Hello all!

Today, I am going to do a quick breakdown of how the first couple of weeks as a Hawkeye has been going.

I am taking twenty semester hours, which is A LOT as a freshman, but so far it has been doable. Time management is essential to succeed though, so remember that.

Starting off Monday:

I have Rhetoric and my Foundations of Creative Writing Class.

In Rhetoric, I am in the honors section since I am in the Honors Program. There are no more than twenty students, which is a perfect size. The professor, Dr. O, as she likes to be called, is an extremely kind and reasonable instructor. I have an essay due in a few weeks, but she does contract grading which is a great way to focus on writing well without the grade pressure.

In class so far, we have done lots of reading and a mini rhetorical presentation.

In my Foundations class, everyone there is an English major. My professor, Dr. Ziliak is amazing. He always starts off class with an icebreaker about the best/worst books we’ve ever read or our favorite food.

We have read some really great poetry and our textbook is interesting, detailing writing descriptions. We have tri-weekly discussion questions to answer, one where we write whatever we like based on a prompt, and the other about the reading.

Tuesdays:

I have my Honors First Year Seminar: Exploring the World’s Languages. It is a great discussion class with little homework. We have great conversations there, and since I’m bilingual in French and English, I care a lot about language. The professor, Dr. Destruel, is from Toulouse, France, so I enjoy talking in French with her.

After the seminar, I have Oral Expression in French I. There are only a couple other freshmen in there, but everyone is really nice. I like the fact I get to practice my speaking more than anything and that both the professor and a few other students speak French well.

To end the day, I have Natural Disasters. It is fairly simple and straightforward, so it is a good science/sustainability Gen Ed, but I’m still learning how to study!

Wednesday:

I have Rhetoric and Foundations again, normally we just discuss our readings.

Then I have my Writing and Community Outreach class. It is a really cool class, where we get to volunteer and gain experiential learning as well! I’m volunteering for Porch Light Lit, a literary-themed organization putting events on in town.

Thursday:

I have French and my Natural Disasters lecture, with the discussion for the latter today. We normally work in small groups and have a project we work on throughout the semester.

Friday:

I only have my foundations class, so it is my designated laundry and homework day! My roommate and I like to do movie nights as well, so catch us watching BBC’s Merlin.

Throughout the week, I go run on campus or go lift in the rec center, which has so much equipment for whatever you want!

I also checked out the club fair this week and they had hundreds of clubs. From Running Club, Sunset Club, Greek Life, lit mags, and more, there is something for everyone!

So far, I have had a good but long week of settling in and tackling homework. Catch ya next time!