Best Places to Eat with Parents

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My parents just visited me over Easter weekend, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite places to go with them!

  • Pullman Bar and Diner: 
    Pullman’s has really good food and is right downtown! I’ve only been for dinner, but I usually split a steak and fries with my mom and the banana foster bread pudding with my dad. 
  • Mickey’s Irish Pub:
    Is another restaurant that is downtown. It’s a super chill and nice place to grab a quick bite to eat. It also has a pretty large menu, so there are a lot of options. 

  • Big Grove Brewery:
    Big Grove Brewery is a fun place to go, especially if it’s warm enough to sit outside. The food is also super good.
     
  • Bluebird Diner: 
    Bluebird is super great for breakfast or brunch. It’s not necessarily downtown, but it’s just a walk away from the East side dorms, which is convenient. It’s usually pretty busy but I promise the food is worth the wait. 

  • The Encounter Cafe: 
    Encounter is another great option for breakfast or lunch. I’ve never heard anyone say they’ve had a bad item off their menu. There’s usually a line, but it moves quickly, and there’s usually plenty of seating. 

I hope you enjoy my recommendations!

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Rec Center Classes

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One of my New Year’s resolutions was to go to the classes offered at the rec center. The rec center has a variety of classes offered almost every day at various times. All students have access to the rec center and can participate in any of the classes offered, including yoga, cycling, pilates, and more. My friends and I decided on a class that looked fun and that we could all attend was Aqua Zumba on Friday evenings. As you can imagine, we are some of the few actual college students who attend, but there are lots of other Iowa City community members that we’ve met through Aqua Zumba. The class is super fun and definitely a good way to decompress after a long week. I highly recommend that every University of Iowa Student try a fitness class at least once!

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Mean Girls the Musical!

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I recently got the incredible opportunity to attend Mean Girls the Musical at the University of Iowa’s very own Hancher Auditorium. I’ve wanted to go to Mean Girls for years, but unfortunately, the show I had tickets to got canceled because of COVID. So when I saw that one of the tour stops was Iowa City, I knew I had to get tickets. I feel extremely lucky to have an incredible and professional venue only a few minutes away from me (I can literally see Hancher from my dorm). The show was incredible, and they even made some Hawkeye-specific jokes, which made it feel personal. I highly recommend that everyone attend a show at Hancher at some point if they can. I know I will definitely be going again.

-Simran

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Spring Is Here (well kind of)

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It’s the end of March, which means spring has finally arrived in Iowa City. After a FREEZING winter filled with ice storms and snow, it is finally warm enough to wear shorts again. The grass is also finally green again. Right before spring break, it was so warm that I studied for nearly all my exams outside. I was disappointed to come back from break to it being cloudy, cold, and rainy. It’s warm and sunny again as I’m writing this, but I know in a week it’s going to be back to cloudy fifty fifty-degree weather. I’m hopeful for some consistent warm spring weather in the weeks to come.

-Simran

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Undergraduate Research

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Getting involved in research as an undergrad student can seem daunting, but it really isn’t as complicated as it sounds. I started my role as a research assistant at a developmental psychology lab on campus this semester (spring of freshman year), but I feel like it’s never too early or too late to get involved. The first step is deciding what kind of research you want to get involved in. I’m a psychology major interested in developmental psych, so it naturally made sense to join a lab focusing on that.  To find opportunities that fit what you’re looking for, I recommend either going through the Office of Undergraduate Research or your advisor. You can even meet with a professor you think would have good recommendations (I met with my elementary psychology professor). You can also, of course, search for opportunities on your own, but I always like to get a second opinion. Once you find opportunities you’re interested in, you can fill out applications (which I honestly found to be the most challenging part of this process). Don’t get discouraged if you get rejected from labs; some might not be looking for many new people when you apply. Everything happens for a reason, and you’ll definitely be able to find an opportunity that is perfect for you!

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Snow!

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The Old Capitol covered in snow

 

I’ve always been a huge fan of snow. Growing up, my parents and I would drive to the mountains to go skiing during my winter break. I remember sitting in the backseat of our car, watching the snowflakes fall onto the windows as we got closer to our final destination. Watching the snow fall in Iowa City this February has been absolutely magical and has brought back that same excitement I felt as a kid. While snow means it is FRIGID outside, the beauty of campus covered in a blanket of white makes it worth it. The snow is melting now and the streets are covered in puddles, but I can’t wait until the next time it snows.

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College Assignment Tracker

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In college, there are tons of assignments from multiple classes that all use a different format to set up their course planner for the semester. It’s because of this that I like to make a spreadsheet with all my assignments for the semester. Making an assignment tracker sounds like a daunting task, but I promise it’s a lot easier than it sounds. 

  1. Create a Google spreadsheet (I’m sure there’s a way to do this in Excel too but I unfortunately lack those skills)
  2. Create two headers: “Assignments” and “Due Dates”
  3. Go through each course and write down all the assignments for the semester as well as their due dates. 
  4. Assign a color to each class (this makes it aesthetically pleasing)
  5. Select all the assignments and due dates (don’t forget to select the header row too)
  6. Click “Data” (it should be right below the title of the sheet)
  7. Click “Sort range” and then “Advanced range sorting options”
  8. In the pop-up box, click “Data has header row” and then under “Sort by” click “Due Date” 
  9. Click “Sort” and voila, you have your semester assignment tracker!
  10. You can make a note of when you complete assignments by either using the strike-through or check box feature

Screenshot of my assignment spreadsheet - color coded columns with assignment and due date.These are just the basic steps to do it, but I like to organize mine even more by adding in my tests/quizzes, too, and bolding them with red text so they stand out. I also like to make a box around the week I am currently on so I don’t get overwhelmed by future assignments. I still check the course planners once a week to make sure due dates haven’t changed and update accordingly but I have found this spreadsheet so helpful in mapping out my week and even getting ahead on assignments. 

I hope this helps!

-Simran 

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New Year’s Resolutions

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It’s a new year, which means the start of a new semester is upon us. I had an absolutely incredible first semester and I want nothing more than to make my second semester even better. So, here are some goals of mine to improve my college experience. 

Use My Flex Swipes

Like many other students, I didn’t make the most of my flex swipes. Flex swipes come with your meal plan and can be used at on-campus dining locations that aren’t the three main dining halls. My meal plan came with 75 flex swipes in addition to my regular dining hall meal swipes. At the beginning of the semester, I was frugal with my flex swipes because I thought 75 wouldn’t be enough to last me the whole semester. However, I was very wrong, and at the end of the semester, I had WAY too many and didn’t want them to go to waste. So, like every other student who had done the same, I raided the Clinton Street Market snack aisle and stocked up on enough chips and Powerade to last me all of next semester. I’ve learned my lesson and will definitely be using my flex swipes more regularly next semester. 

Go to Rec Center Classes

I’ve been to the rec center multiple times, but I’ve never attended any of the free workout classes they offer. I just looked at the website, and there are so many fun options to choose from that I can either go to alone or bring a group of friends to join me. 

Explore Iowa City/Coralville

I go into Iowa City’s downtown area quite often, but I usually go to the same few places. Next semester, I want to try new restaurants and coffee shops in addition to going to my favorites. I also want to go to Coralville since I’ve only been there a few times and know there is lots to do and explore there, too. 

-Simran 

 

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Traveling Home for The Holidays

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Since I live 1,885 miles from Iowa City (I Googled it), I always get asked how I deal with traveling. Even though it is so far, I haven’t had any issues, and travel days have been relatively simple (knock on wood). The Cedar Rapids Airport is only a 30-minute car ride from campus, and it is super easy to get an Uber to take you. People at the airport are super friendly and help to ensure your travel day goes smoothly. Once you get through security, there is a Java House pop-up (my favorite coffee shop in Iowa City) that I can never resist grabbing a pre-flight beverage. The airport only has 13 gates, and it only takes about 5 minutes to walk from one end of the terminal to the other, making it nearly impossible to miss your flight. Once you get on the plane, all you have to do is sit back and relax, which I usually do by watching a movie or taking a much-needed nap. I only have 1 connection either through Phoenix, Denver, or Chicago, and those are also pretty easy to navigate even though they are larger airports (just make sure to give yourself enough time). And in a quick 7-hour travel day, I am home for the holidays!

I hope everyone is enjoying spending time with their families and having some well-deserved time off!

-Simran 

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Surviving My First Ice Storm

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At the end of my first semester, I experienced what t is apparently classic Midwest weather: an ice storm. This is when it rains, but the temperatures are below freezing, so it immediately turns to ice when it hits the ground. This turned campus into a giant ice rink. While this sounds like fun, nobody had a pair of ice skates, so it was really just an inconvenience. Crossing the street between my dorm and Burge Market Place, which usually takes 30 seconds, took me a few minutes because I was scared of falling. I was eventually able to successfully make it to the other side (unlike some other people I saw). I think the real trick to surviving an ice storm is minimizing how much you go outside (stock up on microwaveable meals) and having a good pair of boots!

 

 

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