{"id":190,"date":"2013-04-23T09:28:42","date_gmt":"2013-04-23T14:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/?p=190"},"modified":"2013-04-23T09:28:42","modified_gmt":"2013-04-23T14:28:42","slug":"to-the-class-of-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/2013\/04\/to-the-class-of-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"To the Class of 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

A year ago today I was exactly where you are right now. \u00a0I was sitting at home, jumpy from accepting my admission to Iowa and filling out my housing application. \u00a0It seemed like I had to get everything figured out then and there and I was pretty stressed. \u00a0I couldn’t narrow down my interests to one major and I didn’t know if I should buy tickets for the big<\/em> games or the whole season. \u00a0I wasn’t sure I would last so far away from my home in Connecticut or if I’d be able to relate to the people living around me. \u00a0I was convinced the classes would be extremely difficult to pass and that I’d have professors with too many students to bother with just one. \u00a0I didn’t know what clubs to join, or which events were “good”, or which classes to take first. I had never used a bus system before, I hoped my RA would be nice, I hoped moving in wouldn’t be too tricky, and I had not a single clue about what I was going to furnish my room with.<\/p>\n

But as the year comes to a close I can look back and realize how easy my first year at Iowa actually was. \u00a0I started off the year, as everyone does, with MapWorks and Sexual Harassment videos. \u00a0That should ease some of the stress right there. \u00a0It did for me. \u00a0I knew I was coming into a community of concerned staff members, and I was right on. \u00a0The professionals here will not hesitate to reach out to you if you are struggling, and MapWorks will serve as a check up system. \u00a0That way they can identify transition issues that even you may not have recognized yet.<\/p>\n

With the On Iowa! Program, moving in was almost too easy. \u00a0Current students helped me unload my car into a rolling cart and directed me to my room. \u00a0It took an hour and a half to get my room looking my own, and I’ve continued to add to it. \u00a0Its now complete with futon, bookshelf, and framed Pokemon posters.<\/p>\n

\"securedownload\"<\/a>My professors, even those teaching lecture halls of 300+ students, have office hours where they’ve been able to meet with me. \u00a0They also have Teaching Assistants who are assigned to a smaller group of students for discussion. \u00a0Not to mention the free tutoring provided by the Math Lab, Writing Center, and the University Housing and Dining. \u00a0Certain classes also provide near daily tutoring in the Pomerantz center and other locations. \u00a0There is no shortage of academic assistance, trust me. \u00a0I came to campus freaking out, and now I’m on the President’s Honor Roll, a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and a member of the Phi Eta Sigma Fraternity\/Sorority (Iowa’s National Honors Society). \u00a0So if you have any of these goals set for yourself it’s more than doable.<\/p>\n

In fact, it’s more than doable while attending every home football and basketball game of the season. \u00a0When you see the crowds it gets a little intimidating- especially if you’ve never been before. \u00a0But your older friends, and even your “from Iowa City” friends will know how to navigate to the stadium and will know where to go for food and things. \u00a0I loved tailgating amongst strangers and learning how to play beanie games. \u00a0It’s a great distraction from homesickness.<\/p>\n

So I would definitely suggest that you meet lots of people and try lots of things. \u00a0There’s really nothing holding you back, and the system at the University will keep you moving forward. \u00a0You’ll be assigned a freshman advisor, who will keep an eye on you academically. \u00a0I always end up laughing hysterically with mine. \u00a0She has kept me motivated and on track with my majors throughout the entirety of this past year. And that’s right, majors. \u00a0As in plural. \u00a0I was freaking out about figuring it out, and I get here and boom. We figure it out. \u00a0I’m a double major now, in English and Business. \u00a0I haven’t picked my tracks yet, which is more than okay. \u00a0Even with a major selected you don’t have to know what you want to do with it yet. So just breathe.<\/p>\n

There will be events to attend everywhere you turn, some in the buildings where you’ll be living. \u00a0Dances, crafts, trivia, raffles, movie nights, dinners, cultural celebrations, and everything in between. \u00a0The residence hall life is incredible here. \u00a0Students leave their doors open to attract strangers and hall mates trying to meet people. \u00a0Just walk right in! \u00a0The food in the dining hall is awesome, you’re close to campus, you make friends easily, your RA is nearby to help you through, and the rooms are nice. \u00a0I love living in the residence halls so much that I’m going to RA in one next year. \u00a0So if you’re living in Parklawn I’ll be seeing you.<\/p>\n

If you’re not living in Parklawn, I’ll probably still be seeing you. \u00a0In fact, I hope I see you everywhere. \u00a0At sporting events, informationals, tutoring centers, in the front row of classrooms, in the Marketplace, on the Cambus, in your Hawkeye gear. \u00a0You are about to start a very important piece of your life, and the take the first step in the direction of your professional future. \u00a0And it will be really easy. Isn’t that great?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A year ago today I was exactly where you are right now. \u00a0I was sitting at home, jumpy from accepting my admission to Iowa and filling out my housing application. \u00a0It seemed like I had to get everything figured out then and there and I was pretty stressed. \u00a0I couldn’t narrow down my interests to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,6,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-academics","category-campuslife","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":194,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions\/194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/taylor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}