{"id":56,"date":"2018-12-03T09:31:20","date_gmt":"2018-12-03T14:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/lauren\/?p=56"},"modified":"2018-12-03T09:31:20","modified_gmt":"2018-12-03T14:31:20","slug":"then-and-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/lauren\/2018\/12\/then-and-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Then and Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

My first semester at the University of Iowa was not what I was expecting. Socially, emotionally, and physically things shifted from my last summer at home. As this semester closes out with a week of finals, I\u2019ve been reflecting on what worked well this semester and what didn\u2019t, and I\u2019m making a plan for what to change next semester.<\/p>\n

This semester,\u00a0<\/strong>I found a group of friends. They\u2019ve been a supportive and fun group of people that I am grateful to have had this first semester. We did ocasionally spend too much time having fun. The group is often over at our dorm room during the day and late in to the evenings for \u201cstudy-parties,\u201d which start with school work but rapidly deteriorate into conversation and a trip to the Clinton Street Market for unhealthy snacks.<\/p>\n

Next semester<\/strong>, I\u2019m going to be mindful of the homework I have to do and create an environment that is conducive to studying and healthy living. I will keep food in my dorm room that is healthy, like frozen veggies that I can steam in the microwave for snacks. I have class every morning at 8:30am, so I\u2019m going to set a bed time like the ones I so despised growing up, because I want to make it to those classes and be successful in them. I want to create a morning routine that incorporates a light yoga practice, a large cup of water, and a healthy breakfast, if I\u2019m hungry.<\/p>\n

This semester,\u00a0<\/strong>I was timid in the way I approached student organizations. I would skip meetings if I had too much homework and I wouldn\u2019t go out of my way to meet people in clubs. This coming semester I am going to attend more meetings of the student orgs I want to join. I want to become an important member and make friends in those groups. I plan to try out for the club soccer team, continue in the cross-country club, and contribute more to Fools Magazine.<\/p>\n

The same goes for classes. I had high hopes at the beginning of the first semester that I would make the majority of my friends in my classes, but it turns out people aren\u2019t keen on talking in large lectures.<\/p>\n

Next Semester,\u00a0<\/strong>I am going to be talkative before and after my classes and I\u2019m going to reach out to my peers and invite them to hang out, to go to dinner, or to get a cup of coffee. Most freshmen on a college campus are looking to make friends and expand their social circle. I\u2019ve found this semester that you are more likely to make friends if you <\/em>invite people. You can\u2019t sit around and wait for an invitation, you have to put yourself out there.<\/p>\n

Last Semester,\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n