Growing up, I have always admired how welcoming the people are in the Midwest. I grew up in a suburb outside of Chicago and attended high school with over 3,000 students. No matter where I was, the community was always welcoming. I had built meaningful friendships and was inspired by many teachers there. Community has always been something I searched for and I found it at my high school through my journalism class and at the youth group at my local church.
That same feeling of community that I felt back home was presented to me at Iowa during the On Iowa! program. I was provided so many opportunities for me to get involved and interact with my fellow classmates. The week allowed me to meet people in my residence hall as well as those who have the same major as me.
Besides the people, I have also had the chance this week to explore the dining halls and buildings that the campus offers. One of the reasons why I chose to come to Iowa was because of the beautiful campus and access to downtown Iowa City. Having a Target near campus even though small, has been a real help when needing those life essentials I didn’t realize I needed before I started college.
My favorite On Iowa! activity was probably dancing at Hubbard Park at the Silent Disco. I was familiar with the concept because of social media but for those who don’t know, a silent disco is where people gather and wear headphones that play music instead of listening to music through speakers. At the Disco you had three different DJs playing music at the same time and the headphones allowed you to switch through the channels and adjust the volume. I spent the whole night changing channels because each DJ had songs that I enjoyed. There were times when me and my friends listened to the same DJ and other times we didn’t, but that was what made the experience so cool. No matter what DJ you were listening to, you still sang the lyrics and danced. I’m so glad that I was able to go because it was such an easy social experience that I loved and would do again.
Another On Iowa! event I attended was the Pitch Perfect movie night at the Iowa Memorial Union. I had seen the movie before but it was still enjoyable to watch. I loved how the audience and I reacted to the movie whether we clapped or laughed. After Pitch Perfect, a bunch of girls and I headed outside to the River Amphitheater where Thursdays on the Terrace was being held. That night they had students singing karaoke with a live band playing the song as well.
The next day my friends and I headed to Kickoff at Kinnick which took me by surprise. I was expecting all of us to sit in the bleachers and was looking forward to it after I had walked half a mile to get to the stadium but instead, we all gathered on the field. It felt surreal to be on the football field instead of in the audience. What I loved about the Kickoff was learning the Fight Song and shouting I-O-W-A in the different corners of the stadium. I was lucky enough to get the season tickets so I’m looking forward to game days.
The block I photo with the class of 2027 on Sunday was brutal. It was a hot day but in the end, the photo was worth it. Having that photo as a memory that I get to look back on will make the journey worthwhile. Struggling through exams will not compare to the simple discomfort I felt that day. I know I have bigger battles ahead of me, but I’m ready for it.
I have been lucky enough to have made some good friends so far and found communities that are welcoming me with open arms. Iowa is a school that wants its students to thrive and that might mean being uncomfortable. Whether it’s the 90-degree weather or studying for a midterm, it will all be worth it for the good memories that lie ahead.
