Tag: universityofiowa

How I Prepare For Finals!

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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

 

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How to Choose Your Classes

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Choosing your courses for the semester isn’t difficult, you just have to be sure you know what to take and when to take it. For example, prior to applying to Tippie College of Business, I had to take four pre-requisite classes; and, I have to take two specific classes before I can declare my major. It’s extremely important to know what classes are required for specific parts of your degree. Each college at the University of Iowa has specific degree requirements that you can find in your degree audit, or on Planning Major Sheets.

Advisors are your best friend when it comes to picking what classes to take! The balance between gen-eds, fun classes, pre-req’s, major, and minor classes is such an important factor in all of your semester schedules, and advisors work with you on finding that balance because they know what classes work well together.

Here are some tips of mine for choosing classes:

  1. Know what classes you want to take before you talk to your advisor at your planning meeting. This makes the process go a lot smoother and quicker!
  2. KNOW THE TIME YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE YOUR CLASSES!!! They fill up extremely fast, so it’s important to be on the ball so you don’t miss out on a class you really want to take.
  3. Go on the waitlist. You might get lucky and end up having a seat in a class that you couldn’t get into when you were choosing.
  4. Schedule Builder is your best friend! Find what classes you want to take and when you want to take them and mess around with different potential schedules. Save five that you really like because odds are three schedules won’t work out in your favor when it’s choosing day.
  5. Don’t forget about “My Plans” in your MyUI. “My Plans” is an amazing feature because it allows you to map out all four years of your education! You can put in your major(s) and minor(s) and move classes around to see what you want your schedules to be like every semester.
  6. Stick to 15-17 semester hours. I have found that this works for me extremely well because it allows me to balance my academics and social life. 15-17 s.h. is a good range because you should also stay on track for finishing your degree on time.

Find what interests you, what you like to do, and what you want to do in the future, choose your classes depending on that. I am inserting links for all of the UIowa colleges so you can look around and see what would be the best fit for you!

Tippie College of Business: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/tippie-business/

College of Dentistry: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/dentistry/

College of Education: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/education/

College of Engineering: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/engineering/

College of Law: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/law/

Carver College of Medicine: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/carver-medicine/

College of Nursing: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/nursing/

College of Pharmacy: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/pharmacy/

College of Public Health: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/public-health/

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: https://catalog.registrar.uiowa.edu/liberal-arts-sciences/

Quote of the day: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have a beautiful rest of your day!

Heather :)

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Best iPad Apps To Help With Iowa Classes

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I recently got myself the iPad Pro and have been trying out different apps that have become super handy with helping me finish the semester strong. I wanted to share them with you because whether you are in high school or have been a student at Iowa for a while, these apps will greatly help you! 

Here are my top three:

  1. Procreate

Hello, productivity… I love to use procreate to make myself weekly to-do lists. It’s a great, customizable app that allows you to make your to-do lists to your liking. I like to design mine with a layout of the entire week, so then I know what I have to do, and what big assignments I have to complete! Everything is at your fingertips, and the customizable feature is so nice that it makes you actually want to cross everything off your list!

  1. Good Notes

There are lots of great note-taking apps for the iPad, but this is definitely my personal favorite. In the past, I’ve been a huge advocate for having binders for every class, so it was hard for me to make the transition from paper to technology. I’ve always been super organized where I would separate the binder based on my class structure—lectures, homework assignments, essays, etc. I was never able to find anything that quite matched my organization level but in technology form, until I came across this app. I have all of my classes in separate digital folders with each class being organized differently as I would normally do in the binder. It’s phenomenal because now anywhere I take my iPad, I have all of my classes with me! Plus, once I graduate, every class I have taken will be on the app. The feature of Good Notes I enjoy the most is that it connects to the Apple Pencil! I learn better when I write rather than type, so having the ability to write lecture notes, work notes, etc. is a non-negotiable for me. 

  1. Mindnode

In college, you learn more information at a quicker pace, compared to what you’re used to in high school. A lot of the time all of the information you get just ends up being barfed onto a sheet of paper, all jumbled, not a lot of organization, and messy. Mindnode is a way to take all of that information and make it into mind maps. In case you don’t know what a mind map is, you start with a topic—for example, the philosopher Epictetus—, and build off of that topic—one of his major beliefs is that humans are not insulted by things, they are insulted by their judgment of that thing—, so on and so forth. It’s just a big mapping of a topic pretty much; but it’s an amazing way to stay organized, review all of your class information, and begin to understand the concepts. I specifically enjoy this app for Principles of Microeconomics and the Meaning of Life. I tend to get overwhelmed with the amount of information I get in these classes, so it’s nice for me to have space where I can jot everything down based on the topic it relates to. 

Obviously, there are so many more amazing apps you can get to help with your studies, but these are my absolute favorite because I use them every day. The organization within all of them makes it much easier to be productive and achieve amazing grades. Different things work for different people, but if you are someone who has felt overwhelmed with the amount of information you have learned this semester, these are definitely some apps to look into!

Quote of the day: “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity–not a threat”. ~Steve Jobs

Have a beautiful rest of your day!

Heather :)

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Best Places in Iowa City

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Hi everyone, welcome back!

On this blog, I’ve been talking a lot about the university in relation to academics, so I thought I’d switch it up and give you a glimpse into my favorite places in Iowa City!

To Study/Get Coffee:

  • Dash Coffee Roasters: Dash is by far my go-to place when it comes to studying or going to get coffee with a friend. It is a place that a lot of students on campus don’t really know about because it is in a sort of hidden location. I love it because it is the closest coffee shop to the dorms. It’s just down the street from Catlett and Burge! If you are a plant lover or are super into aesthetic, cute places this is definitely someplace to try. I would recommend getting a latte and the pesto grilled cheese.
  • Java House: This place is VERY popular on campus. It was one of the first places I went when I got to campus first semester. It’s always tricky to find a seat, so make sure to get there early :) I tend to prefer the atmosphere at Dash a little more, just because during busier times, Java can get loud, so it makes it a little more challenging to study. If you go, definitely get a breakfast sandwich; my favorite is the Spicy Southwest.

Breakfast Date

  • The Dandy Lion: The best breakfast restaurant in Iowa City (in my opinion). It reminds me of a hometown diner, one where every employee knows every customer. It’s a very unique restaurant when it comes to style, vibe, and meals. The last time I was in, they had some very delicious sounding desserts on the menu, but I always find that the food is so good that I eat it all and never have enough time for dessert :( So, if you have any good desserts after your meal, please let me know.

Bring the Parents:

  • Pullman Diner: This is by far my favorite restaurant in Iowa City, and has now become my parents’ favorite as well. The most special aspect of the restaurant is that it was designed based on the Pullman Train Car. You can’t go wrong with going to Pullman for brunch, lunch, or dinner!
  • Vue Rooftop: You don’t have to be staying in the hotel to eat at the restaurant! But, make sure to schedule a reservation because it fills up very quickly, especially with COVID. The best part is the view you get of Iowa City; it’s so beautiful to look over the skyline, especially as the sun is setting :)

Shop:

  • Pitaya: I LOVE THIS STORE. I honestly think it has become my favorite store of all time just because the clothing is so cute, appropriate, and trendy! This is definitely a popular store for girls who are in sororities because there are some great clothing items for the different events they have. But, it’s also a nice place to shop for different holidays, and if you just want to treat yourself to a nice outfit :)
  • Iowa Book: If you go to Iowa…so does your family. This store has so many different options when it comes to clothes for parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. There’s tons of Iowa gear, nic-nacs, and academic supplies. They also have lots of really great sales!

Alright, everyone! I hope you enjoyed hearing about a few of my favorite places in Iowa City. Don’t get me wrong, I love every place in the city, but these are places where I am a very frequent customer :) These are definitely places to go whether you are touring the campus, or are a current student and have never tried them!

Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

Quote of the day: “Celebrate the simple”~Unknown

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Productivity and Organizational Tips!

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Hi everyone!

I am going to share with you some tips and strategies that I do daily which have allowed me to be productive and organized while living a meaningful day!

Tip #1: The most important part of having a worthwhile day is understanding what’s going to keep you from it. If I don’t have a very productive day, it’s because I spent a lot of time wondering what was on my social media. I recommend downloading the app “Forest” if you struggle with something similar. :)

Tip #2: Your mindset is EVERYTHING, make sure it’s POSITIVE. Some days, you won’t want to feel like doing anything…and that’s okay; it means you need a break. But, you do have to make sure that you’re on top of everything most of the time :) Find ways to keep yourself motivated and accountable. Write down everything that is due for the week in your planner, and then delegate specific tasks to every day to make sure everything gets done. Also, write down anything socially that you are hoping to do for the week. I really enjoy watching shows every week on TV (The Bachelor, Chicago Shows, etc.); to keep myself motivated, I make sure all of my work for the day is done by the time those shows are on so I can relax and enjoy!

Tip #3: Fuel yourself! Make sure to drink lots of water and eat healthier meals to keep your mind functioning the way it should. Throw in a coffee if you need to wake up a little. :)

Tip #4: The atmosphere you are in throughout the day is so important. Make sure it’s clean, cozy, happy, and partly technology-free (no turning on the TV or looking at your phone constantly). Straighten up anything throughout the day to make sure your work area/room stays consistently clean.

The way my desk looks throughout the day :)

Tip #5: Start your productive day by not doing actual work. For me, this means having a daily routine that I follow. I will make sure I get all of my morning tasks done before I start any school work. If I don’t stick to my routine, and I’m somewhat lazy when I get up, I won’t continue my day being productive.

Tip #6: Take breaks. You shouldn’t be go-go-go all day because then you will tire

These are my “morning to-do’s” that I will be sure to get done right away!

yourself out and won’t be able to stay motivated to complete all of your tasks. I recommend taking thorough breaks for at least a half-hour when you have your meals to give yourself some time to reboot. For shorter breaks, talk to one of your family members, get in a workout, or go to Starbucks!

Tip #7: Wake up on the earlier side during the week, and sleep in on weekends. I’m not saying get up at 5am, but I would say to make sure you are crawling out of bed by 8am during the week to have a productive day. Get your much-needed rest on the weekends and leave only a few assignments to complete. :)

Thanks for reading! Have a beautiful rest of your day. :)

Quote of the day: “Always deliver more than expected” ~ Larry Page

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University of Iowa Prep #2: Shopping

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Hi everybody! I’ve been thinking about all of the items I need for my return to school. These are my must-haves for this next semester to make sure I have the most healthy, organized and productive one possible! For those who are prospective freshman, I hope this list will provide you some help when it comes to packing for school because I know that can seem a little overwhelming. For returning students, I hope this can spark your memory of things you may need prior to going back to Iowa.

Item #1: Healthy Snacks!–it is so important to be sure that with all of the stress we are facing right now, you do whatever you can to take care of yourself. I am guilty of having a lot of unhealthy snacks in my dorm room first semester, so for the very busy days, I wanted to look for snacks that will be able to hold me over until I can sit down and have a meal!

Item #2: Gum!–I bring gum with me EVERYWHERE! It’s the perfect addition to your purse for when you leave your favorite coffee shop in Iowa City, or to just take a piece quick right before class.

Item #3: Mac N Cheese/Ramen!–It is absolutely PERFECT for the late nights studying when the cafeteria is closed :)

Item #4: K-Cups!–If I don’t have coffee first thing in the morning…I will not make it through the day.

Item #5: Organizational tools!–I have found that with having classes online, things can get cluttered in your room. Containers for utensils, small bags for makeup products, drawer organizers, etc. are perfect for keeping everything together whether you are on the go or having some cozy and productive time in your room! If you are looking for these products, I suggest Amazon.

For specific food or necessary product ideas you can check out my shopping vlog on my YouTube channel.

Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

Quote of the day: “I am not a shopaholic. I am helping the economy”

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University of Iowa Prep #1: Online Classes

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Hello everybody!

With the new semester approaching, I wanted to provide you all insight on how I am getting ready to return back to campus. I have begun a series of YouTube videos about my preparation for beginning school again. This first video is about getting ready for online classes! Throughout the video, there’s information regarding scheduling classes, customizing your technology, and more! Other videos you will see in this series will be on shopping for all of the goodies I need to move back in, packing, and moving in! I hope you all enjoy.

Have a beautiful rest of your day :)

Quote of the day: “Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation” ~Robert H. Schuller

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New Years Resolutions-what I hope for the next two semesters

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Ah, January 1st. Just when we thought 2020 wouldn’t end, 2021 is here! Happy New Year, everybody…let’s hope 2021 will be filled with lots of good news. The time has come when everyone pulls out the notepad and decides to write a long list of things they hope to do for the entire year, but it can be challenging to follow through on these resolutions. I am a person that tends to struggle with this. I stick to the list for a few weeks but if I am not very interested in my resolution, I won’t have the motivation to continue it. However, the resolutions I created this year seem to be more achievable than those I have had in the past. I wanted to share my academic and campus life resolutions with all of you…maybe they will give you some ideas of resolutions you can make for yourself.

Academic Resolutions:

  1. Second semester and the start of sophomore year are going to be tough! Work your hardest to continue getting straight A’s but at least try to get nothing below a  B.
  2. Get accepted into Tippie College of Business.
  3. Update planner every Sunday with due dates and create a daily schedule of what I have to do.
  4. Create a study schedule every week with tests and how often I am going to study for them.
  5. Stay on top of everything…don’t fall behind!

Campus Life Resolutions:

  1. Try new coffee shops.
  2. Wander around Iowa City and try new things (safely).
  3. Go to the waterfall study spot.
  4. Meet a group of really great friends.
  5. Attend more CHAARG workout events.
  6. Create a list of clubs I would be interested in joining throughout the rest of my time at Iowa.
  7. Attend as many athletic events as you can (once fans are able to be in attendance again)

Thanks so much for being here with me, have a beautiful rest of your day

Quote of the day: “One day…or day one? You get to decide.”~Paulo Coelho

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