Category: Campus Life

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Letter to my Freshman Year

Dear Freshman Year,

When I first came to Iowa I’m not going to lie you scared me. Being without my family so far away from home was something so new to me. 10 months later I want to say thank you.

Thank you for bringing me my best friends. Small dorm rooms and late nights have brought me friends that I will have for a lifetime. They are the people I want to spend every waking minute with. We never run out of things to talk about and continuously found ourselves on the floor of our halls laughing at the stupidest things. They are the people that know everything about me. They have become my Iowa family and I am forever grateful that we were brought together by Burge.

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Thank you for teaching me to push myself. When I graduated high school I thought I had learned everything there was to know about success. Then I came to college and it hit hard. Countless all-nighters and tears on the phone with my mom later I have learned just how strong I really am. I have learned that college is hard, but putting in the time and effort will pay off.

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Thank you for football. When high school ended so did my cheer career and anyone who knows me knows just how hard that was. But, because of Iowa my football withdrawals were short lived. I cannot describe the smile that I got on my face every time I was able to walk into Kinnick and be in my “happy place”. I cannot describe all the memories that I got to make in the 12-0 season that was my freshman year.

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Thank you for sisterhood. Being a part of Alpha Chi Omega has brought me more than I could ever imagine. Lifelong friends who I know I will have by my side no matter what, a passion for equality and domestic violence awareness, a new love for the color purple, a beautiful castle as a home and too memories to mention. Alpha Chi brings a smile to my face every day and I am forever grateful for the countless jokes in our group chat to the crazy mental breakdowns when we have been trapped in the house for what seems like days for recruitment practice. These 150 girls have truly become my sisters and I am so excited for countless more hours and memories together.

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Thank you for allowing me to grow as a person. When I came to college I was alone and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. After spending a year in Iowa City I have become a person that I am becoming proud of. I have become an adult who has learned so much about what I want from life and where I am going. You have allowed me to become independent, you have taught me that it is ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them, and you have taught me that everything you want is on the other side of fear. I have gained so much knowledge during my year as a freshman and I can’t wait to learn even more over my next three years at Iowa.

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Finally, thank you for helping me to create so many memories that I will cherish forever. The people I have met, and the things I have done have been amazing and I cannot describe just how in love with Iowa I am. A year ago I accepted this school, deciding to go out of my comfort zone and create new experiences and I can honestly say that it is the best decision I have made. I can’t wait for my next three years here where I know countless memories will be made.

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Until Next Year

Go Hawks!

Staying Healthy

The dreaded freshman 15. Every college knows about them, every college student wants to avoid them. Although I’m not one to stride away from a good cookie and spending a day in bed watching Netflix, there are some great options for working out and staying healthy on campus.

 

  1. The Wellness and Recreational Center

Located right in between the west and east side of campus, every student has easy access to the number 3 recreational center in the country. Whether you like to run on a track, use machines, or lift there is something for everyone. And if you are feeling a bit more adventurous there is a rock climbing wall and ample places to swim. You can even just stop by for a fresh and healthy smoothie, or some relaxing time floating around the lazy river. No matter what you are looking for the rec center has something for you

  1. Currier Gym

For those days where the rec center is just a bit too far, or if you are trying to squeeze in a quick workout, the miniature gym located in Currier is perfect for you. Although it doesn’t have the all the same amenities at the rec center, there is enough equipment to get in any work out you want to.

  1. Campus

Once you are through the rough winter and want a bit of sun and fresh air I might suggest going for a run around campus. No matter where you are located you can always find a beautiful trail to run. Whether it’s through the middle of downtown, along the winding river, or out in the beaten path at one of the local parks, fresh air and exercise is right out your front door.

  1. Group Classes

Back at the rec center, you can also attend group classes. Everything from early morning yoga and Zumba is provided and it is all for free. Whether you are an experienced yogi or trying a class for the first time they have levels and times for everyone.

  1. Field House

On the West side of campus there is another great option for working out. The field house has everything from a lap pool, too multiple basketball courts as well as a traditional weight room. It is a great place to head if you are looking for something a little less busy than the rec center.

No matter what type of workout you are looking for campus will have something for you. In reality one of the most important parts about college is maintain as much of a balanced life as possible. Although studies and weekends are important, having a healthy mind and body is so important. In the weeks leading up to finals I recommend taking time away from studies to get outside and get moving.

 

Good Luck with the last few weeks of studies!

 

Until Next Time

Go Hawks!

8 Things They Didn’t Tell me about Iowa Winters

Well hey there!

Up until a few months ago I didn’t even know there was such a thing as winter. If it got below 50 degrees in Southern California we went into a state of panic. Now, if it is 50 degrees I am getting ready to go tan. I guess you could say the Midwest has changed me. Even though the first thing I always heard when I told people I was going to Iowa was that it gets cold there, nothing prepared me for below zero temperatures and winds that could literally blow you away. So now that I am mostly accustomed to this fourth season, I thought I would share some tips and tricks.

  1. Buy a winter coat. Don’t be like me during the first few days and pretend that walking around in your denim jacket will keep you warm. You don’t look cool you just look like that crazy California girl who thought it would be fun to get frostbite.
  2. Get winter shoes, whether you are into Timberlands (whoop!) or Beanie Boots buy a pair. It’s much better to have a pair of those than to be minding your own business walking to class and then end up on the cold, snow covered concrete because your shoes didn’t have traction.
  3. Your ears will fall off… Ok, maybe kidding, but they will become numb
  4. Finding clothes to wear for a night out on the weekend is not easy. A dress and cute sandals just won’t cut it any more.
  5. They don’t cancel school for anything. Yeah sure, in high school you got snow days, in college you don’t even get blizzard days.
  6.  If you thought your motivation to go to 8am classes was hard in the fall, let me tell you it is 10x harder to get out of bed in the middle of winter. Mentally preparing yourself to roll out of your nice warm bed and face the arctic tundra outside is not easy
  7. Cabin Fever is real. I think the worst part of winter is that you really are stuck inside most of the time. It’s hard knowing just how nice it is to walk around campus and downtown Iowa City when it’s warm and not being able to do it. Walking around outside is a mode of transportation in winter not a causal stroll in the park.
  8. CAMBUS IS YOUR FRIEND. Remember Blue to Burge, Red to Rienow. Download the Bongo app and use it. Those buses will be the difference between you having 10 fingers at the start of spring and ending up with 8 because you lost a couple to the cold.

Hope this helps anyone,  who like me is completely inexperienced with the idea of winter. I also want to say that it really isn’t that bad. Yes, I just went on a six hour rant, but yes, I still love Iowa and the University more than anything, even when it is 80 degrees and sunny at home right now.

Until Next Time

Stay Warm Hawks!

Oh My AXO

Hi there! Welcome back to a new semester at the University of Iowa. As much as I loved break I am so happy to be home (don’t tell my mom I call it that). Last semester around the middle of November I joined a sorority. Unlike most people I didn’t go through normal rush, I went through open bidding instead.

When school first started I was on the fence about joining a sorority so I decided to wait as I was already overwhelmed with everything else that was going on at school. After settling in I realized that I regretted not joining. Luckily I was able to go through opening bidding and join Alpha Chi Omega or AXO. Looking back I am so happy I decided to join. I have only be a part of the group for a few months and it already feels like one giant family. Being able to not only meet girls in AXO but also people from other frats and sororities is amazing, it really helped me become more comfortable with college. Although I joined a sorority I don’t believe that Greek Life controls Iowa. We are one of those great universities that doesn’t “require” it. By that I mean that if you are not a part of Greek life you will still have the most amazing experience.

For anyone who is on the fence about joining a sorority I defiantly recommend doing open bidding or waiting until spring semester. It is a huge time and money commitment but if it is something you decide you want to do it will be one of the best experiences you will have!

 

Hope you have a great first few weeks of class hawks! Stay warm.

 

Until Next Time

Go Hawks!

0 to 11-0 Real Quick

Hey there! Hope the first snow of the season isn’t too bad for everyone, being from California this whole first snow thing is like a winter wonderland, but I’ve been told by numerous people that it will wear off quite quickly. Anyway, if you pay any attention to college football, especially Hawkeye football, you will know that our boys have had a season for the record books. With our first 11-0 season and the second undefeated home game season in our team’s history I could on and on about how magical it has been. Because I am a football fanatic you better believe I had season tickets so I thought I would share some of my favorite memories with you.

Illinois State (14-31): This was my first ever college football game and let me tell you it was hot. All I remember was that water was discounted and they didn’t want fans wearing black. It was about 100 degrees, but going and staying was completely worth it. When you hear Back in Black for the first time and watch the team take the field it is like nothing you have ever experienced before. I’m a country music girl and I never knew I could love an ACDC song as much as I love this one. The game was good football but the atmosphere is hands down what I will remember the most.

Iowa State (31-17): Although this was an away game I have to mention it because you know Beat State! I wish it was at home, but none the less the atmosphere in town was still amazing. What made it even better was it was a pretty close game until the very end. Being able to beat them this year after a loss last year made it that much better. I mean who doesn’t love a good state rivalry?

Pittsburg (24-27): You just have to look at the score to know this is going to be a good one. I could probably talk for hours about how amazing this game was. First off it was a night game. If you have ever been to football game at night you know there is just something about the lights that makes it that much better. What makes it even better was the theme. Having the black and gold spirit game on the same night made Kinnick look amazing. I thought I loved it before, but that night took it to a whole new level. But, even all that combined doesn’t beat the 57 yard field goal to win the game in the last seconds. Just imagine how different season would have been if we hadn’t have kicked it. I cannot put into words the roar that went off in the stadium the minute the refs put up their hands. I didn’t have a voice the next couple of days.

 North Texas (16-62): If I’m going to be honest I didn’t stay for this whole game. But hey I’m not going to turn down another Hawkeye win.

Illinois (20-29): So once again I can’t say much about this game. Even though it was homecoming I was at Notre Dame surprising my parents and visiting my brother which was an amazing experience in itself. I was able to go to the ND vs Navy game which has an amazing amount of history behind it and was a once in a life time experience, but I can safely say I missed Iowa City and the game day atmosphere. I may have some bias but Hawkeye traditions are the best!

Maryland (15-31): I ended up working at the concession stand to raise money for a club that I am a part of on campus. The atmosphere was just as amazing, but I am sad I couldn’t see the game

Minnesota (35-40): BLACKOUT BABY oh and I guess we kind of did go 10-0 too! This game was history and I’m so grateful I got to be a part of it. This night game was just as magical. And the fact that it was close made the victory that much sweeter. Spelling I-O-W-A long after the touchdown was scored and screaming 10-0 for 10 minutes after the game was won was the perfect way to celebrate

Purdue (20-40): To be honest, it was VERY cold. This game, although not the most exciting and to be honest not the best football we have played all season, was very special to me. My dad had surprised me the night before which was amazing in itself, but being able to show him how Hawkeyes do football is something I will never forget. Football has always been something my dad and I have shared ever since I started cheering and he would explain how the game worked so every time I was in my “happy place” at Kinnick I would think about how much my dad would love it. I am so happy he got to spell out Iowa and bounce to the beat of Back in Black with me. BUT, I do believe he will have to come back again when it’s not snowing and everyone is in town.

Football has always been something that I have loved. Ever since I was 10 it has been a huge part of my life, and when I stopped cheering at the end of high school I was afraid that I would miss being on the sidelines, but in all honesty being with the rest of my school in the stands watching history happen is better than any season I could have asked for. Being able to say this is how my freshman year was is amazing and I am so grateful for it. I know that the team puts countless hours in, so thank you to them! A lot of people have doubted the Hawks this season, and believed that we wouldn’t do it, but now we are 11-0 and going to the BIG10 championship. This is what happens when you have 30,000 Hawks standing behind you for every game. Can’t wait for Nebraska to see what happens next!

Until Next Time

Go Hawks!!!

7 Reasons not to go to Iowa

It’s crazy but it’s that time of year again. Seniors in high school are choosing their colleges and figuring out where they want to spend the next four years. So I thought I would help out and tell you 7 reasons on why you shouldn’t go the University of Iowa.

  1. The university squirrels: anywhere you go you will find squirrel friends. In California they won’t come near you but don’t be surprised if they walk right up to you when you go to class in the mornings. You may also see a little tail sticking out of a trashcan late at night. Sadly you won’t be seeing them in the winter but you won’t want to go out then anyway.
  2. It’s central: whether you are going into downtown Iowa City or taking the I-80 to Coralville or even Des Moines the university allows you to have a small town feel without feeling completely trapped. It sounds cheesy but you really do get the best of both words when you go to the university. Staying in town allows you to get the typical college campus feel, but going 10 minutes in any direction allows you to get away from it and experience another world.
  3. World Class Colleges: The University of Iowa is home to some of the best education in the country. With a nursing program ranked in the top 10 and a national ranking in the top 100 it’s no surprise why so many people chose to get their education here.
  4. 10-0: This doesn’t really even need an explanation. Who wouldn’t want to go to a university with an undefeated football program and some history making statistics?
  5. Weekends: Let’s just say there is an adventure around every corner.
  6. Java House: Who needs Starbucks coffee when Iowa City has its very own personal coffee shop? Java House is central to town and the perfect place to cozy up in a giant leather chair and study. Every college town has Starbucks, but only Hawks have Java.
  7. Herky: I won’t lie we have the best mascot around. Herky is the homeboy and the amount of selfies you will get with him around campus, will assure at least one perfect insta pic.

Ok so maybe I lied, I can’t even think of one reason why you shouldn’t come to the University of Iowa. This time of year is stressful for seniors, especially when you are getting asked questions left right and center about your future. My only advice is to do what you want because you’re the one who will be living there for four years. When it comes to colleges everything happens for a reason, but selfishly I hope you become a Hawk and #bleedblackandgold.

Until Next Time

Go Hawks!

Football is my Favorite Season

In my head Saturday was to go like this: I would wake in the morning completely rested and recovered from a Friday night of pizza and movies. Spend the morning relaxing and then prepare for the long day of tailgating and game watching ahead. The game wouldn’t start until just after the sun had gone down, allowing the stadium lights to shine down onto the field. The temperature would be a perfect high 60s to low 70s and there would be room to move and breathe. In reality, it was at least 90 degrees, the sun was shining down instead of the lights and there was a sea of gold everywhere.

Having to get up at six in the morning and walk to the west side required a Starbucks.  Before heading to the game we went to a friend’s house to tailgate which was a good way to start the day and get even more excited. About 45 minutes before kick-off, a group of friends and I walked to Kinnick. The entire block was filled with food, drinks, and people. So even if you didn’t want to go tailgating you could easily spend the entire morning right outside of Kinnick just trying different food and meeting new people. I think walking to Kinnick was probably one of my favorite parts of the day just because everywhere you looked someone was wearing gold and ready to cheer on the Hawkeyes.

Once we arrived inside the stadium we grabbed some bottles of water, because on a day like yesterday you’ve got to stay hydrated. Then we headed towards the student section. I have never actually stood in the stands at a football game before, in high school I was always on the sidelines cheering. As much as a loved being down on the field watching the game, the atmosphere in the stands was one of the most amazing I have ever experienced. Unlike my prediction we weren’t jammed in, which means there was actually room to breathe and move which made the experience even better. Because I am such a football fan, I had watched YouTube videos of Iowa football game day before so I had a small idea of some of the traditions to expect. My favorite tradition to watch was the tunnel walk while ACDC’s Back in Black was blaring throughout the stadium. As the boys ran out onto the field, I knew it was going to be a good game. With a touchdown within the first few minutes the crowd was becoming even more passionate. The game continued, with more touchdowns and cheers to follow. At halftime we enjoyed watching marching band and the dance team perform while giving our feet a rest before standing for the second half. The game ended with the Hawkeyes winning 31 to 14 which was definitely the cherry on top.

Even if you aren’t a football fan, I highly suggest going to at least a few games a season. Yes it can be hot, and yes it can be long, but the atmosphere is what makes the game so amazing. I had friends that went with me that had no clue about the rules of football and they enjoyed it just as much as I did. I think it should be on everyone’s college bucket list and who doesn’t want to cheer on their fellow hawks?

 

Iowa vs Illinois State

Thanks for reading and Go Hawks!

The Magical Day of Move In

10 months ago I received my acceptance letter into Iowa. Two months ago I went to Orientation. Fast forward to now and it is finally time to move in. I feel like I have been planning for this day all summer. Going to Bed, Bath & Beyond to register, ordering coffee makers and coffee pods online and packing boxes and boxes of things to put in the back of my car for the 26 hour drive and now it is finally here. I am finally moving in to my dorm room.

Because I had to be at Iowa early for the honors program I chose to do early move in on the 16th. Being able to choose a time to move in made the whole process a lot easier and less stressful. With the car loaded and five people squished in we headed towards campus at 10am. With cars lined up all the way past the presidents house incoming students and parents waited to move in.  Once I was able to unload everything onto a cart the rest was pretty easy-except for getting an elevator- that was kind of difficult due to the amount of people arriving at the same time.

I am living in Burge with two other roommates. I was quite worried about how small that space was going to be and whether or not we would have enough room for everything but the room is actually quite large for a dorm room, especially when Burge isn’t a brand new hall. Doing early move in had its negatives and its positives so I thought I would share some with you.

Positives:

  1. Having an entire room to yourself to move in. Being able to spread everything out and not having to worry about getting in your roommates way is really nice, especially when move in is already stressful.
  2. You get to pick which bed you want. First come first serve. Right?
  3. More time to get to know people who have also done early move in.
  4. Not as hectic as regular move in. Because there are less people during early move in I think it was a lot less hectic than the regular move in days.

Negatives:

  1. Having to wait for your roommate to arrive to set up the entire room. Although you have more space to move in and get first pick of beds, you can’t actually set up the entire room because half of it is for your roommate and you need to make sure they are ok with the layout as well.
  2. You are alone in your room at night. Although you meet people from around campus you don’t get to hang out with anyone in your dorm so you are alone at night, which can be kind of boring. (Some people may enjoy this aspect).
  3. You have to pay extra to move in. Although it is only $45 dollars a night that adds up quickly when you are moving in three days before your scheduled move in time-just something to think about.