The University of Iowa isn’t what I thought it would be

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Senior me would be shocked if she saw me right now. You see, for the longest time, I absolutely refused to commit to Iowa. As someone who grew up in Iowa City, I was so interested in going to college in other places… in fact, I literally thought I was going to go to the University of Toronto until the last week of April! It’s safe to say I was an Iowa hater. And why? For no reason other than I felt that I belonged somewhere outside of the state. I even did my research, visited the school campus, and received a scholarship, but none of this seemed to sway me. For some reason that I cannot explain today, the University of Iowa seemed like an option I could never take.

After weighing out the pros and cons of the two schools I had narrowed my choices down to (Iowa vs. Toronto), I reluctantly decided Iowa made more sense out of the two. Fast-forward to today and I’m so glad I decided to attend Iowa. I feel that it really was the best choice I could’ve made (especially when I think about how cold it will get up in Toronto). The reasons why I stand the way I do now are endless, but here’s my best go at it:

The people! Iowa really does fall in line with the Midwest stereotype that everyone here is friendly. As a local to Iowa City, I’ve always known what the community and culture are like, but I was never quite sure what it would be like in college. I’ve heard from friends that they feel like the environment here is much more welcoming than the ones they had back in their hometowns. Most people I’ve met in the short span of this first semester have been friendly and open to talking to me.

And the people here tie into the culture. Maybe it was because I didn’t live downtown, but before coming to university, I never quite realized how alive the social scene is here at Iowa. Let me just say it’s thriving. The university does a great job at creating and promoting on-campus events throughout the week. On top of that, weekends are always filled with groups of students hanging out either in the dorms or places downtown. There’s never a dull moment if you look for things to do. Certain dorms also have a liveliness to them. As a resident of Burge, I see students daily going from room to room, filling the halls with voices. While this may not be ideal for some people, I like the feeling of community this dorm creates.

Most importantly, your college experience at Iowa is what you make of it. This university provides you every opportunity to go out and do whatever it is you want to do. If you are looking for a challenge academically, many classes require that you work hard but not to the point where you become unnecessarily exhausted. No matter your interests, there is surely a group or organization that fits you. The community makes it easy to meet people as there is always something to do and social engagement is widely encouraged.

All-in-all, I feel really happy here. I’ve met so many incredible people, but because I’ve been so close to home, I’ve still kept up with some of the relationships I had before high school. I was surprised when I first moved into the dorms at how different living downtown feels compared to my home in the countryside. It’s been the perfect distance away from home to become more independent and experience a fresh, new environment while still having my family nearby. My classes have been difficult (especially Intro to Behavioral Neuroscience), but I’ve found a good balance between my devotion to academics and my social life. I guess all this is to say I’m glad I decided to go to Iowa.

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Finals are coming up… here are some study tips for those who don’t know where to start

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In the transition from high school to college, I had to tweak my study habits to find what brought me the most academic success at the collegiate level. I kept some of the same strategies that I used in high school, while also adding in new ones I thought would be helpful (and they were… by a lot!). As a Neuroscience major who has gotten A’s on nearly all my exams thus far in the semester, I feel that I have figured out what strategies work best for me. Here you’ll find what I consider to be the most helpful strategies for myself, and while everyone learns differently, I hope that you’ll find some of them to be helpful too.

1. Plan out your schedule using a planner

While I use Microsoft Outlook to manage most of my monthly plans, nothing is as efficient as a physical planner for completing daily tasks. This is probably a personal preference, but I feel that having a planner in which I can write my agenda for the day and visually see it next to my work helps me stay more on-task. If done the right way, a planner can be a powerful organizational tool to tackle procrastination. In the past, I would only write down what homework I planned on completing for the day. But recently I’ve learned to make the most out of it, writing out not only what I plan on getting done but also at what times and to what extent. Since I’ve begun doing this, I’ve seen an increase in my productivity and focus. And my best advice: find a planner that makes you want to use it — one that you feel is the right fit for you. Don’t be boring and use a spiral notebook… spice it up!

2. READ THE TEXTBOOK

As much as I wish it weren’t true, textbooks are your best friend. Teachers recommend you read them for a reason. However, whether they are worth the pain of dedicating hours to reading depends on the class. In my experience, I have found them to be helpful for content-heavy classes in which I am required to memorize a lot of information. While what you read may seem redundant to what is taught in the lecture, it oftentimes helps clarify what is being taught and makes concepts brought up in class simpler to understand. This will put you at an advantage compared to other students when it comes time to take the exam.

Reading the textbook is one thing, but you must make sure you are actively reading to truly understand the material. I do this by having a multi-step note-taking process (that makes it sound scarier than it actually is). Before writing anything down, I read a particular section or paragraph and highlight any key ideas. After doing this, I see what I retained and write it down in the form of short notes before revisiting the highlighted parts and taking note of any extra information that should be written down. Make diagrams when necessary, and use headlines and visual aids to group notes of the same concept together.

3. Play the teacher’s role

Nothing helps you to check your understanding better than explaining concepts to another person. Studies have also shown that those who study by teaching tend to perform better and develop long-term retention of the material. By speaking out loud what you know and making it comprehensible to another person, you are identifying key concepts as well as what you may still need to work on. Even if there is no one for you to talk to, talking out loud and “teaching” yourself has been proven to be an effective study method.

4. Make a study guide for classes that rely on memorization

If I had to put all my bets on one studying method, it would be this one. I swear by study guides, especially when it comes to my STEM classes. Why do I think study guides are so helpful? For one, they help simplify and organize dense lecture content, so that if there are hundreds of slides to memorize, the material can be condensed down to just the key ideas in one spot of your study guide. In addition to selecting information that is significant enough to be written down, I also like to use colored pens to divide sections according to different concepts. While it may seem like a lot of work, all this helps you to visually organize the information better, which helps with recall later on. Plus, I find it more fun than rereading notes over and over again!

5. Give yourself a break every 40 minutes to an hour

As my neuroscience professor once said, classes shouldn’t last more than an hour because it is difficult for the human brain to remain attentive for so long. We all have heard before that taking breaks while studying is important, but how often do you really take them? Do you tend to tend to lose track of time and push through hours of work or do you find yourself on your phone after 15 minutes? Reflecting on the amount of time you study may help you improve your habits so that you can study more effectively. Dedicate a set amount of time to focusing on your work, knowing that once you finish, you will have a break. Doing so can help prevent procrastination but also allow your mind to refresh so that you absorb the most information you can.

6. Use resources beyond the classroom

While your teacher may have provided you with a study guide, practice problems, and such, it’s important to remember that the Internet gives you access to tons of other resources. Students put out Quizlets, Kahoots, notes of their own, and many other resources, oftentimes specific to the course you are taking (just look up the name of your course and what type of resource you are looking for). A website I’ve referred a lot to when studying for exams is Studocu.com, where students put out notes and review material for different courses. If you’re confused about a concept, one of the easiest ways to understand it is by looking up explanations. If you need help structuring your essay, you could refer to AI generators like ChatGPT (not to write your essay for you but to give you suggestions on how you could improve it). There’s tons of information out there at your disposal, use them!

7. Treat yourself and get in the grind.

If you’re lacking motivation to stay focused, one of the things I find the most helpful is rewarding myself for studying. We all need that little extra push to work hard sometimes, and having something to look forward to is a great way to motivate you. This could take the form of a coffee (the classic studying experience), having a study sesh with a friend, or doing something enjoyable once you’re done.

 

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The Truth About Mayflower and Burge: Comparing Two Opposite Ends of the Dorm Experience

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Out of all the dorms, Mayflower and Burge might have the most well-known reputations. We’ve all heard how removed Mayflower is from central campus and how Burge is the party dorm. As someone who just moved from Mayflower to Burge, I am here to tell you the insider-knowledge on what living in each dorm is really like.

But before we jump in, I should point out that these are my experiences, based on what floor I’ve lived on. Experiences might differ on another floor, so I can only speak from what I’ve seen around my own room. For me, this means the sixth floor of Mayflower and the fifth floor of Burge.

Mayflower

I have a love-hate relationship with Mayflower, as I’m sure is the same for many of the residents who live there. The huge, eight-story building looks out at the Iowa River, distancing its residents from the rest of campus. Because of this, the Mayflower community stands on its own, brought closer by the distance experienced by everyone.

The environment at Mayflower definitely fits the Mayflower stereotype. Mayflower has more of an apartment feel than that of a dorm. Whether because of the location or some other reason, the energy is low and the halls are typically quiet with all doors closed. For any light sleepers, this means they will sleep unbothered by the shouting that often occurs in other dorms (i.e., Burge).

The rooms come with ample space for furniture, decorations, and even extra room beyond that. They’re relatively large compared to the other undergraduate dorms. In addition to the rooms, small kitchens divide every two bedrooms, fully equipped with a fridge, oven, and stove. How this hasn’t set off more fire alarms, I’m not sure. But if you are into cooking or baking, this is a great deal that Mayflower offers. Along with a shared kitchen, there is also one bathroom shared by two adjoining rooms. I found this to be very convenient compared to Burge’s public bathrooms, where privacy is much more modestly given.

Because of the way Mayflower is set up like an apartment, residents have the advantage of experiencing a more exclusive, independent lifestyle. Mayflower is a great choice for those who enjoy a quieter environment where they carry more “adult” responsibilities such as preparing meals and maintaining their own space.

As expected with a dorm located so far away from the central part of campus, Mayflower comes with its own set of problems. The largest one for me when I lived there was the bus system. Oftentimes, the bus will come later than the Transit app expects it to, and many students have run into problems with arriving to class on time. On some days, it took me half an hour to arrive at class. It can be hard to predict when to head down to the bus stop, where sometimes you will be waiting for over 15 minutes while other times it will arrive early. For this reason, I highly recommend that Mayflower students have some other mode of transportation. Once I had access to my bike, I never went back to using the bus system.

Burge

One thing I immediately noticed upon moving into Burge is how much more lively it is. When they say Burge is a party dorm, they’re not wrong. It’s not uncommon for there to be groups of people talking in the hallways at 2 a.m. on a Thursday night. If there’s an open door present, people will often pop in to say hello. Overall, Burge is a bit crazy, but the environment is friendly.

While I love the energy of Burge, one thing I do miss from Mayflower is the privacy it offers. In Burge, the rooms are a typical dorm size and often occupied by three people, so spacing can be quite tight. The public bathrooms make showering more difficult, but fortunately, the floors are divided by gender, which can make walking the hallway with only a towel less embarrassing (as many people do).

The location is arguably the best part about Burge. For most undergraduates who have classes on the East side, living in Burge makes the trip to class easy and time-efficient. While at Mayflower I had to leave 25 minutes in advance for class, it now only takes me 5 minutes to get to some classes. This has by far been the greatest selling point about Burge. Its location is in the heart of campus, situated between the other dorms, the chemistry building, and the Pomerantz Career Center. Along with that, it also has a dining hall, which makes it easier to get meals when on a time crunch.

Conclusion

Whether Mayflower or Burge is better is based on personal preference. For me, I have found Burge to fit more of my preferences. I love the welcoming energy that can be found here and the close proximity to every place I go. However, those who are looking for a dorm that gives them more independence may find that Mayflower suits them better. From the kitchen and bathroom to the floor layout, it feels much more like an apartment. All-in-all, there are definitely great aspects to be found about both dorms.

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Things I Wish I Knew Heading into My First Year at Iowa

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Much like many other students out there, I have spent my whole life preparing for this moment. The moment when I wave my family goodbye and enter this new chapter of my life called College. The moments that lead up to this transition are all about preparation: considering what major to pursue, dedicating hours of work to create the perfect essay, filling out Financial Aid forms, submitting scholarship applications… the list goes on and on. And yet, this elaborate process can never fully prepare you for college. There are still so many things that remain to be mentioned. So, I’ve decided to make my own list of advice I wish someone would have told me before I moved in at the start of this academic year:

1. OnIowa is not the only week you have to make friends

Being idealistic, I went into On Iowa! thinking I would find many of my friends in that first week. While for some students, this may be the case, I quickly learned that this is not always true. In fact, it can be more difficult to find the people you click with in that first week due to the fact that you are surrounded by people of all varying interests. While it still is only the beginning, I’ve already started to notice that most of my friendships stem from the classes and extracurriculars I’m doing. I would say, don’t stress out if you don’t find “your people” right away. Trusting the process means letting things happen when the time is right, without forcing anything to occur. We aren’t all on the same timeline, so the amount of time it takes one person to find their place at this university will not be the same as the amount of time it takes for you to do the same.

2. The library isn’t always the best study space

While the library certainly is reliable when it comes to having a quiet place to study, I’ve found that it hasn’t always been the place where I focus the best. Depending on your preferences, switching up your study space may actually make your study sessions more interesting, and thus you’ll be more efficient. At a university as large as the University of Iowa, there are tons of lesser-known study spaces that might work better for you. I’m still searching for them, but if you’re reading this, you get to be in on my favorite place to study that literally no undergraduates know of (or as far as I’m aware): the fourth floor in the Pomerantz Career Center. Depending on the weather, you can choose to either sit indoors in a small, quiet room or outdoors on a peaceful balcony overlooking Iowa City. Anyway, that’s been my favorite study spot so far, but there are of course so many other places to go, such as the Poindexter Cafe (another one of my favorites). This leads me to my next point…

3. Want to save money on coffee? Go to the Poindexter Cafe

First, let me clarify that this is not an ad. I just think this is a really great hack. While my suitemates and I were on a coffee crawl during OnIowa week, we learned that the Poindexter Cafe offers students a year-long coffee membership for unlimited refills of nearly any drink on the menu. Although the price is steep, at $100, if you find one or two people to split the price with, this could be a great way to save money. This deal comes in the form of a plastic coffee cup, which simply has to be handed to the barista to “purchase” your order. Highly recommend!

4. Record your lectures

Depending on the class, the professor will cover a lot of information not mentioned on the slides. Not only this, but they will go at a pace too fast for you to write down and comprehend everything all at once. This is where your phone comes in! There are plenty of apps out there that are dedicated specifically to recording lectures, and I’ve found this to be one of my most useful study tools. By doing this, you can go back to parts of the lecture where you missed content or listen to a lecture while you’re on the go.

5. You probably will miss home more than you think

With all the new faces, unrecognizable places, and stressors that come with college, chances are there will be parts of home that you’ll quickly realize you miss. This may be your parents, your close friends, your dog, your room (that you had all to yourself), etc. If you are feeling this way so early on, you are just one of many college students, and the best remedy is time… and FaceTime. One of the biggest things that has helped me push through the difficulties of transitioning into college has been keeping in touch almost daily with those that I miss, whether that be through video calls, group chats, or other forms of communication. College is all about starting a new chapter of your life, but not starting an entirely new life. No one should expect you to adjust to college right away. The transition from the life you were used to to the life you have here is a bumpy road, and if you miss the things present in your life before, that is totally okay (and honestly, expected). While it hasn’t even been a month yet, I already am noticing that my homesickness has lessened as I’ve settled in more. Adjusting is something every student will undergo, but the amount of time that takes will vary.

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