My Top 10 Moments for My Final Semester at the University of Iowa

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I always end every semester with a top ten memories countdown, so it was only fitting that I do the same for my final blog post for Experience Iowa.

It’s so hard to narrow down which moments over the past five months have meant the most to me, but after some thinking (and excessive scrolling through my camera roll), I’ve finally picked the most memorable days/events that I’ll be thinking about as I move into post-grad life. Below, check out some of my favorite moments as a college senior and a sneak peek at my future plans this summer and fall!

Getting Published in Multiple On-Campus Magazines For the Last Time

Over the course of five months, I’ve had seven different pieces published in on-campus magazines. I had a fantasy piece and a romance piece get published in Wilder Things, an experimental romance piece published in Fools, a nonfiction piece published in Catharsis, a romance piece published in Venus, a translated piece published in Boundless, and finally, another romance piece published in Broken Clock.

I absolutely adore on-campus literary magazines, and it’s bittersweet to be published in all of my favorite magazines one more time before I head on out!

Celebrating My 22nd Birthday With All of My Best Friends

After making so many wonderful friends over the past four years, it was so much fun to be able to celebrate my birthday with every single one of them! My party’s theme was just an ugly sweater party, and I loved seeing everyone dress up, mingle, and take lots of photos which are memories that I’m going to cherish for a long, long time.

Truly, it was the best birthday party ever!

Having Multiple Galentine’s Days

Because I have so many amazing friends, I was also able to spend Valentine’s Day with double the celebration and double the love! One day was spent trying out a new restaurant with my closest friends from freshman year, while the other was spent hanging out with my neighbors. Funny enough, my neighbors and I actually found a rose while we were walking around, which I feel like is a HUGE sign!

Having so many friends always means double the celebration and that’s something that I’ll never take for granted!

Seeing Bernie Sanders in Downtown Iowa City

Iowa City has always been a hub for celebrities and politicians to visit and talk to college students and the local community. This year, I was lucky enough to be one of the last people to be let into the Englert Theatre, where Bernie Sanders was giving his speech on his Midwestern tour.

It was so cool seeing a popular politician in person and for free, and crazy enough, I actually saw him later while I was shopping since he was headed to a second location to meet with the overflow of people! That was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I love looking back on!

Getting My Anthology Published

This is probably the thing I’m most proud to have accomplished during my entire college career!

As mentioned earlier, I’ve been published across multiple on-campus and literary magazines, and as a gift to all the hard work I’ve done, I wanted to commemorate my accomplishments by making an essay collection! Funny enough, I started making the anthology in my Book Design class during the fall semester, and rather than letting the work fade away, I filmed some marketing material and then put it on sale for everyone to enjoy! Here’s the link if you want to see for yourself!

The incredible part of this process has been seeing the support from my community! Whether it’s my friends from home, my close relatives, or the Iowa City community as a whole, people have really come forward to support me and champion all the work I’ve done! I’m so proud of myself for having self-published an entire boo,k and I feel so lucky to hold four years’ worth of stories in one place!

Going to LA With My Writer Friends

I wrote a whole separate blog post on this experience, but just to reiterate, I went to the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Convention with my earthwords magazine team, where we got to watch author panels, browse the bookfair, learn more about literary magazines, and explore different MFA programs across the country.

I had an absolute blast going to the conference and spending quality time with my writerly friends. All of us learned so much about writing craft and the literary world, and I genuinely wouldn’t have traded that experience for the world!

The earthwords Launch Party

This is another event that I wrote a whole blog post about, but it still deserves another massive shoutout!

Having been on the earthwords staff for three years, this launch party was extra bittersweet as I officially said goodbye to all of the hard work that I’ve put into the magazine. Luckily, I’ll be leaving the magazine in good hands with a phenomenal and dedicated team, and I’m so excited to see where the legacy of earthwords goes from here!

Taking my Graduation Photos

I love it when I have the chance to dress up! But I will admit, seeing myself in a cap and gown was terrifying if not bittersweet!

I was so excited to take my graduation photos, and I was absolutely floored with how they turned out! My lovely friend, Samm, whom I met during my freshman year on Ink Lit magazine’s staff, is so talented at what he does (here’s the link to his work)! And my wonderful and charismatic friend, Katie, was the best support system that I could have asked for! I owe her so much for running around, carrying my things, and fixing my hair/hem for a full hour.

I’m so in love with how the pictures turned out, and I can’t wait to share them with all of my friends and family!

Saying Goodbye to the Tour Guide Program

Even though I’ll be sticking around over the summer, the tour guides did an official send-off for all of the graduating seniors.

The Tour Guide Program has been my rock for the past four years and I’ve loved every second of talking to prospective students/families and joking around with my tour guide friends. It was so tearful and heartwarming to hear about everyone’s post graduation plans and our senior superlatives (mine was that I would come back and teach one day which isn’t a bad idea…).

Overall, the tour guides mean so much to me, and I can’t believe I’m saying goodbye to a program that has helped me grow so much over the past four years.

Graduation Day (Even Though It Hasn’t Happened Yet!)

Even though I’m still a few days out from walking the stage, I can already tell that this is going to be my most memorable moment of college.

Getting to walk the stage with my best friends, take lots of pictures, and really relish in the fact that I’ve grown and accomplished so much over the past four years is going to be such a big moment for me, and I can’t wait to experience every moment of it!

And there we have it! My final top semester moments as a college student! Time really does fly, doesn’t it?

Future Plans and Final Thoughts

For those of you wondering what I’ll be up to, here is a snapshot of my future plans!

For starters, I think I deserve a fun and relaxing summer. In two weeks, I’ll be doing a short vacation to Portland, Oregon and then I’ll fly back to New York for two weeks. There, I’ll be seeing Tyler the Creator at GovBall in New York City before I fly back to Iowa City to spend one final summer with all of my friends.

For June and July, I’ll be back on campus doing summer tours for the Office of Admissions and I’ll officially be moving my things back to New York and my hometown. Of course, I’ll be job searching (fingers crossed that I land something by August!) and then the next phase of my life begins! As you can imagine, I’m scared, relieved, and excited, but everything will turn out as it should. I just know it.

To everyone who has read these blog posts, I hope something that I’ve written has resonated with you! Thank you for sticking with me these past four years as I’ve built a small archive of my time at the University of Iowa.

If you’re a current student, a parent, or someone just looking into the university, don’t take any moment for granted! It all goes by so quickly, and seriously, you’re going to want to savor it. For prospective students trying to decide if Iowa is the place for them, you should DEFINITELY choose to come here! These past four years have been the best years of my life, and I can’t say enough about how much love and community exist here at the University of Iowa. Seriously, come and experience it for yourself.

As always, Go Hawks, and thank you for reading!

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10 Standalone Books That Hawkeyes Are Reading This Summer

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Hi everyone!

The warm weather is signaling the end of classes and schoolwork, but for those who enjoy reading, this summer also marks the opportunity to fall back into some good books! I know I have some books that I want to catch up on, and the chance to read outside and enjoy the warm weather is exactly the kind of boost that I need to kickstart my reading goals! If you’re looking to catch up on some reading and you don’t know where to start, here is a list of ten standalone books that my Hawkeye friends and I have recommended for incoming students to enjoy as much as we did!

Blackouts by Justin Torres

Starting off strong with this historical fiction novel, Torres discusses queerness and the suppression/violence that history has towards the queer identity. The novel centers on two old friends as one of them is slowly passing away. Their last few discussions are surrounding queer erasure and slowly but surely, the past bleeds into the present and the future.

One of the coolest aspects of this novel is Torres’s use of multimedia photographs, texts, and nonfiction documents that make the readers question where Torres has fictionalized the narrative and where these things actually happened. This is an insightful queer read from an award-winning author that you definitely don’t want to miss!

Summer in the City by Alex Aster

How else should you spend the summer besides reading a book set in the summer?

Aster’s debut romance novel is, quite literally, meant for summer romance readers. Set in New York City, the main character, Elle, is struggling to finish her next big movie script, and she enlists the help of her next-door neighbor turned billionaire, and the two embark on an enemies-to-lovers and fake dating plotline.

If you’re looking for a fun, fresh, and quick read, this is worth reading!

Future Feeling by Joss Lake

This is one of my favorite recent reads, so I just HAD to add it to the list!

In this surrealist, futuristic, and dystopian novel, a dog-walker, Penfield, becomes obsessed with a trans influencer, Aiden Chase, and after an interaction between them goes wrong, Pen enlists the help of a witch and a stoner/hacker to put a hex on Aiden. Unfortunately, the hex goes wrong, and Pen and Aiden must team up to travel to the Shadowlands to reverse the effects of the curse.

Lake balances the serious topics of advanced technology, the loss of human connection, and the trans identity with humor and creativity. If you’re looking to support a trans author and trans narratives, this is THE book to read!

Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

In this young adult mystery/thriller, it’s been five years since Mia and Brynn were accused of killing their best friend, Summer, after the three of them became obsessed with the characters and world in a fictional novel. Mia and Brynn have handled Summer’s death in a variety of ways, but when new details about the murder come out years later, they must band together to clear their names and reconcile with the obsession that destroyed their childhood.

This book is great for people who love young adult novels, murder mysteries, and themes of fanfictional obsessions turned deadly!

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Calling all fantasy lovers!

This novel follows Addie LaRue as she finds herself cursed to live an immortal life where nobody can remember her once she leaves their line of sight. Throughout the novel, Addie reconciles and adjusts to the ins and outs of her curse until three hundred years later when she meets a man who remembers her.

This novel has high stakes, swoony romances, and leaves you wanting so much more. When I finished it, I actually started crying! If you’ve noticed this book on bookshelves and you’ve been thinking about picking it, this might be your sign to finally give it a read!

One Day by David Nicholls

For people who love literary fiction and complicated romances, this is your next favorite read!

The novel takes place over the course of ten years and follows two characters, Dexter and Emma, who are college friends with romantic tension between them. With each chapter taking place on the same day, every year, the severity of their relationship is challenged through the past, present, and the future, as the significance of this one day comes to a head.

I actually read this book after watching the television show on Netflix (which had me in tears, by the way!), so if you’re looking for a dense, literary fiction novel that is going to make you reconsider your most meaningful relationships, grab your tissues and read this masterpiece!

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Let’s switch gears to a pop culture memoir!

In her debut memoir, McCurdy reflects on her childhood as a child actress alongside the abuse she faced from her mother and the entertainment industry. She examines her past with eating disorders, toxic relationships, and how to properly heal as an adult.

For those of you who are easily triggered by eating disorders or verbal abuse, this might not be the read for you, but overall, I thought this was an amazing debut, and McCurdy showed herself in a very raw and real limelight that will continue to strike readers to their cores.

You’re the Problem It’s You by Emma R. Alban

While this book is technically a standalone, it’s also the spinoff to the Bridgerton-lesbian romance novel, Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend.

In this novel, a young lord and a second son in the Victorian era go from enemies to lovers in this Bridgerton-esque love story! Bound by responsibility and societal standards, both men must reconcile with their closeted sexualities and find a way to be together even if society doesn’t want them to be.

If you’re a fan of Bridgerton and you want a gay version, this is your book!

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

This is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! I actually read this book for my 21st Century African American Literature course, and it totally blew me away!

In this book, Coates writes three essays regarding her personal experience and narrative of three separate locations that are facing race-based conflicts. Particularly, his last section focuses on Israel and Palestine, and his thoughts took the media by storm and are still used to continue conversations surrounding the conflict today.

If you’re interested in learning more about Israel and Palestine, I would highly recommend picking up this book!

I Am Yours by Reema Zaman

To finish off this roundup, I definitely want to recommend this beautiful memoir!

In her debut memoir, Zaman retells the story of her childhood in Bangladesh, the struggles with her family dynamic, her eating disorder, and the abusive marriage that she was forced to step away from. Zaman does an incredible job at representing struggle and healing, and her memoir is a stunning collection of the many ways in which we ‘leave’ in life.

I was lucky enough to see Zaman speak at an author event, and trust me, she’s just as eloquent in real life as she is in her prose. That being said, I would recommend reading her work and enjoying it as much as I did!

That concludes my recommendations! I hope this list gave you some ideas on how to diversify your reading or what to buy at the bookstore/borrow at your local library the next time you visit.

Stay tuned for my final blog post next week (bittersweet, I know!)

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My Final Goodbye to On-Campus Literary Magazines

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Hi everyone!

I can’t believe there’s less than a month of school left! I’m definitely feeling the senioritis, but I’m trying to push through and appreciate my last couple of classes along with all the fun events happening on campus right now! For me, some of my favorite on and off-campus events are the literary magazine launch parties that happen almost every weekend in the spring. This year, I was fortunate enough to help run and participate in the earthwords launch party for Issue 45, and it really made me think about my time at the University of Iowa and the major influence that literary magazines have had on my growth as a student.

For those of you who don’t know, one of the things I’m most proud of is how involved I’ve been with literary magazines for the past four years. As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I got involved with Ink Lit magazine, which is a first-year-only literary magazine. This publication is considered a stepping stone for freshmen students who are interested in either working on a magazine’s staff or having their work published within their first year. Somehow, I did something right, and I was trusted with the position of being the Editor in Chief! From there, I led team meetings, handled deadlines, brainstormed event ideas, advertised to the community, and championed the team to a successful launch party. After that, I knew how much I loved literary magazines and that I wanted to continue working on one for my next three years. However, I was no longer a first-year student, so it was time to say goodbye to Ink Lit and pick a new magazine to join and work on.

The University of Iowa has a dozen literary magazines on campus (if you’re curious, you can find a list of all of them here), but I found myself applying for earthwords. I really liked how earthwords had the legacy of being the oldest literary magazine on campus, and that it was unthemed, so any piece could be published regardless of what it was about. So, I applied, interviewed, and joined the staff as a nonfiction editor! I absolutely loved working with the nonfiction team, and together, we were tasked with reading submissions, running events, proofreading, and helping to communicate, build, and uphold the earthwords mission.

My second year flew by, and I absolutely loved my time on earthwords, so I decided to stay on staff for my third and fourth year. Because I had such a passion for the magazine and I wanted the chance to take on more responsibility, I applied to be on the executive team as the managing editor, and I was lucky enough to be picked for the challenge. As the managing editor for two years, I’ve supported two separate executive editors, taken notes during meetings, budgeted spending for travel conferences, helped plan/run events, and adapted to fast deadlines when staff members needed more support. I also loved that being in a leadership role gave me the chance to take on special projects! My first project ended up being a DEI open mic at the LatinX cultural house, and my second project was planning a trip to Los Angeles for my team to participate in a writer’s conference. Both were huge successes, and now we’re at the point where I’ve reached the end of my fourth year and I’m about to say goodbye to earthwords and the literary magazine community at Iowa.

At our earthwords launch party, I was truly floored by how many people came to support the contributors, staff members, and the magazine legacy. As I stood on the side of the venue and watched everyone admire the magazine, read their pieces, and celebrate with coffee and cake, I was hit with so much bittersweetness and nostalgia. The literary community has been my home for the past four years, and I’m proud of the mark I’ve left behind as a staff member and a writer. As I watched the crowd in front of me, I knew for sure that I was leaving the magazine legacy in good hands.

I’m so so sooo grateful for everything that the literary magazine community has provided me. I’ve gained hands-on publishing experience, built a community of life-long friends, and learned so much about myself and how I can make change in the literary world. I’ve built up my resume with tangible experience to bring into the workforce, and now, I can officially say I’m a published writer since I’ve been published all across campus!

If you’re a prospective student who wants to get published, be part of a writing community, or just want to enjoy writing in all its forms, I highly recommend getting involved with an on-campus literary magazine at the University of Iowa. The people and the staff who champion these magazines are some of the hardworking and talented people, and I’m so lucky to call them my best friends.

If you join, you won’t regret it. Promise.

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A Trip to Los Angeles to Attend the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Convention!

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Hi everyone!

With the help of my literary magazine, earthwords, the Magid Center for Writing, and the University of Iowa Undergraduate Student Government, I was able to go on a trip to Los Angeles, where I attended the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference. I was able to watch a handful of panels, browse the bookfair, and explore the city of Los Angeles, so for this post, I wanted to shine some light on all the cool things I did on this trip!

To start off strong, my team and I (five other girls who are also members of earthwords magazine) had an early morning flight on Wednesday, where we flew to Charlotte (that’s right, we went in the opposite direction) before we hopped on our second flight to Los Angeles. Upon arrival, we were picked up by a shuttle and brought to our absolutely beautiful Airbnb! With the rest of the afternoon in front of us, we walked around downtown Los Angeles, explored the shops of Little Tokyo, and ventured inside the famous bookstore called The Last Bookstore. For those of you interested, The Last Bookstore is a multi-level bookshop with hundreds of used books for sale, gift shops full of literary trinkets, a coffee shop for relaxing, and plenty of spots for aesthetic photos to add to your social media! After walking through the bookstore, we met up with a couple of other Iowa friends, where we enjoyed dinner, caught up, and finally decompressed before the conference.

Ready to learn, the girls and I got up early and went to the closest coffee shop, which had the most amazing breakfast sandwiches. I can honestly say that it was the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had (if you’re wondering, it’s Birdie’s in DTLA!), and once we were fueled up, we were ready to head to the convention center and enjoy the fun!

For the first day, I decided to start my morning by walking to the book fair. At the bookfair, I had the opportunity to meet with editors from magazines around the world, writers who are working to get their master’s in graduate schools, and publishing companies that are currently publishing new books across multiple genres! There was also so much free stuff to take home, which is always a plus for a college student. And of course, a bookfair wouldn’t be complete without having thousands of books for sale! By the end of the convention, I had seven new books to read!

Later in the afternoon, my friend Katie and I went to a series of writer panels where we had the chance to listen to well-known published authors discuss craft, technique, and ideas across the literary spectrum. The first panel we attended was about ChatGPT and writing, the second was about writing an opening hook for your novel, the third was about writing humor, and the fourth was about how to deconstruct patriarchal worldbuilding. The nice thing about AWP is that they truly have a panel for everyone!

The second day of the convention was super similar to the first. I explored the bookfair and I went to two panels: one about writing mixed race characters and the other about how to revise a manuscript. But later in the afternoon, I went with my friends, Katie and Sophia, to attend an AWP off-site event. Not only does AWP have events inside the convention center, but they also do multiple events across Los Angeles! The off-site event we attended was about love stories, and it was open mic style, so we were able to sit back, relax, drink tea, and enjoy cookies while we listened to writers read from their novels. I’ve always loved off-site events, and this one was no different!

For the final day of the convention, I ended up purchasing my seven books to take back to Iowa City. The trick is to wait until the last day of the convention, because all of the books will be discounted! I ended up getting a great collection of memoirs, poetry collections, fiction novels, and more. I genuinely can’t decide what to read first because my collection is so stacked, but when I do, I know it’ll be amazing.

Overall, the convention was absolutely amazing and if any of you are interested in being a writer, working in the publishing industry, or you just absolutely love books, I would definitely recommend attending the conference! Next year, the conference will be located in Baltimore and who knows?! Maybe I’ll see you there!

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Iowa City’s First Cat Lounge: A Purr-fect Place to Meet Some Feline Friends

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When talking to my college friends, I think we can all agree that saying goodbye to our pets was one of the hardest parts of leaving home. For my entire life, I grew up in a household of cats, so coming to college and not having a feline friend to snuggle with was definitely a missing piece of my life that made me homesick during the semesters. But now, I’m super jealous of prospective students and current students, because they get the added benefit of having a cat lounge right in downtown Iowa City!

Iowa City’s newest experience is its first-ever cat lounge called Kitty Corner Social Club. The lounge opened its doors in early March 2025 as a way to build a community for cat-loving locals who wanted to spend time with some kitties. The space also serves as an adoption center, and already, almost half a dozen cats have been adopted in the few weeks that the lounge has been opened!

Local organizations have also used the lounge as an event and community space. For example, last week, senior citizens from the senior living community down the street were allowed to come into the lounge and pet the cats. This is just the start of everything the Kitty Corner Club has to offer, and the positive buzz is making it the hot new business that everyone needs to check out!

When visiting, each visitor has the choice of paying for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour of hangout time (all with varying prices) and the only request is to take your shoes off and keep food outside, and then you’re good to go in. Inside, the lounge is a perfect balance of cat playground and human living room. There are places for people to relax on sofas, perch on the floor, or stand around while watching the cats. There are also massive bookshelves filled with board games, a fake fireplace, feline decor, and cat toys to make the hangout more fun. In the very back, there’s a spot to make tea or purchase a seltzer to sip on and my personal favorite is the wall of cat portraits which gives visitors the names of each cat and whether or not they like their bellies scratched (good to know to avoid unnecessary scratching!). As for the cats themselves, there are definitely some that are tired out from all the visitors, but there are plenty of others who soak in all the love and pets.

If you come to campus, definitely spend some time visiting the cat lounge! Kitty Corner Social Club is located right across the street from the Pentacrest, and they allow walk-ins or reservations. Enjoy the experience and shower those cats in love!

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Iowa City Cookie Crawl

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Hi everyone!

I hope you’re staying warm! Myself and the rest of the student body are hopeful that this is the last week of super cold winter weather before things start to warm up in March. Until then, though, we’ll keep our fingers crossed (through our gloves, of course) as we weather this last bit of snow together and head into the rest of the semester.

It can be easy to want to stay inside when the weather is in the negatives or it’s snowing, but lately, my friends and I have been bored of watching television and reading, so we decided to go to downtown Iowa City and find a local event we could attend. The downtown area always hosts events for the community whether it’s concerts, farmer’s markets, festivals, or more. This winter, the city decided to host an Iowa City Cookie Crawl that would span across twenty stores, and since my friends and I needed to get out of the house (and satiate our sweet tooths!) we signed up for the event!

On the day of the event, we were able to check in and get a handheld, red cookie tin where we collected and held our cookies as we went from store to store. The shops that helped run the event all had different purposes; there was Blick, the art store, Cielo, the jewelry/clothing store, Beno’s, the flower shop, Wedge, the pizzeria, and so many more! It was so much fun going to all my favorite shops and then a few that I had never been inside of before! That’s the amazing thing about Iowa City. Even though I’ve been here for nearly four years, I still haven’t seen all of it!

I’m sure you’re wondering if the cookies were delicious or not and don’t worry, they did NOT disappoint! Every shop had a wide range of cookies to choose from. They had chocolate chip cookies, monster cookies, sugar cookies, coffee-filled cookies, and one store even had baklava! I’ve never tried baklava before, and now I need to try it again because it was sooo good. Not only did I experience new stores in Iowa City, but new cookies too!

The entire cookie crawl took us about two hours, and we barely noticed the cold because we were inside the stores so often. I genuinely loved being able to try something cool and different with my friends which got us out of the house during the winter. It was also a great way to support local businesses and events in the downtown Iowa City area. If you’re curious about what other events the downtown area puts on, check out this website here.

This was a short blog post, but no worries! I’ll be back with more posts soon so until next time!

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10 Books That Hawkeyes Are Reading This Winter

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Hey future Hawkeyes!

The winter season is upon us and the snowstorms (and ice storms?) are keeping students home these past couple of days, but being cooped up in the house is a great opportunity to start on that reading goal you declared for the new year! If you need some book suggestions to add to your list, here is a short list of novels that myself and my literary friends have compiled for you guys to enjoy!

Silver in the Bone

By Alexandra Bracken

If you’re looking for a two-in-one combo, Silver in the Bone, is book one in a duology!

The series is young adult (though, as an adult, I do think it’s a step up from the typical YA series) and it follows Tamsin Lark as she searches for a cure to save her brother, Cabell, whose curse has taken a sharp turn for the worse. With the help of a new witch and her rival, Emrys, the group finds themselves in Avalon, the famous land of King Arthur to save Cabell, but also, to discover more about Tamsin’s father who left her and Cabell to go to Avalon in search of a magical object.

In this new retelling, the Arthurian myths and legends are brought together in a stunning modern tale. If you’re someone interested in reading more about King Arthur and Celtic folklore, this is definitely the duology for you!

No Judgments

By Meg Cabot

With Valentine’s Day in just a week, why not pick up a fun romance novel?

If you’re missing the warm weather, you might enjoy Meg Cabot’s standalone romance, No Judgments, which follows Sabrina Beckham and her experience remaining on Little Bridge, a small island off the coast, when a massive hurricane destroys the town. With the help of Drew, the island’s biggest heartthrob, they work together to rescue all the pets left behind and, maybe, fall in love in the process.

If you want a fun and easy romance read, I’ve heard this one is perfect!

The Song of Achilles

By Madeline Miller

Speaking of retellings, if you’re a huge fan of Greek mythology, The Song of Achilles, is one of the best retellings that my friends and I have ever read!

It’s a standalone young adult novel that follows the tale of Patroclus and Achilles as Achilles becomes a renowned war hero who must fight with the Greeks to save Helen of Sparta. The story is a beautiful exploration of youth, love, fate, and sacrifice, and it made me cry at the end!

If you want to read a standalone book that’ll stick with you forever, I promise, you’ll never forget this incredible story.

When the Moon Hatched

By Sarah A. Parker

For my romantasy readers who also love dragons, this is the perfect next novel for you!

It’s the first book in a series, but luckily, the second book comes out in the fall of 2025, so you have plenty of time to read this debut before the rest of the series is available!

Parker’s, When the Moon Hatched, is an adult romantasy and follows Raeve, an infamous bounty hunter, as she works to finish an assassination job when she’s caught and put on trial by the Guild of Nobles. While imprisoned, she crosses paths with Kaan, a king in mourning, and the two of them find themselves tangled in the past and reality as war looms and dragons start mysteriously falling from the skies.

Even though the book is a thousand pages long, Parker does an amazing job at setting up the scene, building a vivid world, and crafting well-rounded characters whose secrets hit like a packed punch!

Women on the Moon

By Debora Kuan

Lots of moon titles for this winter season!

Women on the Moon is a poetry collection for all the poetry lovers who are looking for their new favorite poet to dive into. The collection explores themes such as motherhood, survival, marriage, race, magic, and the Moon Goddess (a famous Chinese folktale; folktales are also a huge theme in this post, aren’t they?)

Kuan is a very new poet, but her collection truly encompasses so many themes and ideas, so if you’re interested in reading some poetry, I’d recommend looking into hers!

Orlando

By Virginia Woolf

For those of you looking for a classic read, why not pick up some Virginia Woolf?

Woolf’s, Orlando, is inspired by her friendship (and let’s be honest, romantic relationship) with Vita Sackeville-West. The story follows the nobleman, Orlando, as he experiences the noble life, but halfway through the novel, he wakes up to find that he’s now a woman.

Some have coined this classic tale as one of the first mainstream trans narratives and I can honestly say that it’s one of mine and my friends’ favorite classic novels! If you’re looking for an older book that reflects our society today, I’d recommend reading this one!

Fun Home

By Alison Bechdel

Doing a complete 180, Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel is the perfect book for people who love memoirs and graphic novels/comics!

In this graphic memoir, Bechdel recounts her relationship with her father, a closeted gay man, as she discovers her own sexuality in the wake of his death and possible suicide. Over the course of a broken-up narrative and hand-drawn images, Bechdel rediscovers who her father was as she copes with his death.

Even if you’re not a big graphic memoirist fan, I would definitely recommend checking this out, just to try something new!

The Gilda Stories

By Jewelle Gomez

For those of you who want to read a lesser-known classic (and you love Twilight), I’d definitely recommend picking up, The Gilda Stories.

The story spans 200 years and follows the vampire, Gilda, as themes of morality, slavery, trauma, grief, and humanity are explored as she comes to terms with her immortality. This is a must-read for people who love vampires and want to read a cool, new twist on a classic monster tale!

Times Square Red, Times Square Blue

By Samuel Delany

If you’re interested in reading about the history of a specific location and city, look no further than Times Square Red, or Times Square Blue.

The novel is split up into two essays: the first half where Delany reiterates the Old Times Square, his own personal stories within it, and the complexity of people coming from all walks of life, including the importance of Times Square on the LGBTQ+ community. In the second half of the novel, Delany critiques the hub’s change and explains what has been lost within New York City’s new renovations.

This book is widely informative and really opens up people’s eyes to a popular and influential location in the United States. I would definitely check this out and read up on this important history.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

By Ocean Vuong

To round out these recommendations, we have to end with, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous which has been a huge hit since it took to the shelves!

For people who love creative nonfiction (or even people just getting into it!), Vuong’s memoir is a beautiful recollection of his life through his childhood. He unearths his and his mother’s past; taking the time to connect his ancestry in Vietnam and his present-day life as a gay man struggling along an intersectional line in the late 20th century.

This is such an impactful debut novel and if you’re interested in anything by Vuong, I would definitely start here!

That finishes up my winter reading recommendations! I hope this list gave you some inspiration for your next read and reassures you that Hawkeyes read across all genres! Because this is a literary campus, there’s a genuine place for every genre, every reader, and every writer, so if any of these novels interest you, I can assure you that we have a class or a group of people who you’d fit right in with.

Anyway, I hope you continue to consider Iowa and that you stay warm this winter! See you soon!

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Winter Essentials for Every Hawkeye

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Hi everyone!

We’re officially back for a brand new semester! This is actually my last semester since I’m a graduating senior and yes, it’s super bittersweet to know the end is near. I still have fourteen weeks to go though, so let’s not dwell on it too much!

Right now, my main concern is how I’m going to survive the winter, so I figured I would write a quick blog post about what future Hawkeyes should buy and bring to campus to stay warm during the colder months.

In case you didn’t know, I’m originally from New York which has the winter season, but it’s NOTHING like the Iowa cold! Even if you’re from a state that gets chilly winds and snowstorms, I would definitely recommend investing in warm clothing. Below are some ideas if you need some inspiration!

An expensive winter coat (yes, I said expensive)

This might seem obvious, but seriously, I see so many people walking around without a warm coat!

I would invest in a coat with a hood and/or one that goes down to your knees just so you’re keeping more than your torso warm. This is also one of the few items that I would invest and spend money on since you’ll be walking to class every day and it’ll make the walks so much less uncomfortable.

A good winter coat is your main and most important essential for the cold, so if you haven’t already, find one that you can buy and wear for the many, many winter seasons!

Hats or Earmuffs

Having cold ears can hurt, so invest in hats or earmuffs! If you’re like me and you don’t like having frizzy hair in class, I would buy a pair of cute earmuffs. Lately, they’ve been a staple for me, and if you wear them enough times, your friends will notice you from halfway across campus because you wear them THAT often.

Hats and earmuffs keep your ears warm, and your hair down, and add a cute detail to any outfit, so definitely grab one before you come to campus!

Gloves

I love to bring homemade coffee to class, so having a good pair of gloves keeps my hands from getting red and cracked which is super painful when you’re trying to write your notes or do your homework.

My recommendation would be to buy a pair that has some rubber padding, so you can use your phone without having to remove your glove. I love to change my music up while I go on walks, so this is definitely essential for me since good music is the exact motivation I need when hurrying across campus

Jeans (without rips!)

Listen, I’m all for a pair of ripped jeans (I say this as I’m currently wearing ripped jeans!). But for the colder weeks, I would recommend finding jeans (or any long pants in general) that completely cover your legs.

Just like your hands, you don’t want your skin getting red or cracked, so having a few pairs of long jeans or pants that cover you completely will save you the pain of having to constantly reapply moisturizer!

Winter Boots

An obvious answer, but essential nonetheless!

While Iowa City is amazing at plowing and salting the roads and sidewalks, sometimes, you will have to trek through some snow, so having a good pair of winter boots will help you keep your grip and save you from falling in the snow heaps.

My current winter boots are hand-me-downs from my mom, and I love them! If you don’t want to spend a lot of money (or you already spent a lot of money on that coat), definitely ask around and see who in your family is willing to help you stay on your feet!

Bonus: Chapstick

It’s not really a winter essential, but sometimes, my lips get really chapped after I walk in the cold, so it’s nice to have chapstick on hand. That way, you won’t be chewing your lips for hours on end.

Those are all of my winter essentials! Some of these are pretty obvious, but I can assure you… if you forget any of them, you’ll end up regretting it.

So, start thinking now about how you can fit these items into the trunk of your car, so you make sure to stay warm during the second semester!

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My Top Six Moments This Semester!!!

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Hi everyone!

We’re officially at the end of the semester! Personally, I’m super excited to be finishing up my classes and my final projects even though I have to spend this next week grinding on my homework. Fingers crossed that I finish everything in time before I head out of town in less than a week!

It’s always during the final week of school that I start to get sentimental about the end of the semester, so I wanted to use my blog post this month as an opportunity to look back on some of my favorite moments. For future Hawkeyes reading this, check out some of my most memorable moments to get a sneak peek at some of the fun activities that you can take part in as a Hawkeye too!

Getting to See My First Queer Cabaret

One of my favorite things about Iowa City is its emphasis on the arts.

All throughout the year, downtown Iowa City has art showcases, live bands, plays, and more events for students to enjoy. This year, one of my favorite shows was the queer cabaret and it was absolutely amazing! The performers were so talented, and I was in awe of the musical numbers, dance performances, and some of the personal stories shared throughout the show. It was a fantastic performance and it was even better because I got to support one of my best friends who ended up performing.

(Sidenote: She’s the one holding up the disco ball in the photo!)

Celebrating Birthday Parties with Friends

The joy of being a senior student are the amount of people that I’ve gotten to know and call my friends over these past three and a half years.

This year, I was able to attend sooo many birthday parties which provided some much-needed fun and relaxation on the weekends. I’m an outgoing person, so I also really enjoyed having the chance to meet more fun and interesting people. Something you’ll quickly learn about Iowa City are the amount of people who are genuinely friendly and easy to talk to, so making friends at any point in the year feels like a breeze no matter where you go.

Attending Literary Magazine Events

I’ve been a member of the Iowa literary magazine community since I was a freshman, and I’ve always enjoyed planning/attending events that cater to my love of reading and writing.

This year, I was able to take part in some amazing literary events that included exquisite corpse collaging, open mics, and blind date with a book giveaways. Each new event really reminds me of my love for the literary community in Iowa City and the amazing people it brings in.

It’s hard to believe that I’ll be leaving the community in a few, short months, so I’m really taking the time to make the most of these events and the people who make them so much fun!

Celebrating Friendsgiving

Another perk of having so many friends is being invited to all of their Friendsgivings!

This year, I was lucky enough to spend some quality time with people I love and eat amazing food that we prepared for one another. This was a great way to relax, catch up, and enjoy each other’s company through fun games and activities. Hopefully, wherever I move to, I can continue that tradition in my post-grad life!

Getting to See Magdalena Bay in Concert

This year’s homecoming performer was Magdalena Bay which is one of my favorite music duos!

Every year, the University of Iowa picks a musical performer, and they set up a stage for them right on the Pentacrest for the entire community to watch. I’ve been to a couple of the homecoming performances, but this year, I was able to be front row for Magdalena Bay. It was a dream come true being able to see them perform live and for free, and I’m so grateful that the University of Iowa provides its students with mesmerizing concerts.

Seeing the UCLA vs Iowa Game in Los Angeles

Even though I’m not the biggest sports fan, I had so much fun traveling to Los Angeles to see the UCLA vs. Iowa football game!

I wrote in a previous blog post that I loved the Hawkeye community there and the sentiment still holds true! Even though I was halfway across the country, it still felt like I was at a home game with the number of Hawkeyes in the stands. In the end, the Hawkeyes did lose, but I will always remember that game because of its Hawkeye spirit.

Well, well, those are my top six moments this semester!

It’s crazy to think that I only have one more semester before I graduate, so I’ll be sure to make it count!

Thank you for reading my blog post and happy holidays to those who celebrate!!!

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How I Plan to Spend My Thanksgiving Break in Iowa City

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Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving week!

This is one of my favorite weeks to be in Iowa City, because the city is completely empty of students and feels like a ghost town. That might be weird of me to say, but this is the third time I’ve spent Thanksgiving in Iowa, and I’ve come to really enjoy/anticipate the alone time. It gives me the space to pursue my hobbies, so in celebration of that, I thought I’d give you guys a list of some of the things I plan on getting done. At the very least, this article is my way of holding myself accountable to my own plans!

Getting Caught Up on Homework + Taking Work Shifts

This is probably the least exciting part of my break, but still important nonetheless!

Even though Thanksgiving break is supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation, I usually find myself catching up or getting a head start on homework for the following week. I’ve found that this makes it easier for me to focus on my finals when the time comes!

To help motivate myself, I usually find a local coffee shop to grab a warm drink and get into the working mindset. That way, I feel more productive and comfortable!

Similarly, I like to grab work shifts (I work in the Office of Admissions at the university!), so I can make a little bit of extra money. Since so many students and workers have left for break, it’s nice being able to grab whatever shits I want. I’m also someone who likes a routine, so this is something I personally find myself needing as the days go by.

Catching up on TV Shows

This year, my goal is to finish all nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother, and I’m currently on season eight!

I started watching back in January and it’s been a slow year as I’ve chipped away at the seasons. This week, though, I promised myself that I would do my best to finish season eight, so I’ll definitely be spending my nights binge-watching the show in an attempt to finish it before the year is out.

I can’t wait to make myself some hot cocoa, kick back, and relax!

Going to the Movies

There are a lot of movies out right now that I’m absolutely DYINGGG to see! Some include Anora, We Live in Time, and of course, Wicked! Sometime this week, I plan on grabbing some friends and dragging them to the theaters to enjoy the magic of the movies with me.

Usually with my class schedule, I find it really hard to have a few hours free for the theater, but this week, I plan on making the time to head into downtown Iowa City where I can enjoy my free time with some fun.

Shopping for Fun

Speaking of downtown Iowa City, I’m a huge fan of all the mini storefronts and small businesses where I can do my shopping!

There are so many cute shops and vendors open during the holiday season, and I always get so sad when I don’t have the time between work and classes to explore some of the items on sale. So, this week, I plan on spending a day where I hit all of my favorite shops!

And this year, I’m SUPER excited because there’s going to be a holiday flea market that I can go too! I can’t wait to see what fun trinkets and accessories they end up selling that I can bring home.

Reading and Writing

My personal hobbies are reading books and writing stories which are two other things that I’d like to carve out some time for this week. My goal for the year was to read thirty books, and I’ve currently read twenty-eight! Being so close to my goal makes me extra excited to cozy up with a book and finish out the year strong.

In the same vein, I have a few short stories that I’ve wanted to finish writing all semester, and I can’t wait to finally have time where I can write and decompress while doing my favorite thing.

Going to the Gym

Because of my school schedule, it can be really difficult to get to the gym regularly. This week, though, I plan on making gym time a priority since the gym will be pretty empty except for some locals. Our campus’s recreation center is the third best in the country, so I really want to take advantage of this facility as much as possible before I graduate.

Personally, I’ve been doing a lot of running on the treadmill and getting toned with some Pilates, so with a fully free schedule, I’m excited to spend some time getting my sweat on and bettering my body.

Cooking a Thanksgiving Meal

Last but not least, I plan on trying to cook myself a Thanksgiving meal which would be my first time EVER cooking some of these classic Thanksgiving staples!

I have a huge grocery list of items that I need to buy, and I plan on spending Thanksgiving Day in the kitchen and testing out all of the recipes I grew up loving. Fingers crossed that everything comes out delicious and that I have plenty of leftovers for the days after!

Those are all the things I plan on doing for the upcoming week! For me, the most important part of break is to do the things that I want to do since it’s rare I have alone time to indulge in my own hobbies and fun.

I hope your Thanksgiving break is just as restful and relaxing as mine!

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