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!

Summer Memories

Welcome back! Hope you had an amazing weekend. Last Monday it officially became fall, which is my favorite season, and not just for the PSL at Starbucks. Since we are done with summer I thought I would share some of my favorite memories from my past 6 weeks here at U of I. Here we go!

  1. Pittsburg Game: If you can’t tell from my other blog posts I am kind of obsessed with football, especially Hawkeye football. Although the other games, especially State, were amazing Pittsburg was by far my favorite football experience so far. The entire game was nail biting. A guy I met in the stands put it the best way possible, “it’s like a roller coaster that just got fixed, you don’t know if it’s going to break or if it’s going to work but it will be the best ride of your life”. Luckily the roller coaster worked and we won the game. How about that 57 yard field goal?
  2. My Daum Dolls: This probably makes no sense to anyone expect me and my Daum dolls, but people can relate to this in general. I think one of the most amazing things about college is the fact that I have been able to make so many new and amazing friends. Shout out to dorm (p.s. not a spelling mistake) floor 2 and all of our late night Disney karaoke in the hallways.
  3. Late Night Pizza: after a long Saturday of football and celebrating, which we have been doing a lot with our 4-0 record, the best way to end the night is late night pizza and Netflix in the dorm. Good tip- Dominos delivers to the dorms until 3am.
  4. 1st Day of Class: Although this may sounds cheesy my first day of class was actually pretty cool. One of my friends and I grabbed a Starbucks before our 10:30 and just sat the Pentacrest soaking it all in. The thought of lecture and college classes was scary but amazing at the same time. We were typical little freshman freaking out about being in college. In fact we loved starting our morning like that so much, that it became a Monday morning tradition.

Random Tip- As well as being a great place for morning Starbucks, the Pentacrest is also one of my favorite study spots before it gets too cold!

  1. Kick off at Kinnick: My last favorite memory I’m going to share was also one of my first. During OnIowa the entire class went onto the field at Kinnick and continued the tradition of creating the “I” which was followed by fireworks and photos with Herky. Although it was 6 weeks ago I still remember every moment. Being on the football field with the rest of my class made the University of Iowa feel like home. I felt like this was where I belonged.

 

What are some of your favorite moments?

Until Next Week

Go Hawks!

Out of State Out of Mind

If you have read my bio you will know I am an out of state student. I don’t mean that I come from the “Chicago Suburbs”, I mean that I am 1,847.9 miles away from home. I chose to come to this university to try something new, I mean who wouldn’t want to be able to live in two states at once for four years? And four weeks into it I can say that it was the best decision I have ever made. I have never been more in love with a place in my life, and I’m from SoCal so that’s saying something. But I have also learned a few things from being an out of state student who only gets to go home with him twice a year.

1. You WILL miss home- as much as I love being out on my own to experience and learn new things there are days where all I will want to do is hug my mom and dad and sleep in my own bed. Those moments will hit you at the weirdest times, trust me. I was sitting in math discussion this week and all of a sudden I felt home sick. The worst is when I talk to my parents and hear their voice or see something that reminds me of them. It is especially hard when all your friends are able to go home on the weekends and you know it will be 3 months before you go home. The time when I am most homesick is when I am actually sick, but I think that’s the same for most people. All you want is a hug from your parents to make it all better.
2. On the same note, because I am so far away from home I have begun to cherish my family and how close we are. Being on your own you will realize how grateful you are for what your family has taught you over the past 18 years. Trust me, there have been multiple times I have been doing something and realized that I would have been screwed without my parents. Easiest example- knowing how to do laundry before I came to college. I haven’t made a white t-shirt red yet.
3. It’s a great conversation starter- on a lighter note saying you’re from somewhere like California is a great topic starter. It just means you’re going to get asked the same question a lot. So why would you chose Iowa? Because it’s the most AMAZING place ever, that’s why.
4. You get the best of both worlds- While it sucks to be so far from home, there is a positive side to it. You get to live in two states at once. While I get to meet new people and experience a completely different world I also get to go home for four months out of the year and live on the beach and hang with my family.
5. Finally the best advice I can give is that it WILL be ok- sometimes you will feel like dropping out and going home. You will feel like you can’t do it, but I can promise you that in the end it will all be ok. We are all feeling the same way, we all get homesick so if you want a day to cry and miss home that’s ok but don’t spend all your time worrying about it because you will miss out on the amazing place that is Iowa City and the amazing people that are the University of Iowa

Until Next Time

Go Hawks!

If There is no Photo, There is no Proof

Welcome back! Hope everyone had a good weekend. Beating state definitely helped brighten up my Saturday just a little bit. I also want to take a moment to mention Tyler Sash. The win this weekend was for him and he will always be remembered as a part of the Hawkeye family.

Whether you prefer to up a Yak, favorite a tweet, like a Facebook post, or press that cute little heart on Instagram, we all have at least one guilty pleasure when it comes to social media. For me? I’m on all of them which can definitely be a distraction when I want to be productive and get homework done. So what does this have to do with my newly college life? More than you might think. I don’t know what it is like for everyone else, but social media is a huge part of my social life, I mean let’s be honest if you didn’t post about it then really it didn’t happen. Just like every other teenager on the planet I have to share something the minute it happens just so everyone knows how much fun I am having. It’s a constant need to impress people. A few days ago my Rhetoric teacher asked us to think about what we believe we are supposed to get out of college. Almost all of the posts had to do with living up to the standards being brought on by social media. And it got me thinking, why does our generation feel a need to impress everyone with our daily activities? After we left class I continued to think about myself and realized I was just as guilty as all the other teenagers out there. During OnIowa I spent the entire time SnapChatting just make sure people knew I was enjoying my new college. At the first football game I posted multiple photos on Facebook so people could see that I had school spirit. All I wanted to do was prove to people that I was having a better time than they were. What I have now realized is that there isn’t a social standard you have to live up to. You don’t have to be going out every Friday night and posting every Saturday morning. People don’t need to know everything about everything. College is finally where you get to experience anything you want without judgement. My goal, if anyone wants to join me, is to start putting my phone down more often and actually start making memories for myself instead of photos for a whole bunch of people I’ve never actually met. You don’t have to live up to the customs of college created on social media because there really aren’t any. Enjoy these four years because they are the only four you get. Now I’m going to go tweet about my new blog post going up because if I don’t then did any of this even happen? Kidding.

If you feel the same way chat with me down below in the comments section. I would love to know I’m not the only one feeling the pressure on social media.

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!

Exploring Iowa City

Hey there! Hope everyone’s first week of class went well and you are having a safe but fun weekend. For all of those rushing I hope you didn’t get too wet in the rain last night and you find a sorority or frat that’s perfect for you!

As I have mentioned in my previous blog I am in the honors program at the university. As an honors student you need a certain amount of credits to graduate with honors. While most students were still moving in 500 other honors students and I spent three days exploring Iowa and presenting what we a have learned. My class was “Love where you live, live where you learn.” When I first read the description of the class I was a bit hesitant about enjoying it, my professor was amazing and the things we learned about the people and city of Iowa were amazing. Instead of going on about the program I decided to share some of the amazing place my group discovered with you.

  1. The Prairie Lights Book Shop: I will be the first person to say that books are not the first thing I would spend my money on but this book store is amazing. When you walk in the doors you feel all warm cozy. The first thing I wanted to do was grab a book and sit down in the coffee shop for hours on end. Sadly we didn’t have that amount of time but I was able to buy a book. Even better the prices aren’t substantially more expensive so why not find a great new book while supporting a local business that has been around much longer than most of us have?
  2. Pullman’s: Although we did make this stop during my primetime I had actually been to this restaurant a few days before for lunch. This Pullman car style dinner serves everything you could need for a well-priced lunch or dinner. When I went for the lunch I had a sandwich with a side of chips and it was perfect for a simple, cheap lunch. The restaurant is great for when you are sick of the Burge and Hillcrest food. I can also say that the coffee cake is amazing. If you don’t believe me ask anyone who was in my primetime group, it was devoured every time our professor brought it to class.
  3. Film Scene: I have always been a movie lover, but I have always cringed at the fact that you pretty much have to take out a mortgage to even thinking about going to movies and that’s before you add the popcorn. So when I found Film Scene at the Pedmall I was super excited. Although it doesn’t always play box office movies you can still see some great Indie films here and for the cheap price. You can either pay per movie or become a member and get $5 movies for a year. They also tend to do student discounts for certain moves. My favorite part? They do movies in their roof top garden. A couple movies coming up in their rooftop collection are the Teenager Mutant Ninja Turtles and Dirty Dancing.
  4. Revival: My final suggestion when exploring Iowa City is going to visit a place called Revival. Although this wasn’t an actual stop we did explore it during our ten minutes of free time between stops. Revival is a clothing store that you can also find in the Pedmall right across the street from Film Scene. I can tell you now that I will be spending all of my money here. The store does second and you can pick up some really amazing deals which is great on a college budget. But if you’re not the type of person to wear second hand they do have new clothing as well. And if you are trying to make a little extra money while clearing out the clothes you don’t wear any more they also buy clothes.

Hope this helps when you are looking for a new place to explore downtown.

What are some of your favorite places to visit in downtown Iowa City? Comment down below and let me know if you have any questions about the locations above or if you want more suggestions.

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.