My Favorite Things at the University of Iowa

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Hello Hawkeyes!

I cannot believe the school year is almost over.

I’ve been taking some time to reflect on this year and my transition to school. And I wanted to share some of my favorite things about being a Hawkeye.

  1. The community. I know this is so broad, but I could not have imagined how kind and supportive everyone would be here, especially as someone out of state. There hasn’t been a single minute when I have not felt included or like I belong here.
  2. My roommate 🙂 who I will miss dearly, as she’s transferring next year. Take the time to try and find someone you think you’ll get along with; it makes a world of difference.
  3. My friends! I was so worried about making friends here, but I have met just the most amazing group of people. I couldn’t be more grateful.

I could go on and on, but I think I’ll save that for another day.

I hope you all are well and taking care of yourself in this final push.

Talk soon,
Sophia

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Almost Wrap Up

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As I sit in my dorm room, now filled to the brim with little relics of my life.

I could never have begun to imagine how fast my freshman year of college would go by.

Everything now seems like a blur, but there was so much anxiety and apprehension leading to this journey.

I remember the week leading up to moving in. How anxious and stressed I was about every single aspect of my current life. I remember packing up my parents’ car, unloading in a dorm room I had never seen before. There are so many memories I have yet to unpack, and I cannot believe that in just a few more weeks, I won’t ever step foot in this room again.

For all incoming freshmen here at UIOWA. I encourage you to take a deep breath, slow down, and soak every moment in.

It truly goes by so much faster than you think.

Much love,
Sophia

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#SpringBreak

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Hello Hawks!

I hope the break has been treating you all well. I’m enjoying my last days of sunshine and lesser responsibilities before heading back to Iowa.

I wanted to share a couple of things I’ve been missing from our college, to maybe help you transition back into the academic mindset.

  1. Seeing everyone in my dorm. There really is nothing quite like being surrounded by friendly faces.
  2. My roommate. Who else am I supposed to talk to at 2 am??
  3. All the downtown shops. Missing trying new cafes.
  4. The community! I’m always happy to be a hawk.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Much love,
Sophia

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What I Wish I Knew for My First Semester

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Hi everyone!

I cannot believe that it is already almost the end of my freshman year. People aren’t lying when they say that the time really does fly by.

For any incoming Hawkeyes (so exciting!), I wanted to share some things I wish I had known before my first semester here at Iowa.

  1. Football season tickets sell FAST. If you love the game and want season tickets, make sure to get on the portal right when they drop. But no worries if you can’t! Individual tickets are typically sold prior to the game on the Iowa Snapchat stories.
  2. If you don’t want to walk up/down “the hill”, there’s an elevator by the Catlett stairs that takes you up!
  3. Hillcrest is probably the best dining hall. But there are decent options anywhere!
  4. The people you get close with/hang out with in the first week, or even month, probably aren’t going to stick around. And that’s okay! You’ll meet plenty of people.
  5. You’re going to get sick. Bring meds, soup, anything that’ll make you feel at least a little bit more comfortable.

I hope these helped!

Much love,
Sophia

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Second Semester Scaries and How to Survive Them

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The second semester, especially now that it’s deep into the Winter, can be a hard time for anyone.

Less time outside, less daylight, more coursework, seasonal depression. All a cocktail for a call home at 9pm because you’re so burnt out and unbelievably stressed.

There are ways to combat this! Let’s talk about it.

  • The best way I’ve found personally is to make sure you set aside time to be with friends. Work on making social connections, not just school school school.
  • Additionally, make sure that you’re getting in enough exercise! Exercise can release endorphins, and make you feel SO GOOD! Even if it’s just a small 30-minute walk every day.
  • Get support! You are never alone, even if it feels like you have no one. Talk to your friends, parents, teachers, and counselor. Anyone is better than suffering alone.

Sending lots of love and hope for a warmer season,

Sophia

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How I Celebrated My Birthday at Iowa

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Happy start of the week to everyone!

I wanted to start this week and month with some happy and exciting news. It was just my birthday! Now 19, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that I got up to here in Iowa.

  1. Went to PetLand to pet puppies! Would 100% recommend this if you haven’t been already. It’s free, everyone is really welcoming, and the dogs are adorable.
  2. Got Dunkin! Everyone deserves a special treat on their birthday. I would highly recommend the Valentine’s Day menu.
  3. Spent time with friends 🙂
  4. Called my parents!! It’s hard being away from home, especially on birthdays, but this helped me feel a lot closer to them.

Happy birthday to all my Aquarius babies out there,

Sending lots of love and birthday candles.

Sophia

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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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