If you would’ve asked me exactly a year ago if I was going to stay at Iowa, I would have looked at you (probably cried) and said I wanted to transfer to a college near home. I was home sick, confused about my major, and overwhelmed by the difference in both the community and size of the city.
BUT – I stuck it out. I stayed. And honestly, it was one of the best decisions I could’ve possibly made. Iowa City is my home!
Freshman year is tricky. You’re excited to go to college, relocate, and practically begin a new life, but nobody tells you about all the “bleh” things that come with it. Nobody really talks about the jittery feeling walking into your first big lecture, the uneasy thoughts wondering if you’ll make a lot of friends or not, and the sadness that sometimes succumbs over as you think about how much you miss home. Nobody really talks about these things because it’s uncomfortable, it’s not a fun topic to think about.
Freshman year is harder for some than others. Sometimes you wonder why everyone else seems like they’re having the time of their lives and you’re over here stressing out on the inside. Thing is, it’s all a little overwhelming and challenging at times – but you aren’t alone. There are probably more students that feel the exact same way you are than you think. Even now, as a sophomore, I went into a funk for three days because I didn’t feel right. Something felt off. . . but I soon realized that it was just the adjustment.
As I left to go back home my freshman year, I cried on the way home. I didn’t want to say bye to the city I fell in love with. Yet, coming back this year I cried as I left home. I didn’t want to say bye to the little town that I grew up in, where my family and puppy were. It’s hard! It’s challenging!
In the end, however, it all turns out to be okay. You’re going to readjust, and soon enough you’re going to fall in love with Iowa City the way I did. Just know that it can take two days, two weeks, even two months to adjust. You’re allowed to have as much time as you want to re-adjust. Don’t be worried if you feel a little behind from everyone else, because we’re all different. Just remember to take care of yourself first and foremost.
Don’t stay in – go out. Try some caramel apples from Aspen Leaf. Get a personalized pizza from Blaze Pizza. Sip on a white mocha from Java House. Enjoy the artwork along the walls in downtown Iowa City. Go out, enjoy yourself, and explore! The world is big and there’s so much to see. Why not start with the city we all love?
Xoxo,
Lizbeth
