Taylor

I know some of you are out there trying to find things to make your dorm really cool, or waiting on that video game to come out so you can complete your collection before you pack up the game console for its trip to Iowa. Well stop! Don’t do it!

These things may seem like a good idea, but as my year comes to a close, I have to warn you not to do it. They prove to be the worst things at midterms and finals. Seriously. So take my word for it and don’t buy these things.

Glow in the dark stars and planets.

1. Wall Decs

Sounds really cool. Looks really cool. Not actually really cool.  We learned the hard way that these do not remove as easy as you would think. And they can’t be packed up and reused, so it’s a waste to buy it for just ten months.  Especially when I had to get up on a chair just to get them up. Now there are a bunch of girls running around all stressed about how they have to get these off their walls in a month.  So instead of going Amazon crazy for cute Marilyn Monroe quotes, buy posters. Lots of them. And lots of Command products to keep them up.  There’s actually a great poster fair that comes to campus in the first few weeks. It’s worth waiting for.

An attempt to tape down cable wires.

2. Printed Duct Tape

I’ve seen some weird things done with this. And that’s wrong for two reasons. The first being that it’s just weird. The second being that it is against the rules to use duct tape on the walls. It takes the paint off. SO before you get that hot pink cheetah print duct tape, walk a little further and get that blue painter’s tape.

Velcro catch. Highly addictive.

3. Catching Games

These are distraction traps! You’ll find yourself having a study session one minute, and playing the ultimate game of non-athletic skills the next. If you must, bring a frisbee. But don’t get crazy.  If you really need a sport outlet, there are tons of intramural teams. It’s a great place to meet people!

Civilization V

4. Computer Games

Self explanatory. Does this look like it can really be accomplished in “just give me 5 more minutes?” I had to learn the hard way that no one is above a good game.  Save it for home.

Meet RA Becky. The coolest hipster kid I know.

If you are a hipster and you are looking for a place to fit in, have no fear. We have hipster/artsy/indie kids here, and everybody loves them and wants to be like them.. myself included.  I’ve been attempting to infiltrate the cool kids lifestyle by stalking my RA (resident assistant) Becky.  She has been sharing some of the secrets of her people.  If you ever see her out and about, you should say hello. She loves that.

If you draw her a picture, she will totally hang it up on her art wall.  That’s right kids, I said it. BECKY HAS AN ART WALL. And it’s amazing.  Almost as amazing as the sweatshirt she is wearing, which is free advertising for the west side of campus, which is also awesome. Not that the East side isn’t. But come on, I live on the West side.

The moral of this post is not to be ashamed by your non-conformist ways. There’s a place for you here. We have great arts, and I even had the experience of attending the 10 Minute Play Festival this past weekend. It was absolutely amazing.

So come all ye folk of the world! We’re going to Iowa City.

Alright. So classes have officially been back in session for two weeks now. As the weather worsens, the state of pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks becomes increasingly more alarming. It occurred to me that maybe we just aren’t aware of the Pedestrian Traffic Laws. So let’s go over them.

1. Keep Pace

Please don’t be one of those people who’s traveling at half a mile an hour and makes no attempt to speed up when the people trapped behind you start sighing.  You’ve most likely dealt with winter before and you are going to have to take a chance and pick up your feet.  I mean, we want you to be safe, but some of us are actually in a hurry.

But please don’t be one of those people who sighs really loud behind people who are walking slowly in front of you either. I’ve already taken two spills myself, so I can understand why people may be a little hesitant to pick up their feet this week. Especially if they’re going down that hill at the back of Hillcrest or crossing the bridges.  I know you’re in a hurry, but safety first.

2. Stop texting. Right now.

If you are one of those people who tends to travel considerably long distances with your head in your phone, and have a tendency to block the flow of traffic or run into people, then please wait until you’re at your destination to text. The sidewalks are narrow enough as it is with the snow pileup. It’s not cool that we have to circumnavigate around you.

And when you’re searching yourself through the snow gear to figure out where exactly it was that you placed your phone, your arms are flailing all over the place. Innocent bystanders are being mercilessly beaten by your need for communication. Especially on the cambus (the free on campus buses). There’s nothing scarier than watching someone make the choice to text over holding on to the standing rails.

3. Like Driving a Car

You know which side of the road a car belongs on, right? Awesome! It’s the same thing with a sidewalk. Keep right, and make wide left turns to avoid traffic. There should be at least 4 inches between you and the person in front of you. This way we can all travel easily. And no motorcycle swerving. I’m serious. It only makes people bump into each other.

And traffic Lights. There for you too. It seems like more and more jay walking is going on lately. And the cars are not happy about it.  Sometimes you just have to wait that extra minute for the walk sign. It’s okay. DO a dance, sing a song, strike up a conversation with the person next to you.

4. Don’t Be A Road Block

And I’m especially talking to the ladies on this one. That’s right girls! I’m calling you out! You can not stop in the middle of a walkway and have a full conversation. You have to peel off to the side. It’s just rude. And sometimes you might have to separate from your friends on the bus.  But you can’t refuse to move to the back and make people getting on squeeze by you.  Also rude.

5. Epic Stair (and sometimes Hill) Moments

• A group coming up the stairs in a line so that you can’t go down.
• A group going down the stairs in a line so that you can’t go up.
• A group that has stopped halfway up the stairs so that no one can go anywhere.
• A group conversing faster than they’re walking so that everyone is waiting on them.
• A group that congregates right at the end of the stairs so that we have to form two single file lines to get around them.

If you are a member of one of these groups you better quit it.  UIowa is built on the hill and stair travel system.  These blockades are extremely frustrating.  Especially for those of us who are still walking to class.

SO if you follow these simple rules you will survive not only here, but in every pedestrian walking area in the world.  I know you guys can do it. On Iowa! Go Hawks!

Let me just state, in a very calm manner, just as I have been doing for the last few weeks, how happy I am about finals.  I have been a fan of finals since freshman year of high school. The way the teachers completely loosen up and the class comes together to celebrate their perfection when it comes to test taking is really quite inspirational.  I remember one year, the Calculus class was so beloved that they all got automatic As. Not that they needed them- that test is traditionally super easy. As long as you are somewhat confident you know what concavity, cylindrical shells, and simple harmonic motion means, you’re set.

Since most people don’t play sports or bother to engage in extra curricular activities, we have this excess of time to study too. I mean, I study from sun up to sun down, and the in-room dining service delivers my macaroni n cheese promptly every night at 7pm.  I listen gratefully to the sound of myself chewing because the halls are the quietest they’ll ever be. So say it with me, “Thank God for Finals!”

Haven’t you been waiting for just the right moment to showcase your skills and prove to your teacher that you totally listen in the last row of lecture for the 23 minutes that you’re actually there? Or maybe you wanted to prove to your science teacher that you’re not an english major by writing a terrible essay. Or prove you’re a psychology major to your chemistry teacher by over analyzing her choice of questions, which were obviously selected just for you and your imminent demise. Or maybe you’re an engineer in rhetoric, and a bit confused about why you’re talking about the bridge. Shouldn’t you be building the bridge? (I am obviously not an engineer).

The point being, Finals is the one time in our lives when we get to really express ourselves, as individuals, and finally prove to the world that we are more than just a test score.  We are also GPAs and attendance records. Don’t let this moment pass you, it comes but twice a year for every year of college you decide to take. You deserve to experience every one.

So get out there and take those finals!

This is my desk, legit, where I am studying for ONE final. All of that is math.

You know you’ve picked the right college when you’re at home over Thanksgiving break and you make the remark “Ok. I’m ready to go home now.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my family to the moon and back, but there is something strange about being back in your room that just doesn’t feel like, well, your room.
I have grown so close and attached to the people and this campus that it truly has become home. When I talk about where I came from, I always say “Back East”, or “Well in Connecticut…”
I never thought it was possible to feel that way about a school, especially when it came to me and Iowa. I am a bonafide city girl, and it wasn’t that long ago that I saw a real farm with real corn for the first time in my 18 years. And to top it all off, it was such a culture shock that I cried. Not to mention the fact that I am not accustomed to winter, so things have already begun to get interesting for me. I spent break buying coats and sweaters. Did I mention I’ve never owned sweats before?
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Now, at the risk of being eliminated from the cool circle and possibly being branded a creeper (although it wouldn’t be the first time) I feel the need to express one of the things I really love about UIowa.  Which is a person, who goes by the name of Oz.  Now Oz is a male cheerleader here, and he’s sort of a local celebrity, especially among the ladies.

We’ve all caught him reprimanding the crowd, upholding his dominance in balancing a person in the air with one arm, or pretending to direct the band… and very well, I might add.  He’s even got a page on Facebook.  I count myself among one of the lucky ones, because I have actually exchanged about three words with this kid which makes me a winner.  His birthday is only 28 days away, according to this morning’s tweet, so maybe that’s a good occasion for some impromptu bonding.

Looking forward to the rest of the basketball season and some excellent cheerleading! 🙂

As someone who was raised believing that individualism was to be praised, I always supported what other people deemed “different.” It didn’t matter to me if you listened to Hardcore Screamo, refused to wear jeans, or liked the same sex.  So when I see schools go the extra mile to make their students feel accepted, it not only makes me extremely happy, but it also makes me want to share it. Not only to spread the smiles, but to let those people in need of an accepting environment know that it exists.

After noting the transgender option on Iowa’s applications (as opposed to the standard male or female only option) I decided I’d start the year off with a seminar called LGBT Media Representation, taught by Jeffrey Bennett, and it was very eye opening in terms of stereotypes, the media, and our daily lives.  We were quick to open up to each other, as was our teacher, and I like to think we made a lot of progress. Our final projects reflected real care and admiration for the LGBT struggle.

Obama’s visit and the recent political buzz as elections grow close reveal that even the republicans are pro the “Legalize Love” campaign.

Then, on October 19, the university hosted a performance of It Gets Better, based on stories from the nationally known It Gets Better Project that launched on the internet a couple years ago.  It has inspired many youth to stand up for themselves and be proud of who they are despite home problems and bullying. I laughed, I listened, and I cried. It was very moving to see the show, but also to see the audience. Many students turned out along with their friends, as well as many adults from the area.

Check out the video to see the opening number:

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The University of Iowa also has an LGBT house where you can go study, hang out, ask questions, and just get to know new people. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place more supportive of the community.  And that’s hard to come across, especially when dealing with such a large number of people, but we always knew it was possible. And here, it really is.

Congratulations to the cast and to the students who volunteered to sing in that beautiful rendition of “More Friends Than You Know.” And thank you to the students, faculty, and residents of Iowa City for showing how much you care.

Let’s hope you’re as approving of our Halloween costumes! 😛

Like many who came to Iowa despite the whispers of John Deere fanatics and more corn than you’d know what to do with, I worried those people were right.  Now I’ve never been a city girl but I am definitely not a country girl.  In fact, when you say country, I imagine a large white house, equipped with pillars, a wrap around porch, and a ton of green grass. (Think Parent Trap). There may even be a butler who brings lemonade. I do NOT think of corn, the smell of manure, dirt, dirt, gravel roads, corn, dirt and cattle.

But that’s what I discovered when I ventured to one of my floor mates hometowns.  After the shedding of tears, an hour of complaining and a few obscenities, I found myself up to my hips at the top of a pile of corn. And I am not exaggerating in the least.  I actually climbed a pile of corn. Man, my mother would be proud.

So if you were concerned you were/would be attending school in the middle of nowhere, stop now.  Because I’ve been to the middle of nowhere and it’s definitely not Iowa City.

It’s Albert City. The only thing that saved the weekend was knowing someone there, which meant knowing her friends. One of whom plays football so I didn’t have to go without a good game.  I was happy to cheer on the Rebels for a couple hours.

So despite the shock and having to sleep in a room with dead animals on the wall, I had a good time.  Iowa really opens up doors to network and explore. I certainly never thought I’d go to a farm but I did. And maybe I’ll be bringing them to New York in the spring so if you like to travel, that’s something to consider. The dorms are certainly the place to be! 🙂

A last ditch effort to survive

I bounded from the bus, ran up three flights of stairs, and quickly locked my door.  I kept my shoes and jacket on as I wrapped myself up in a blanket and prayed it would not come.  I took my vitamins, drank some orange juice, made some tea, washed my hands. And then I washed them again.  I breathed in cautiously and kept to myself. I vacuumed, scrubbed, wiped, sprayed, and I even said a few words to God, but still it came.

I woke up on Monday with the sniffles. And I mean the watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat, why am I even alive and do I have to go to class sniffles.

Like a kindergarten classroom, the residence halls are a breeding ground for foreign germs.  This past week was literally a domino effect of one girl after the other coming down with some form of a cold.  And it takes no prisoners. All our conversation has revolved around football, the temperature of the room and how much Dayquil is in our medicine cabinet.

I wish I could offer you some piece of advice on how to avoid the campus epidemic that is rumored to have reached the apartments already but I can’t.  Most likely you’ll find yourself standing in someone’s room decked out in winter attire with a mug of black apricot tea at least once before December. But your hat probably won’t be as awesome as mine.

Minus the earrings I’m a hottie

Unless you’re a guy- on both counts. Not only do you tend to have amazing hat collections, but while us ladies have been pulling out the sweaters I’ve noticed you are still in shorts.  So I guess if I had to offer some advice, it would be to become a boy. Then you wouldn’t get sick and you’d be warm all the time.

I wonder…would I make a cute male? I imagine with the right stache anything is possible…

So on Thursday night my RA hosted a hall event. And I will admit that I went into it with a little hesitation. After all, there aren’t that many people between E and W of the 2nd floor. But it turned out to be really awesome. We picked up the details for the Extreme Scavenger Hunt at 6pm and quickly made our way to have dinner and get started. We had until 1am, but time was pretty tight considering we had to upload pictures and videos, be in front of a clock at 11:11, and prove we went to the T-Pain Hawkapalooza concert at 8.
The rules were pretty basic:
No cars.
Stick together.
No harassing citizens
No breaking laws
Follow the traffic rules
Have fun

There were a total of 66 tasks, worth a range of points from 1-10. We completed 51 of them and came in first place with a 25 point lead. Of course we embarrassed ourselves in the process, made people feel incredibly awkward, and almost hurt ourselves. ALMOST.

Check it out for yourself. 🙂

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Chances are, if you are under the age of 25 or you happen to have a younger sibling, you are quite familiar with and possibly very fond of Dora the Explorer. You’ve been there in the moment she asks a question and then patiently waits for you to respond. Perhaps you have been in that moment in real life too; you stare out the window of your dorm and ponder “What is there to do today?”

Followed by the pause. Only there aren’t a herd of overly energetic toddlers on the other end throwing answers at you. So you go with W2D2. (Not like the robot. That’s R2D2.)

I’m talking double W, double D. WWDD. What Would Dora Do?

And the answer is always Explore.  So that’s exactly what I did. I grabbed a friend and went exploring. I was pretty happy with the results too. Except for one thing: While discovering fun places to go, I also discovered, with the help of my mother, that apparently I have a striking resemblance to the prehistoric armored fish…

Do you agree?

1. Meal Plan 2.0

I would normally go back to sleep in that awkward time that is past breakfast, but not quite time for lunch. But following my new philosophy I rolled off my futon and went downstairs, not bothering to get out of my pajamas. Turns out I could mix what was left of breakfast with my lunch option. I’m not going to say it was the best meal I’d ever had but if I could do this all the time I have a feeling I’d consume a lot of bacon at night and a lot of grilled cheese in the morning.

The lovely meal I had at Hillcrest Marketplace, complete with breakfast sausage.

2. Home Salons

If you ask around, or mention the hardship of having consecutive bad hair days, you just might find that you know someone who is pretty handy with a comb. And if you are nice to that person (and if you bribe them with some gummy bears and a cold soda) they might come to your dorm and do you a hair styling favor. It’s worth a shot.

20 minutes in or 71% done

3. Bringing Sexy Back

And by sexy, I mean vent skinny caramel macchiatos on ice. When I arrived on campus, Starbucks did not exist. Then it was just a small cart up against a brick wall. But ten minutes into my Labor Day expedition I discovered that America’s beloved café has returned, and is making itself a home on the UI campus.

The artsy Instagram photo I took at the time.

4. Just Like Twilight 

I am not a vampire person. Just so we’re clear. I am not a werewolf person or a zombie person. I am a fairy person. But all that is beside the point. The point is, there is a gazebo nearby, in a park we discovered, that is perfect for those Bella moments (if you happen to be the kind of person who has always wanted to have one). Unfortunately, I was unable to go in it, as there was another girl who had picked it as a perfect place to nap. Maybe next time…

A lovely structure on a lovely day.

5. The Known Unknowns

You should take a trip to the museum. The Natural History Museum that is. Conveniently located on campus, it’s perfect for taking a break after trekking from the west side of campus.  And admission is free. My father always says that the problem with people my age is that “they don’t know what they don’t know.” So solve that issue with a solid hour of exploring.

Turns out you don’t need a singing map to find your way to a new location.  

Sinead with the famous giant sloth