process is finding the best fit for you. I don’t feel that any one chapter is “better” than another. Everyone has different values and goals, and going through recruitment helps you to find the best chapter that aligns with you. Joining a sorority doesn’t make you better than anyone, it makes you be the best version of yourself. I would suggest anyone to go through recruitment, no question in my mind. You can even go through recruitment, decide it’s not for you, and simply withdraw from the process. But I personally think it’s worth it in the long run. Sure it’s not always rainbows and sunshine, but what you walk away with after you graduate is what makes it all worth it.

This past Bid Day we welcome 48 members to our chapter! I always think this is the most exciting time of the year because you get to know so many more people, and your chapter is always growing and changing. My favorite part is when the new members arrive at the DZ house on Bid Day. As welcome them all chanting and cheering, you can’t help but feel overwhelmed by all the support around you.

So if you’re thinking about going through Fall Formal Recruitment, or even Spring Informal Recruitment, I’d definitely suggest it. Being a sorority has helped me grown into the confident woman I am today. I couldn’t imagine my college career without Delta Zeta.

Go Hawks!

Let’s face it. I don’t think anyone truly enjoys 8:30am classes, and 7:30 are even worse. I personally enjoy taking morning classes so I can be done with classes earlier in the day, like around noon. But don’t let me fool you, waking up, getting ready, and getting off to class can be rough on that early in the morning. But there are definitely some things that can help you get started for an early day of classes!

1. Set an alarm. Sure that might sounds silly, because how else do you wake up that early? Some people can get up on the first alarm, but not everyone. My tip is to set multiple alarms. Not just keep snoozing one. And when you pick the ringtone to wake you up, set to something that, well honestly, annoys the crap out of you. If it’s a song you enjoy or soothing tones, you’re really not going to get up.
2. Take a morning shower. This one might require you to wake up a tad earlier than if you weren’t showering, But on the bright side, standing under the hot water and taking a good shower will definitely help get you wake up in the morning!
3. Breakfast on-the-go. Instead of sitting on the bus zoning out, and listening to your music, eat some breakfast! A good breakfast, even a quick one, helps your brain get going in the morning. So if you don’t have time to stop in the dining halls, be sure to grab a granola bar, or something you can take with you!
4. Caffeine. Breakfast is always great, but some people need a little more than food to wake up. So coffee is always an option. I personally am not a coffee drinker, so I elect to use a liquid drink addition that has a little caffeine in it!
5. Determine how you’re getting to class. I personally like to walk to class to help me wake up in the morning. But others like to take the bus which helps their wake up process be a little more gradual. I find a little more of a shock to my system helps me get going better in the morning.
6. Sit near the front of class. Being face-to-face with a professor in the morning can definitely help you stay a little more alert. No one wants to be the student passing out in class…

Hopefully these tips will help you get a better start to your early morning classes!

Go Hawks!

Your freshman year at The University of Iowa is both the most exciting, but also the most intimidating! If you’re like most freshmen, you don’t know too many people coming to the University. Meaning, you’re mostly going to be on your own! Since I will be going into my senior year at Iowa, along with living in a house across the street from the East Side dorm, it’s really gotten me thinking about my freshman year, and tips I wish I would’ve known! So here it goes, my list of tips, tricks, and ideas to prep for your first year at The University of Iowa!

First things first, think about what you want to do! That might seem intimidating, but even going in as an open major you should be thinking of things that peak your interest! If you already have your major planned out, most of your classes will be laid out for you. But if you do happen to be an open major (which more people are than you think) it’s good to have an idea of what kinds of classes you might want to take. Think of it as exploring multiple interest in the coming years can help you narrow down what kind of degree you’d like to ultimately work towards!

Next ,think about getting involved! Iowa can be a pretty big place if you don’t know anyone. Getting involved with a campus organization is a fast, easy way to meet new people! I didn’t know any coming to Iowa, but by getting involved in the Hawkeye Marching Band as well as a Panhellenic sorority, I was able to meet some of my best friends!

Now this next tip, will be the most handy during your orientation! As soon as you get your new student ID, memorize your ID number! You’re going to need that number a lot more than you think. It will make your life, as well as the people who need that number’s lives a whole lot easier!

Another good thing to do, is contact your future roommate as soon as you get their information! That way you can kind of get a feel for things. I know when I contacted my first roommate one of the first things we discussed was the mini fridge and microwave. I brought the fridge, and she brought the microwave. It’s best to share those things, because lets be honest, you’re not going to have space for you to each have your own! I’ve also known several sets of roommates who discuss they’re decorations! Some even buy matching comforters! The things you can talk about with your future roommate are endless. You just have to be willing to put forth the effort to connect with them before moving in!

Also spend some time getting to know campus before classes really sink in. I know after I moved in I walked around campus with my class schedule to get a feel of where I would be heading on a weekly basis. I also made sure to look up where certain amenities might be. For example, I lived on the west side, so I made sure to head over to the east side of campus so I wouldn’t get lost. That may sound excessive, but in the end, I was never that freshman looking lost and confused asking for directions. So when the weather is beautiful, just take some time to explore. No time constraints, or agendas. Just walk around, and take in your new home!

An important thing to take into account basic money managing skills. If you’re anything like me, I had lots of loans taken out in order to attend college. So in my savings it looked like I had large amounts of money, but reality check, that is NOT for you to spend! Be mindful of your spending, and what exactly your spending money on. You’re not going to be able to afford to eat out all the time, no matter how sick you get of eating dorm food. So keep yourself in check when it comes to your funds.

Something to keep in mind is just learning to be open and friendly! Especially at your orientation. Again, if you don’t know anyone, how are you going to meet people? Also don’t be afraid to break away from the people you first meet. Something I see very often is that people will cling to those they meet, or that are on their floor, and they typically don’t consider them great friends. So don’t feel like you can’t explore different friendships! I’m not saying you can’t meet your BFFL on your floor, but just try not to limit yourself. You’re going to be meeting new people every day!

Now a tip for your actual classes. Keep and agenda and/or a calendar! Some people like a physical notebook, while others like to use the one on their computer or phone. Whatever your preference, just make sure you’re keeping track of all your work, and even social things! It college its SUPER easy to overbook, and overwhelm yourself. So stay organized. Trust me, you’ll need it!

That might be a lot to take in from one blog post, but hopefully it was useful!

Good Luck Future Hawkeyes!

Let’s be real, at some point in your college career, odds are you will find yourself in a night class at some point… but my first tip? If you can avoid taking a night class, avoid it. I had a night class this past semester and it was once a week for 3 hours, and let me tell you, it was not my favorite class to go to. But, there are still some things you can do to make sure you’re successful and stay motivated for your night class.

1. Go to class!

Period. Odds are it’s only once, maybe twice a week if you’re lucky. So the best thing you can do, is go! Missing just one class can leave you pretty clueless for the next week. You could even miss a deadline, or a new project that got assigned! Often times you’ll be assigned a project due the next week because you have an entire week to do it. So unless you’re coughing up a lung, make sure you get your butt to class!

2. Don’t put off your homework.

Sure, it’s easy to have class that one day and put your homework off until the night before your next class. DON’T DO IT. Learn from my mistake. I always did my projects the night before, and I was always stressing about time, or even forgetting what we went over in class! So do the work while it’s fresh in your mind, instead of  waiting last minute. (But let’s be honest, this tip really applies to all your classes.)

3. Make an adventure out of going to class!

Depending on the location of your class, take a little adventure before class. My class was in Art Building West, and since I live off-campus with a car, I would drive to class at night. But instead of driving straight there, I took a slightly more scenic route to listen to some of my favorite songs before class. Or if your class is by the Pentacrest, stop downtown and get a tasty meal first! Basically what I’m saying is, do something you enjoy on the way to class, even if it’s something small. It will help put you in a good mood before you’re sitting around for 3 hours.

4. Bring Food.

I don’t know about you, but I really get the late night munchies. Or in this class, the class time munchies. For me having a snack during class helped pass the time. Instead of just sitting and staring at the teacher, it allows you to satisfy your hunger and put you in a more pleasant mood. And if you don’t want food bring something to drink! Probably a coffee or soda to make sure you stay awake until the class is over! But a side-tip, don’t bring something crunchy! If you’re in a small class it can be pretty obnoxious!

5. Get to know your classmates.

This may seem basic, but my night class was a total of 10 people and we didn’t really get to know each other. And not having some people to chat with during a little down time? That just makes the class drag on even more. We ended up just sitting there in silence, staring off into space. Awkward… I’m not saying you need to be “besties,” but at least make an effort to get to know your classmates on a conversational basis. That will also help if you have any questions or need help outside of class!

Overall, if you ask me, night classes suck. So avoid them if you can. Obviously not everyone feels that way, but this is simply my opinion on the matter. There are many more ways to help make a night class more tolerable, but these are the ones I think will help you the most. So if you do end up taking one, these tips should help you make it out alive at the end of the semester!

Good Luck, and Go Hawks!

Living off campus in a college town can typically lead to some pretty sub-par housing. Living in the dorms, you’re spoiled. You may not think so while you’re living there, but as soon as you move off campus you’ll be missing the simple life. You can have the air and heat on any temperature you like, without worrying about an energy bill. Not to mention, you don’t have a monthly rent to worry about. Same goes for food. Who needs to cook and go grocery shopping anyways?

Alright, that makes living off-campus living sound super terrible. It’s not, I promise. Not all off-campus housing is as bad as I am currently making it out to be. It’s really just what you can afford. But besides the cost, it is a significant change. One of the biggest things I’ve faced living out of the dorms, and out of my sorority house, it basic home maintenance (and rent). Sure, we aren’t expected to do it all ourselves, but it is difficult to get our landlord to fix things sometimes. Especially when the problem is outside. All throughout the winter our front stairs were literally disintegrating. At one point, a giant chunk of one of our steps was missing! But because of all the horrible winter weather, it was months before anything could get done. But FINALLY our stairs our fixed! They were seriously becoming a death trap. Just check out this before and after photo I took:

Needless to say, new stairs were a necessity. Every time I walked down the old set, I felt like I was going to sprain my ankle! And of course, once we actually have new stairs, I manage to sprain my ankle.

At least I didn’t sprain it on our stairs? I was running up my neighbor’s stairs and managed to twist it just the right way. I’ve never sprained my ankle or broken any bones before, so to me this was a new concept. I had no idea how to wrap my ankle. Thankfully student health helped me out, and showed me how to wrap it properly, as well as how I should be taking care of it. So hopefully in 2 weeks time I’ll be good as new! Just in time for summer to start right? But for now, you’ll probably see me hobbling around campus until it gets better. In the meantime I can promise you I won’t be running barefoot up my neighbor’s staircase anytime soon. Better safe than sorry!

Go Hawks!

Not every semester in your college career can be a good one academically, and let me tell you, this is just not  my semester. Never in my academic career have I struggled this much in one semester and in more than one class.

At the start of this semester I was feeling really well balanced and I really felt like this semester was going to be great one. But that went downhill, and fast. My classes are far more difficult, personal and social issues decided to come around, I’m extremely tight in the money department, pretty much anything that could go wrong, did. Now that the semester is coming to an end, I’m scrambling. Because of all the other things going on in my personal life, my grades have taken a hit. So due to that fact, I am becoming extremely stressed about doing well on my finals. I’m finding it difficult to even get myself out of bed in the morning. It’s a vicious spiral. I do poorly, so I get frustrated, and when I’m frustrated I’m not putting my best foot forward, and when I’m not doing that, I continue to do poorly.

So my focus right now is to get myself back on track. I’m trying to already prepare for my finals in hopes that I will do well, in order to help my grades that have suffered. I’m really nervous for what is to come of this semester, and then I’m also nervous about a job for this summer. I also applied for an internship within the University, so I’m anxiously awaiting to see if I will be offered that position. I’m sure I’m not the only student struggling, but keep your fingers crossed for me, as well as anyone else in a similar situation. I’m going to need it.

As always,

Go Hawks.