Study Abroad-Part 1

Posted on

Hi everyone!

I know I’ve been a little absent on these posts for a while, so I thought I’d write a blog describing why! I studied abroad during the Fall 2022 semester in Barcelona, Spain! It was a crazy few months and I want to tell you everything you need to know and what to expect when going abroad!

Program: CIEE Business and Culture

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Accommodation: Host Family

Classes: Advanced Spanish, Politics and Society (taught in Spanish), International Marketing, Catalonia and Spain Through the Arts (taught in Spanish), and Branding and Cultural Icons

Here are some prompting questions to better help me describe my experience:

Were there other students in your program from U-Iowa?

NO! This was actually very difficult to deal with for the first couple of weeks, as I was the only one who didn’t know anyone in the program prior to going abroad. Many students from Iowa choose to do this program, but unfortunately, no one else decided to the semester I was there. Everyone in my program was from Elon University…not joking…literally everyone in my program. It’s hard to describe how I felt those first couple weeks because you are experiencing so many new things all at once and it was extremely overwhelming to add on top of that not knowing anyone when everyone seems to know everyone else…not the most fun time. But, those Elon kids are some of my favorite people in the whole world. Not knowing anyone in my program forced me to be social and introduce myself to others. When I first got to Barcelona, it felt like a curse that I didn’t know anyone because I thought I’d feel alone for the whole semester, but, it actually was a blessing because I needed to learn to go out of my comfort zone and have developed so many lifelong friendships that I couldn’t be more excited about.

This is Gabby, one of my best friends from SA on one of our day trips to Montserrat!

 

Why did you choose your program and Barcelona?

U-Iowa offers so many study abroad programs that it was overwhelming to choose what program and where I wanted to go. Before beginning the search I knew (1) I wanted to go somewhere where I could speak Spanish, (2) I wanted to be in a big, but safe city, and (3) I needed to take classes for my business degree and Spanish minor. From this information, I then went to this link to do a program search. From the results, I looked at information about CIEE, IES, and USAC and determined that CIEE would be the best institution and from there decided on the Business and Culture program! Now, many of the other students in my program were taking classes at host institutions such as UB (University of Barcelona). I did have the option to do this, but my classes transferred over better if I was a CIEE-only student. So, be sure that this is something you check before going abroad!

Did you get time to travel?

YES! That is one of the best parts of being abroad! I never got any week-long breaks where I could travel, but I was someplace new almost every weekend. CIEE would offer day trips for us every weekend, but also greatly supported our own personal travels, and my host family was awesome and took me on some day trips themselves. My traveling may have been a little excessive the more that I think about it lol…but I wouldn’t change anything. Here’s a breakdown of my day trips, personal trips, and weekends when I did travel to give you an idea of how often you may want to travel when you go abroad!

Weekend 1: Sitges, Spain (CIEE)…2 days after I got to Barcelona

Weekend 2: Girona + Tossa de Mar + Tarragona, Spain (CIEE)

Weekend 3: Munich, Germany (personal)

Weekend 4: Day trip with my host family to different towns outside of Barcelona

Weekend 5: Vienna, Austria (personal)

One of the most beautiful and surreal places. Venice, Italy.

Weekend 6: Rome, Italy (personal)

Weekend 7: Montserrat, Spain (CIEE)

Weekend 8: Venice, Italy (personal)

Week 10: My boyfriend was studying abroad at the same time in Italy and came to Barcelona for his week off

Weekend 10: Madrid, Spain (personal)

Weekend 13: Paris, France (personal)

Weekend 14: Port de la Selva, Spain (weekend trip with a host family)

Weekend 16: Home!

As I said…may have been a bit excessive. Keep in mind that how often you travel is up to YOU. It depends on how long you are there, your budget, and the school policy on travel! I will say though that after week 10, it was so lovely to spend a couple weekends in Barcelona, and go to all the places I wanted to prior to heading back home!

For the sake of not making this blog post too long, I am going to stop here and give you a part 2 soon! Thanks for reading!

¡Adios!

Heather <3

Continue Reading →

What You Need to Know About Student Visas

Posted on

Hi everyone,

I hope you all are enjoying your summer! In the fall, I will be studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, and I am having one heck of a time obtaining my student visa.

Since I am not a citizen of Spain, and my program is over 90 days, I need a student visa in order to legally stay in the country throughout the duration of my program. This is a very stressful and annoying process to have to go through, so I am here to provide some information and tips on how to get a visa if you will also be studying abroad. **Not all study abroad programs through Iowa require you to obtain a visa, but universities Iowa partners with in Spain do**

Here’s how the process of obtaining a Visa works:

  1. Gather all application materials and email them to the consulate
  2. Once emailed, you will get credentials for reserving an appointment
  3. Reserve an appointment
  4. At the appointment, you will give the worker your application materials and your passport
  5. U.S. consulate mails passport to consulate abroad
  6. The consulate abroad stamps your Visa in your passport
  7. Passport gets returned to you

Now…here are a few tips based off of my experience:

Tip #1: Look up the information yourself on how to apply 

My program gave me the information on how to apply for an independent visa later than anticipated which has made this process much worse than it had to be. When applying for a visa, you will be dealing with a couple consulates, one in the U.S and one in the country you will be traveling to. Each consulate has its own region where they accept student applications. Since I am from Illinois and attend school in Iowa, I was able to apply to the Chicago Spanish Consulate. Consulate websites have information on how to apply for a variety of visas, and will most likely give you better information than your school will.

Tip #2: Group or Independent Visa Appointments?

Consulates give students and schools the option to either apply for a visa with a group or independently. I wish I would have done the group visa appointment, but was unsure of any summer travel plans, and would not have been able to go on them without my passport. If I were you, I would do the group appointment because it relieves a lot of unnecessary stress. If you don’t have travel plans during the time you are applying, and you are offered a group appointment option…TAKE IT.

Tip #3: Apply as early as possible

If I had known that I could begin applying for my visa in May, I would not be worrying about this right now. You can begin applying for student visas three to four months before you are scheduled to have your time abroad. APPLY 3-4 MONTHS AHEAD.

Tip #4: Schedule your appointment as soon as you get the email!

It took about a day from when I emailed my application to get an email from the Spanish Consulate with my credentials to schedule an appointment. I immediately checked for an appointment but there were none…they get booked quick, people. After totally stalking this website, I realized that appointments open up at about midnight Spain time, and early in the morning Chicago time, so I was able to set my alarm and get an appointment for myself before it was too late.

Tip #5: Once you schedule an appointment, check frequently for earlier openings

The biggest issue I am facing right now is that I may not be able to be in Spain the day my program starts because of when I have my appointment. If you are a student who will be dealing with the consulate in Chicago and the consulate in Spain, here is a very important thing to know: it takes about two weeks for your passport to get returned to you AFTER your appointment (this may be true with other consulates as well but I am not sure). That is not something you will find on the website! So, you will get a link to schedule your appointment…check this link multiple times a day to see if any earlier openings pop up. People don’t cancel their visa appointments, but some do forget to confirm them, which is why earlier days/times will open up!

Just get on top of this as early as possible is all I am trying to say!!! It is difficult enough to obtain a visa, and everyone struggles with it, but try to make it easier on yourself :) If you ever have any questions about visas or need to rant to someone who has had the same experience feel free to contact me!!! All I will say is GOOD LUCK!

<3 Heather

Continue Reading →

When I Knew U-Iowa Was Right For Me

Posted on

Thinking back to my senior year of high school, I would not have imagined that my life would be the way it is today. A LOT has happened since I first stepped onto Iowa’s campus. But…how did I choose to go here? When did I know this is where I wanted to be?

I think I toured between four and six colleges, all with different feels, all in different areas, all before I knew I was accepted. The day I found out I got into Iowa was the same day I got my wisdom teeth out…yep…got my acceptance letter by email and could not stop crying for hours (tears of joy of course). That same day, I turned down the other schools that I got accepted into. I’m sure some people panic when doing this because it is a HUGE decision to make; but, I had no doubt in my mind that Iowa was where I wanted to be.

I believe I came here twice before getting accepted, one time was to hang out with my cousin and see what he had to say about the school, and the other was the full campus tour. Let me tell you a couple things about my tours that I really loved which helped in my decision:

  • My first tour was a football Saturday
  • 20% discount at the Hawk Shop (this was just the icing on the cake)
  • It was a gloomy fall day but it was still enjoyable to walk around campus
  • The graduation Herky statue was out so I was able to get a cute picture
  • Iowa City life was awesome
  • My first tour was the first time I heard about the Wave
  • Everyone seemed so nice

Iowa was the second to last campus I visited, Indiana University-Bloomington being the last, and I will admit…there was some competition between the two schools. I really liked both of them, but what made me stray away from Indiana is what my brother’s friend told me, “if you are not going to join a sorority, go to Iowa. You won’t fit in at Indiana if you’re not in one, but at Iowa, there’s so much else you can do”. Joining a sorority was not something I was interested in, so understanding the differences in how Greek life is viewed at both schools was something that really solidified my decision.

But, it wasn’t what people said to me that really mattered, it was how I felt. I don’t remember anything my tour guides said, all the places we went, where we ate. All I remember is walking at the bottom of the hill by the Iowa Memorial Union looking at the Pentacrest and something inside me just said, “this is it. This is where I want to be”. It was a feeling of eudaimonia, a feeling when you are just so very happy. It is very difficult to describe, but it was one of those “when you know, you know” moments, and trust me, when you don’t know, keep looking. I think that feeling came from a variety of things. That view of the Pentacrest is still to this day, one of my favorite views on campus. I was in awe of the campus as a whole. It just felt like home. Looking back, I would say I thought I had that feeling touring each of the schools because I was so in the moment and excited for the next stage of life. But, I only got that feeling at one school, and it was Iowa. There were some non-negotiables I had when determining which school to attend; I wanted to stay in the Midwest, a great business school, the opportunity to study abroad, an easy drive, and close but not too close to home. Iowa provided all of these, whereas Indiana did not. There was a multitude of factors that made me choose Iowa, but as I’m writing this right now, the factor that really made me say “yes” to Iowa was that feeling.

 

Here are my tips for when you are trying to find the right school for you:

  • Figure out your non-negotiables before touring
  • Make sure the cost of your education works for you and your family
  • Think about your family and friends. Do you have a close-knit family where you will want to travel home often? Are any of your friends looking at the same schools you are?
  • Think about how you will get home and back to campus. Car? Plane? Train? Family comes to get you? Friends drive you home?
  • Consider if you want a city or country vibe, private or public university
  • Ask around! Talk to family & friends and hear their opinions of the schools you’re looking at
  • Look out for “the feeling”

Thank you for reading and happy choosing the right school for you!

<3 Heather

 

Continue Reading →

Best Photo Locations on Campus!

Posted on

If you are like me, you love taking pictures; half the time you pull out your phone it’s to take a picture! Our campus is filled with so many amazing photo locations. There are so many great opportunities to snap the best picture whether it’s of you, your friends, or it’s just a pretty day and you want to snap a couple of photos! I’m going to share my favorite places on campus (and just one off-campus) where I love to take pictures!

#1: The Pentacrest

The Pentacrest is a lot bigger than you may think which means so many great photo opportunities! Here are some of my favorite pictures taken on the Pentacrest.

 

#2: Kinnick Stadium

Gameday photos may be my favorites from this year!

#3: Crepes De Luxe Cafe (in and outside)

#4: Wilson’s Orchard

Wilson’s is about 15 minutes outside of campus but the photos you get are amazing!

These four places are where I take most of my pictures, but I also want to show you a few random ones that I’ve taken just walking through campus!

Okay, I know I just threw a lot of pictures at you, but as you can tell, there are so many amazing photo opportunities on campus! Have fun!!

<3 Heather

Continue Reading →

First Week Back at School!

Posted on

Hi everyone!

I hope you all enjoy my vlog on the first week back at school for my second semester of sophomore year! This gives a glimpse into the busy schedule of a college student :) Come with me as I go to class, work on homework & go through my first week of school! Enjoy :)

Thanks for watching!

<3 Heather

Continue Reading →

How to Deal With the Stress of College

Posted on

Hi everyone!

College is a very stressful time in your life. Every single day you are trying to balance school with your fraternity/sorority, clubs, work, family, relationships…literally everything. This is also the time when we need to be more on top of things than we ever have before and because of that, we put so much pressure on ourselves.  College scares me because every day I am working towards my future. What if I fail that accounting exam? What if I get a bad grade in a class? Will I even be good at marketing? I stress myself out so much every day over things that I know I don’t really need to stress over. I try to do my best to take breaks when I am feeling the stress build on me by doing things that will help my overall physical and mental health. If you are reading this and find yourself in a similar situation, these are my biggest tips for dealing with the stress college brings.

#1: Self-care is a must! 

Whether it’s playing video games or morning journaling, you need to actively do things that will better your health. My self-care includes yoga, skincare/haircare, shaving my legs, face masks, making yummy food and coffee, journaling, working out, etc. At any point in my day where I am feeling stressed out, I take a break and do at least one of these things because it relaxes me. I am so much more productive when I am actually relaxed compared to being anxious about all the things I have to complete today.

#2: Everything is going to be okay! 

I know that everyone says this, but it is true. We put an extremely high amount of pressure on ourselves for nothing. Of course, it is still very important to focus on your studies, but this is also supposed to be the most exciting time in our lives. What is the worst that could happen? You fail a test and have to talk to your professor to find a way to make it up? I know a lot of circumstances are worse than others, but try to enjoy your college experience, rather than getting to graduation day and realizing that you didn’t do anything but study. Everything has a way of working itself out.

#3: Stick to routines!

Have a routine for every day and FOLLOW it. My morning routine is what gets me through the day. I find that it sets me up for success because my morning is just for me. For example, this is my Monday morning routine:

  • wake up between 6:45-7 & let the sunlight in
  • light a candle
  • have a glass of water
  • morning journal
  • yoga
  • skincare/haircare
  • make bed
  • make coffee
  • have breakfast
  • get dressed
  • put on makeup
  • tidy up room
  • do some work
  • brush teeth, put on perfume & deodorant
  • go grocery shopping
  • write a to-do list
  • pack backpack

I finish all of this by the time I start class at 11:30 but it is the perfect way to get my day started because I am focusing on making myself a priority. When strictly following this routine, I find that I am productive and relaxed throughout the day.

I just want to say that this is what works for me, if you’re not like me, something completely different than this may work for you! Each of us has our own way of dealing with stress, but what is important is that you deal with it in a positive way that will better your mental and physical health. I hope seeing my tips helps a few of you! These are things I try my best to repeat or think about every day, but some days are tougher than others. Just remember to breathe, stay positive and hang in there :)

<3 Heather

Continue Reading →

Back To School Reset

Posted on

Hi everyone! Happy New Year and happy back to school season :)

Welcome to my first post of the year! I hope you all have had a great start to the new year…I can’t believe it is almost February!! The back-to-school season has automatic stress attached to it because you have soooo much to do to get ready for the new semester. This video takes you through everything I did to get back into the swing of things, including; shopping, organizing, cleaning, and more! It is a great way to see the process I go through to make the semester start off on the right track. Sit back, relax, take that homework break, and enjoy! Thanks for watching :)

<3 Heather

Continue Reading →

Fun Finals Week Activities

Posted on

Hey everyone!

Most people don’t know this but the University of Iowa actually has some awesome activities planned for students during finals week! Obviously, the week is going to be super stressful, but there are so many relaxing and fun things you can take part in at the IMU!! Here is a list of just a FEW of the events going on:

Monday, December 13th:

6:30-10:30am-Flippin into Finals (go get some pancakes first thing in the morning!!!!)

6:30-8:30pm-Therapy Dog Sessions

Tuesday, December 14th:

8:00pm-FREE Pizza

8:00-11:00pm-Massages

Wednesday, December 15th:

6:30-8:30pm-Therapy Dog Sessions

9:00pm-Yoga

Aren’t these awesome?! The pancake guy is only at the IMU on Monday…so make sure you don’t miss him! I am so excited to finally be able to attend these events, last year they weren’t happening due to COVID, but they are back and better than ever! I hope you get a chance to make it to the IMU at some point during the week to take advantage of these :)

To see more activities or for more information visit https://imu.uiowa.edu/students/finals/

 

Continue Reading →

What My Finals Week Looks Like!

Posted on

Hi everyone! Happy second week of December… I can’t believe how fast it is already going by!!! In this post, I am showing you what the structure of my finals week looks like. Each of my finals is different, some are in person, some are online, some are cumulative and some aren’t. For those of you interested in what a college finals week looks like, this is just giving you a little glimpse into it. Although it may seem like it’s a pretty open week, there’s a lot of studying I will be doing, I’ll have to work and take care of things around my apartment, and much more! But, at least I have a lot of time to get it done! Every student’s finals schedule is different so the key factor is to know exactly what you will be doing in every class so then you can work hard and get the best grades you can!

Monday, December 13th:

Interpretation of Literature from 3:00-5:00pm

  • Part 1: Essay due December 17th
  • Part 2: Passage Identification (taken in class)
  • Part 3: Short Answer (taken in class)

 

Tuesday, December 14th:

Media and Society from 7:30-9:30am

  • Open note exam
  • Not cumulative-only on content from last half of the semester

 

Wednesday, December 15th:

NO FINALS…YAY!!!

 

Thursday, December 16th:

Intermediate Spanish II from 10:00-10:50am

  • Proctored, online
  • Not cumulative-only on the last unit

 

Friday, December 17th:

Principles of Macroeconomics from 12:30-2:30pm

  • Taken in class on paper
  • Cumulative

 

I wish you all the best of luck on your finals! I know it will be a stressful week, but remember it’s only a week, and to just take it day by day. Good luck!

Heather <3

 

 

Continue Reading →

How I Prepare For Finals!

Posted on

Hi everyone!

Finals week is just around the corner so I wanted to tell you the ways in which I prepare for my finals. After Thanksgiving Break the next few weeks are pretty hectic, there’s a lot to do, it’s easy to stress yourself out and get overwhelmed. The most important thing you can do is just try to relax, take some deep breaths, and just get everything done!

How I Prepare:

Work really hard to get the rest of your assignments done ASAP.

Though this can be super stressful, I have always found that it benefits me in the end. If I get all of my assignments done the week I get back from break, I have plenty of time to study for my final exams!

Stay healthy and hydrated.

Finding ways to exercise is extremely important prior to taking exams all week. My favorite is yoga! It relaxes my body and mind and doing it in the morning sets you up for the rest of your day :) Even if you’re just taking a short walk to Starbucks, it still allows you to clear your mind. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Drink lots of water throughout the day, and also make sure that you are eating healthy food. By doing all of these, you will be energized, productive, and ace your finals!

Find the right environment.

Odds are, you will be taking your finals in a classroom. But, when it comes to studying, find an environment where you can focus! I have come to find out that I don’t get much done when I am in my apartment because there are so many distractions. Almost every day I go out somewhere in downtown Iowa City to work on homework. Each environment is different for every person, but make sure you find the one where you can be the most productive getting everything done for the rest of your semester! The University of Iowa’s main library is one of the best in the state, so if you’re looking for a quiet place to go, definitely try it out! My go-to is Java House in downtown Iowa City.

Do something to relieve your stress.

Pre-finals and finals week are always the most stressful weeks of the year, so it is extremely important to make sure that you do whatever you can to make sure you have the least amount of stress possible. Some things that I like to do are decorating, drawing on my iPad, painting my nails, doing a full skincare/body care routine, hanging out with my friends, etc. All of these things let me take a break and refresh myself before getting back to my studies.

 

I hope all of you do phenomenal on your finals and have a great rest of the semester. Hopefully showing you what I do to prepare gives you some ideas of your own! Good luck everybody!!

<3 Heather

 

Continue Reading →