Nik

Campaigning has begun for University of Iowa Student Government senate positions! I am currently an At-Large Senator, and I would like to retain my position. There are two parties this year, which is sort of a new thing. This provides an exciting opportunity for all of us senators as well as the other candidates. This time of year we really try to get our names out there and make sure everyone knows that we are the candidate who deserves their vote. I really am having fun with this, because I have met so many people throughout the year, and even though most of them are not in UISG, I know that they will be voting during the election process. I think it is great that people get so involved, because who they decide to vote for really will make a difference in campus life for all students.

I’ve had a great time campaigning so far, and I can’t wait to see the outcome! I highly recommend involvement in UISG, it has been an eye opening experience. I now see how students can truly impact the university, and even if I don’t retain my position, I will continue to support UISG.

Hopefully later I will be able to post some pictures from our Freeze Mob!:D

Spanish at the University is really strange. This is my first semester and I tested into Intermediate I. It is a “hybrid” course, so basically on top of the homework you get in class and the homework you get outside of class, you have to do online work. It all seems a little much to me, but I guess that is why it is a 5 credit hour course. I’ve been working really hard to keep my head above water in this class. I know my Spanish isn’t quite as good as others in my class, so it puts me at a slight disadvantage and I have to make up for it with extra effort. Other than that, my classes are going quite well. I’m in Acting and Ballet this semester, which are both pretty interesting. I am even thinking about auditioning for a show in the fall.

On another note, last week’s basketball game was crazy. My parents came to visit, and my sister was at the game too. The last few minutes were so crazy and then everyone piled on to the court. Definitely a cool U of I experience, I can’t wait to rush the football field next fall. 😉

I still haven’t heard back about RA positions. I’m patiently waiting, but it is getting rather difficult, I should know by the end of this week! I’ll keep you updated. 🙂

A few weeks ago I entered into the RA application process, and I was admitted to the seminars. They were really interesting and we talked about all sorts of different things, from leadership to diversity, and we got to play a bunch of weird games to develop teamwork and synergy. So I have been having a blast doing RA seminars and I ended up getting to the interview process, which was also fun. Now I have to wait until March 2nd to hear back about the results. I’m so nervous! I just wish they could tell us right away, but obviously they need time to look through the candidates and choose the best ones. I really hope I get the position, because it will be a great way to make a huge impact on student life here on campus. My RA was great this year, and I hope I get the chance to help students next year like mine did for me. Wish me luck!!!

Getting back into the swing of things is a little bit difficult. I mean, I am trying to reprogram my brain for the amount of things I have to do in the day and not make it be overwhelming. It is also exciting though, to know that I can accomplish so much. And to add on to staying above water, right now I am really trying to decide on a major. It is really difficult, because I want to get out in 3 years, if possible, and I want to get a degree in something useful. My adviser has been really great about working with me. We are narrowing down possible career fields and majors, and next week I am going to go in and hopefully pick one. It seems so weird that this small decision will affect the rest of my life enormously. A little bit unnerving in fact, but not too bad. Hopefully I pick something good!

This post deserved all capital letters.  I’m so glad to be back, I’ve missed Iowa City like crazy, not to mention all of my friends. Everyone is getting back tonight. Finally we will be reunited haha. Just hit up Hamburg Inn, which is an Iowa City favorite, and now I’m going to go for a swim at the CRWC. This semester’s goal is to stay in shape haha. I’ll post pictures later of my friends and me tonight!:D

Wow, break has been great. I got to meet up with a bunch of friends who I haven’t seen in what seems like forever. I got to eat a ton of delicious food, and got to just relax. Sounds perfect right? But there is such thing as too much of a good thing. I live in a town of 800 and while rural life is great, it can get boring. Especially when most of your friends from high school had shorter breaks than you did. I’ve been lazing around watching movies all week, and frankly I’m ready to get back to classes. I just feel like I am doing nothing because I was so used to being busy.

Soon enough I will be back at IOWA and having fun again.  I can’t wait! 🙂

I encourage any and all people to put forth a great effort into studying for finals. Not to say I did not do my fair share of studying, but I did not quite receive the grades I was wishing for. My friends assure me that it is okay though, and I get by with a little help from my friends. I’ve used this GPA calculator about a million times now, trying to figure out what my GPA for this first semester will be. I should be fine, as long as there are no curve-balls. In all seriousness, I would suggest studying at least 2 weeks in advance for finals. I didn’t and I really do regret it now. Oh! And go to office hours, I went like the past week to 3 or 4 of them, and they are so useful, especially in Chemistry. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Well I think that is all, I am officially on break, Over and Out!

One thing that the University does not lack is opportunity. I mean they are always looking to employ students, and there are just weird ways to make money and do fun things for free here. For instance: One of my friends told me they had $155 hawk dollars left today, and I was like, “what?” Because you only start with $100 dollars each semester. Then she told me about how her roommate signed up to be one of the tour rooms and they give the residents $25 dollars each time they use the room for a tour, which is pretty awesome.

Free Stuff: There are like 15 free t-shirts I have received and there’s always cool free things to do at the University. Tonight I am going to the IMU to play some awesome Glow In The Dark Laser Tag  hosted by Campus Activities Board, and I went to a really cool poetry jam the other night in Public Space I. Free stuff is always nice when you have no money. 😉

Opportunity also exists in classes, and I am going to write about one in particular. I found out about the opportunity to take a first semester course called “President’s Leadership Class” around this time last year and I applied. I didn’t exactly know what it was, but it sounded really interesting, because one of the people who teach the course is President Mason. I was selected for this course. When I came to the first day of class, I met all of my classmates, who came from entirely different backgrounds, but were all selected for their excellence in leadership. We met President Mason and several other high ranking University staff members within our first two weeks at the University. Just being given the opportunity to meet President Mason was amazing, not to mention her teachings on leadership. Tara Edberg and Kelly Jo Karnes also taught the class, and I can say that they were equally well informed and passionate about leadership. After a semester of getting to know these amazing people, I feel like I have developed some great relationships. Right now I am off to meet with President Mason regarding her being a reference for another application of mine. None of this would be possible if I hadn’t decided to apply last year. I am so grateful for being a part of this class and I highly recommend this great opportunity.

What is this strange word that everyone is so afraid of? Finals. It seems so simple, it is just a comprehensive test, but there is that word comprehensive. I am supposed to remember everything that we have done over the entire semester? I don’t think any amount of studying is going to help me do that. This will be my first crack at finals, and as of right now I’m more excited than nervous. Maybe it is because I just finished up my RA application and finished a bunch of homework so I am in a good mood. Maybe it is because I had to stay up until 3 am to finish it. Whatever the case, I’m not quite ready for these “finals” yet, but when the day comes, that chemistry exam is going to wish it never heard of a kid named Nik. (I hope everyone else is keeping a positive attitude!)

So Thanksgiving is coming up, which means, I’m home. Which means my sister and I have been on the couch watching TV for about 12 hours… my mother cooking us delicious meals and doing our laundry. That woman is a saint, I swear. When I went to college I kind of forgot that lazy days are real. It is nice to get back into the swing of it. I slept like 10 hours last night, which is probably more than I got the 3 days before that. Now, this is probably going to be my laziest day… I do have to actually accomplish some things over break! Oh, which reminds me, I am now a working man.

I went into Hollister last week and they asked me to interview, so I did today and they told me I got the job. I will be working through break. I think Hollister will be a cool environment. I’ve never worked in retail before so maybe it will be fun, plus I love talking to people and I guess that is pretty much my job now. 🙂 I hope everyone’s break is going as well as mine.