Everywhere I’ve Cried on Campus

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Everyone has bad days. Everyone cries.

Let’s take a look at where I have during my first semester of school.

  1. In my room (alone)
  2. In my room WITH roommate
  3. In the bathroom
  4. In the bathroom IN the shower
  5. Outside the medical college
  6. Inside student health care
  7. In the basement of Burge
  8. In my RA’s room (shout out Emily)
  9. Walking by the river
  10. In a study room

Stay tuned for semester #2!

Don’t be afraid to reach out and get help if you need it!!

And as always, sending love,

Sophia

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What I Was Most Nervous for and How It’s Going

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Hello Hawkeyes!

Hopefully, a future Hawkeye is reading this, and it brings you some peace about the uneasiness of college transitions.

I wanted to share some of the things I was MOST anxious about coming into college. And then now how they have panned out.

What I was most anxious about:

  1. Not being able to find my classes
  2. Not making any friends
  3. Missing home

And how it’s panned out after my first semester:

  1. You have plenty of time to walk out your class schedule prior to school start. Plus, Google Maps is a huge friend of mine. In the end, everything becomes second nature.
  2. You will make friends. You meet so many people, just based on proximity, Welcome Week, and the first couple of days. My advice is to also try to find a roommate with whom you can be friends, not just someone with whom you live.
  3. Missing home. This is different for everyone, but after the initial hump of not seeing my family, it got a lot better. You grow to enjoy the freedom and independence. And bonus, technology makes it super easy to stay connected.

I hope at least one of these experiences makes anyone who reads this feel a little better. It definitely isn’t always easy, but it’s 100% worth it.

Sending love,

Sophia

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Winter Break Celebrations

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I personally find great enjoyment in hearing about good things in other people’s lives.

I wanted to share some exciting moments from my break thus far. And I hope you’ll reflect on some of yours 🙂

  1. I got a new tattoo! If you want to check it out 🙂
  2. I’m going to Chicago for New Year’s Eve with my family!
  3. I got some shifts at my hometown job and made some money.
  4. I met up with my high school friend group!

I hope these were fun to hear!

Wishing everyone a great rest of the break,

Sophia

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Prepping for Spring Semester

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Hello Hawkeyes!

I hope everyone has been enjoying their well-deserved break.

I wanted to take a second, as the Spring semester is approaching, and talk about some ways I’m getting prepared for back to school.

  1. Resting! Not everything during break has to be productive. It’s important to rest, reflect, and recalibrate for the upcoming months.
  2. Check out what books you need for classes! Do you need to get it from the Hawk Shop, or will it be charged to your U-Bill
  3. Check out the scholarship portal. Open now, closing soon!
  4. Connect with friends :). A big part of college is mental, enjoy old company.

Best of luck to everyone!

Sending love,

Sophia

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Don’t Make Me Count to Three….

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The Winter season is fully upon us, as we’re quickly approaching Winter break.

My motivation is at an all-time low, and the idea of getting out of bed to walk to class, ESPECIALLY in the snow, is torture.

Here are some tips and tricks I’ve found to stay motivated ahead of finals.

  1. Wake up at a consistent time (helps give your body a consistent schedule)
  2. Give yourself things to look forward to (rewards are such an important part of our brain’s motivation pathway, and you deserve things for working so hard).
  3. Sleep enough and often (the only way things will get into your memory, PLUS it will give you motivation to get up and go to class!)
  4. Eat and drink plenty (pretty self-explanatory, but in order to be your best self, you have to nourish your body).
  5. Mix fun in with work (take breaks, do things with friends, enjoy life!)

I believe in us.

As always, #GOHAWKS and stay warm 🙂

Sophia

 

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How I’ve Built Community as A Freshmen

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I think one of my greatest fears as a freshman was that I wasn’t going to have any friends.

Actually, I know it was. I remember crying to my Mom about it the night before I left for school.

The transition and change can be so scary, so uncertain, especially if Iowa isn’t your hometown or state.

I’m here to assure you that building community is possible and easier than you think.

Here’s how I did it.

  1. Be outgoing during welcome week! Make friends with everyone you can. The friendships won’t ALL stay, but some definitely will!
  2. Knock on people’s doors/keep your door open during move-in! Everyone is SO friendly, 10/10 recommend.
  3. Join clubs, organizations, or any sort of group! Helps build friendships around shared interests.
  4. Talk to people in class 🙂

Iowa has a great community of people, and there are people for everyone.

Love,

Sophia

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Don’t Turkey Out

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Hello Hawkeyes!

As I’m writing this, it’s currently the Sunday before our last week of classes until Fall break.

One more week, or really 5 days at most.
Here’s your reminder, from one burnt-out student to another.

Don’t give up just yet.

You can still make it through the week, and it’s important to give it that one final push. That one last exam or two, quiz, or paper.

I have faith we can make it.

Best of luck,

Sophia

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Talk Dirty to Me (Not Actually): Keeping the Dorm Clean

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I think one of the biggest stressors my mom had before moving me into school was my ability to keep my space and the shared dorm clean.

To make things clear, I am not a dirty person in general. Messy? Sure. But I think everyone can be.

Nonetheless, I heard her concerns and was grateful when she took me shopping for cleaning supplies.

Living on your own is a lot different than living in a house where your parents probably do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of chores and cleaning.

Here are some of (what I think to be) the key cleaning essentials for the dorm:

  1. Bleach wipes: they’re so multi-purpose and good for bacteria, get them.
  2. Dust spray/glass cleaner: the room gets dustier than you think! Also, if you have mirrors, you’ll want to clean them.
  3. A vacuum/or broom: Especially for rugs. If a hard floor is more your style, a broom is the way to go.
  4. Tide pen!: This is so important, and I have used it all the time. Stains for clothes pop up way more than you’d expect.

Obviously, there is much more, depending on your living situation, and what you and your roommate(s) decide. But I hope you found these tips to be helpful.

As always, Go Hawks!

Sophia

 

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My Favorite Ways to Treat Myself During Midterms

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Midterms are here, and I know I’ve been feeling the weight of them.

Studying, taking tests, getting scores back, just to repeat the process every week, if not every day.

Exhausting.

Here are some of my favorite ways I like to treat myself during this time!

  1. Yotopia – Go get some froyo by yourself or with friends!
  2. Eat out at your favorite restaurant or fast-food chain around campus.
  3. Go shopping! Take a bus to the Coralville Mall.
  4.  Take a nap! Super simple, but always a good choice.
  5. Do something you enjoy for a study break, you deserve it 🙂

Even Hawkeyes need a break sometimes. Make sure you take care of both your physical and mental well-being.

Lots of love,
Sophia

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Studying With a Heavy Heart

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How do you study with a heavy heart?

The duality of college life, and how total our experience of living here is, means that life doesn’t slow down for you – even when you need it to.

Your classes don’t come to a halt when you have a bad day.

Or when you’re going through a breakup.

And the attendance policy certainly doesn’t care that homesickness feels more like heartache.

But there are ways to go about navigating this feeling, so let’s talk about it.

The most important part of your entire life, and entire experience here, should be you.

Full stop.

If you are going through a mental health crisis or a hard time, and it’s not getting easier.

Reach out to University Counseling, take a nap, take a warm shower, treat yourself to a meal outside of campus dining, call your parents, skip a class if you need it, or reach out for help.

Everyone here wants the best for you; everybody knows struggle in some shape or another. There is no shame in being vulnerable, especially during a hard time.

Take care of yourself, because you only have one you.

Lots of love,
and know that I’m right here with you,
Sophia

 

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