Andi

It’s that time if the semester when I hit a wall…

It’s not the beginning, but its not the middle. It’s that awkward middle stage. And to be honest, it leaves me at a loss of words on what to blog about! I’m not stressing out about anything really. I was not a participant in the ever so successful Dance Marathon, and I don’t really have any major events coming up. I’m currently sitting in the River Room in the IMU searching for something to do between classes, especially since I’m homework-less.

But I guess if there’s anything I have to talk about it’s the fact hat I will be joining the Dance Club. Which, lucky for me, requires no previous dance experience. The reason I decided to join was:

1. A lot of my friends are joining
2. I need something to occupy myself with during the Marching Band off-season
3. It will be a good workout because for me running on a treadmill can get a little tedious.

Other than that, there is not much excitement for me right now. But soon enough I’ll be having many sorority events to participate and attend, along with the Hawkeye Marching Band Banquet this Friday!

The days of winter break and lounging about at home are over. Back to a life of classes and not sleeping-in everyday. Don’t get me wrong, I love being at school, but the one thing I miss is an over-abundance of sleep!

After this first week back at school, I’m still trying to readjust to my schedule. Not to mention that my schedule is now altered a bit. My  first class of the day may start an hour later, at 9:30, but in my head that’s an excuse for staying up one hour later…

Another adjustment to being back at school? Homework. But that’s quite obvious. Over break I led a life of leisure; I’d get up when I felt like it, lounge about in sweats all day, eat out more than I should, watch movie after movie, and in simple terms, just be lazy. Being back at Iowa I have to wake up to my alarm, eat dorm food, walk everywhere, and stay on top of my homework. After being away for a month its a slight shock to my system. But now that I’m back, I’m trying to dive back in full force and start this semester off on a good note. I’m trying new note-taking techniques, I’ve organized the files in my computer into different folders, and I’m taking my time looking for cheaper books instead of just going straight to the bookstore.

Goal for this semester? Slow down a bit, take my time, and be more organized in all aspects of my life here at Iowa.

Today was the first day of my second semester at Iowa. And to say the least, it had its panic moments.

My first class was 9:30am “Interpretation of Literature” which is just in the English-Philosphy Building (EPB), so I found that easily. My other two classes, on the other hand, are all the way out in the Studio Arts building. There is a cambus route that does go out to the building which is quite convenient.

But my panic moment when it came to finding out what time the bus came. My first instinct was to check ebongo.org which has all the routes and times. Simple right? Not. I checked the Studio Arts schedule and it said “No Buses Running Currently.” So being me, I FREAKED OUT. All I could think was “how am I going to get to my classes?” Luckily after many text messages, calls, and Facebook messages I was informed of a new bus route.

Since the Art Building West has reopened, the bus route now also goes that direction and does not show up on my EBONGO phone application. Luckily there was a news post that gave all the bus times and I was able to get to the bus stop at the right time.

But overall I think I’m going to have a great semester. I’m excited to finally start classes that go towards my major. But my goal is to still complete all my general education requirements!

As a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band, I was given the unbelievable opportunity to travel to Tempe, Arizona and perform at the Insight Bowl where our very own Hawkeyes faced off against Oklahoma. Unfortunately the Hawks lost 31-14, but I’ll never forget my very first trip to a bowl game.

For me, the trip to Arizona was like a break within a break. Winter break is roughly about a month long, which for me, is quite a while to be apart from all the great friends I’ve made during my short time at Iowa. So being able to travel and perform together in Arizona in the middle of that break was like a whole other vacation. Not to mention the warm Arizona weather was quite the bonus! I can’t say that I would ever complain about walking outside barefooted and in shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of December!

Although it was a loss, the bowl is something I’ll never forget. The time I spent with friends, and the people I met are something that will stay with me for a long time to come. Attending the University of Iowa and auditioning to be in the Hawkeye Marching Band are two of the best decisions I’ve made in my life thus far.

Beautiful view during the flight"Tenor Tower"Tenor Saxophone Section

These past few months concluded a very successful first semester of my time here at Iowa. I may have only had one final this semester, but I won’t forget the stressful studying, millions of flashcards, procrastination, being handed the final, and having that sinking feeling that no matter how hard I tried I still failed that final. But after receiving my final grades this past week I’m beyond happy to report that my first semester was quite the successful one!

Once I got home after finals week I’m pretty sure I checked ISIS everyday for my grades, or Hawkmail for an email from my professor telling me she finished grading. Finally this past week the grades were posted, and my GPA completely surpassed my expectations! All that stressing out was well worth the happiness and sense of relief I got when I checked my grades. I’m still getting the hang of not procrastinating so much, but I think finals week definitely helped me quite a bit!

My advice to any future freshman out there:

Studying at the collegiate level is quite different from high school. So when it comes to studying, don’t put it off until finals. Throughout the semester try to periodically review class material. It will help you retain the information longer, and better!

There are only a few more days until finals. aka: CRUNCH TIME!

Being a freshman this period of time is new to me. Sure I had finals, but we usually spent the last week of classes reviewing, and not learning new material up to the last official day of class! To say the least, I’m a little intimidated. I personally may only have one final, but it is still my hardest class which freaks me out! Another well known fact about me? I can be quite the procrastinator.

No matter how scary finals can be here are a few tips I’ve found helpful while trying to study. These may not work for everyone, but they sure work for me!

1. Study somewhere other than your room. There are way too many distractions and it’s easy to lose focus.

2. Set aside specified study time. Think of it like a class, and just try to pump out at least an hour of productivity.

3. Take a break. 24/7 studying will only stress you out more. It’s ok to see your friends at least for a little while to decompress.

4. Sleep. This is probably one of the most important tips. Without sleep, how can you expect to focus and retain your studies?

5. Shut Down the computer. If you don’t need it for that class, don’t even turn it on. You’ll just end up trolling facebook.

6. Study with a friend. If you’re both willing to study and get things done, odds are you’ll just motivate each other!

7. Flashcards are your friend. They may take awhile to make, but once you have them they’re great to study-on-the-go!

8. Study during the day. Having a well lit room can help you focus more and possibly prevent you from dozing off…

9. Wear comfy clothes. Sure everyone likes to look nice, but be comfortable if you’re going to study for a long period of time.

10. Take time to read your notes. You took them for a reason. Don’t just depend on the textbook.

These are just my own personal tips that help me study. They may not work for everyone, but it’s worth giving them a shot if you find yourself having a tough time studying. There are also lots of other ways to try and study that aren’t mentioned here! If none of these work for you, I’m sure Google can help you out! (LOL)

So when I got up yesterday, it was like any other day. I rolled out of my bed, put on my Hawkeye slipper sneakers and opened the window. Usually opening the curtain is no big deal, just the same old parking lot and basketball court. But not today! Today there was SNOW! The first snow to be exact!

I’m personally not one to enjoy cold weather, but something about having snow on the ground changes things. I feel like when that fluffy white stuff comes there’s finally a REASON for it to be so cold! Also the fact that it’s the FIRST snow changes things. It’s the first time you physically see a change in season, and not just feel it.

The only thing about this new-found weather I’m not enjoying is the trek across the river. If you follow my blog, you would know that I live in Slater Hall, which is on the West side of the river, and the majority of my classes take place on the East side. I’m not one to take the bus either. I enjoy my walks and I’m going to try my best to keep walking this winter to avoid the over-crowded Cambuses.

I can’t wait to come back after winter break to see a beautiful snow covered University of Iowa.

View from my window in Slater Hall (only backwards because I took this picture from my laptop)

Thanksgiving break has finally rolled on in! For me this is the very first time I’ve visited home since moving in on August 15th. So to say the least, it’s been awhile…

I have mixed feelings being home. I’m so happy to be here, yet it no longer feels like home. Because besides my family, and a select few friends I still have in my hometown, pretty much my entire life revolves around Iowa City. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! I LOVE Iowa City and the University of Iowa, to be honest it kind of saddened me to leave! Because of my hectic Hawkeye Marching Band schedule I never had time to visit home, and the one or two weekends I did I found myself not willing to put in the effort to get a bus ticket home. So now that I’m home, it just feels weird…

High School was not the best experience for me, and I only retained a few friends from it now that I’m in college. That being said majority of my friends are now at Iowa, and their hometowns are still in the state of Iowa! So obviously I won’t be able to see them over this break. But even though I won’t see them for a week it’s nice to have a break to just sit and relax and not be running around at all hours of the day! My two homes are opposites of each other. Illinois is relaxed, and very familiar, while Iowa is new and different, and is bursting at the seams. It’s nice to have a little of both.

This Thanksgiving I’m most thankful for just being back “home.” I’m so thankful to be back with my actual family instead of my “band family.” I love them both, but it’s nice to have a break and to sleep in my own bed, and cuddle with all my pets!

Obviously by the title, last weekend was my first Family Weekend!

Since moving in to Iowa a few months ago I have yet to go back home for a visit, and this is only the second time my parents have come to visit me! So to say the least, I was quite excited. My parents signed up for the whole Parent’s Weekend package, which include tickets to see the magician Mike Super, a brunch before the football game, and Casino Night at the IMU. But unfortunately marching band threw a monkey wrench into everything. I had to leave the magic show early, I couldn’t go to the brunch due to our early morning game day practice, and then although nothing conflicted with Casino Night, I did not find it to be very enjoyable. But my favorite part was probably the football game (despite our loss to Michigan State). I was ecstatic to finally have my parents see me perform. It’s something I’ve been waiting for all season. They could see all my pictures on Facebook, but it was nice to finally have them there, and to physically see me in my uniform.

Overall I think my Family Weekend was successful, but as much as I love the Hawkeye Marching Band, I would’ve enjoyed some more time with my parents.

Although this is not parent’s related, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to Laura (middle left). She is a senior year and this was her last season as a member of the HMB, and the game against MSU was her last home game where she would perform in historic Kinnick Stadium. Even though I’ve only known her for a few months she is definitely one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and definitely someone I can look up to (and I’m not the only one who feels that way)! She deserves the best and I hope she finds success in whatever she chooses to do. We love you Laura!

I won’t lie. Research papers kind of suck, and if you’re a procrastinator like me, they’re even worse. Research papers are already stressful enough, but when you have a midnight deadline hanging over your head, you get stressed out even more if you put it off to the last minute like me.

I had a 5 page historiography/research paper due at midnight Sunday night. Confused on what a historiography is? Yea me too. It was assigned a couple weeks ago, and how much do I have done? Only one page. Not a good thing. Now come Sunday, and I’m FREAKING OUT! So instead of sleeping in like I truly wanted to, I woke up early and hit the books and starting writing. I also had a sorority meeting for a couple hours today so I was even more afraid I wouldn’t get it done.

But now I’m sitting here at 2:00 in the afternoon, and I’M DONE! I couldn’t be more proud of myself. Luckily it was just a rough draft so it didn’t need to be perfect, but it didn’t make it any less stressful. I’m just so proud of myself for finally getting what I need done, and I wasn’t still sitting at my desk at midnight scrambling to finish this paper. Now the rest of the day will be much more relaxing and its so rewarding to have that feeling of accomplishment.

My advice to fellow procrastinators, don’t wait. Just get what you need done, done. It would have been a lot more rewarding if I had gotten my paper done ahead of time instead of waiting until the last minute.