Hi everyone! As I have been at college for just over a month, I wanted to share some of the mistakes I have made in college. I want to preface this by saying mistakes are what make us human, and they help us learn and grow! So, here are a few mistakes I have made, and how you could avoid them yourself!
My number one mistake I have made is getting lost on the cambus (the campus buses). It has not been once, but many times, I found myself on the wrong bus or ending up in the wrong place. One time, I even ended up being left at the Finkbine, the golf course! Figuring out the cambus system and transit app has been one of my biggest struggles. One way I think I could have helped myself out a little more is if I took a couple of hours of my welcome week or a weekend to just ride the buses and see the routes of the buses. This way, I could get a better idea of which number bus goes to which stops, etc.
Another mistake I made was not bringing a clear bag to a sporting event. If you have not gone to a sporting event at Iowa or plan to, this one is for you! If you have a clear bag of any size, it will be allowed into the event! However, if your bag is not clear, it has to be very small, only about 4 by 6 inches or somewhere around that size. Unfortunately, when I attended the volleyball game, my Lululemon bag was taken, and it was thrown away at the event because I could not bring it inside. So, before you come to Iowa or an Iowa sporting event, invest in a clear bag!
The last mistake I want to touch on is being locked out of my room. This has only happened to me once, but there have been a few times I forgot both my Iowa One card and my room key. A good rule of thumb is to ALWAYS bring your Iowa one card and room key with you everywhere. It is good practice to check for both of those items before you leave your room. Any student here will say that your Iowa One card is your lifeline, allowing you access to dorm buildings, getting your packages, and getting food at the dining hall. One thing that might help with this is having a card holder on the back of your phone. The bookstore in the IMU also has one that has a little key holder in it, too!
All in all, it is okay to make mistakes, but hopefully these few tips can help save you some stress from making these small mistakes like I did!
-Jordan
