Tyler

Not only was this our first 3 day weekend of the school year, but it was also the first football game of the season and my first University of Iowa game ever!

So needless to say, I was pretty stoked waking up early Saturday morning in order to get ready for the big game. I was decked out in black and yellow, with school pride streaming across my face as I and a group of ten other girls from my floor hiked over to Kinnick Stadium. The streets leading to Kinnick were full of Hawkeye fans tailgating before the game. The school spirit was definitely overwhelming, but in the best way possible! As we waited for the gates to open, it began to sprinkle a little bit. My friends and I actually brought trashbags to act as an umbrella or poncho, not expecting the magnitude of rain that was awaiting us. So while we waiting for the stadium to open, we took photos posing with our trash bag invention. Little did we know that we would need much more than the flimsy thrash bags in less than 20 minutes.

The stadium gates opened, and my group and I booked it to get the best seats possible. We managed to get in the 12th row, and had a perfect view. Before we knew it, it began to pour. It was fun at first, most of my friends are dance majors, so our first instinct was to dance in the rain. After hours in the pouring rain, the excitement of the rain became stale. We were freezing our butts off and our clothes were completely drenched, but when the Hawkeyes made their first touchdown, the entire student section jumped with joy as we gave each other high fives. The game was a great way to start off my college experience, despite the freezing rain! I am looking forward to the next game! Go Hawks!!!

Nothing could have prepared me for my first week of college. It was the most fun, uncomfortable, stressful, and exciting experiences ever. Class after class, I sat there with a syllabus in front of me telling me all the papers I will need to write, quizzes, and expectations for the class. I am not going to lie, it was pretty stressful knowing that a heavy load of homework and studying was just thrown on top of you. Though being a dance major does have its perks, because for our actual ballet and modern classes there is no written finals just your work that is done within the studios in Halsey Hall. So every day it is great  knowing I get to dance for college credit!

Well to top off my class schedule that was taking me from building to building, Monday night the dancers had their first audition for the year, for the Gala. The Gala is the biggest performance the dance program puts on all year. The audition was a 3 hour process of learning choreography and then performing it in front of the choreographers and directors for the Gala. I wasn’t too nervous going into the audition because freshmen rarely are asked to perform in the Gala, so I was doing it for the experience. Tuesday night the cast list for the Gala is posted, and my jaw dropped. I was actually casted in a piece as well as 2 other freshman! It was the greatest feeling ever, but it made the rest of my week ten times as stressful. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,

I spent all my extra time talking to my academic adviser trying to get my schedule rearranged in order to be able to make the Gala rehearsals which are practically every night from 5:30 to 8:30. Thankfully after much effort, my schedule is great and I am all ready for rehearsals to begin.

It is going to be a fun, yet tiring year. I am already feeling like a college student, even though I have been here less that 2 full weeks. The friends I am making feel as if I have known them for years. And to top it all off, I took a 2 hour nap today, and woke up and ate easy mac…College can’t get any better than this!!

As the largest class paraded over to Kinnick stadium, it looked as if all the sidewalks were flooded with a yellow sea of excited freshmen. I was pumped to take my first steps into Kinnick Stadium, and we even got to hang out on the field while meeting the rest of the class of 2015!

So to say the least I have been so busy this weekend…The White Panda concert on Saturday night was insane, but in a good way! My entire floor, which consists mostly of dance majors, met at 9:30 in the hallway and then we walked over to the park next to the IMU. Once we got there we decked ourselves out in glow sticks. Kids were walking around with their entire body glowing, so once the concert began the whole park was lit up! We danced the night away and definitely represented all the dancers out there! It was a great way to start off my weekend at University of Iowa, and I am looking forward towards many more exciting days here!

That was the only thing I heard last night, and I knew target was where its at! So when 10:30 rolled around Thursday night most of my floor went down to the IMU to catch a bus to Target. Even before we got off the bus, they were already handing out FREE coupon books, and now as I am a “poor college student” I need to take advantage of all the free stuff. As I walked into Target, needing nothing, walked out an hour later with two containers of easy-mac, a bag of combos and skittles, vitamin water, and plenty of coupons. And what was the cost of all this…absolutely nothing!! I think I am going to like college a lot!

So ONIOWA is officially starting in less than an hour, where we are going to meet in our small groups and then off to Kinnick Stadium! Can’t wait!

I’m finally in Iowa City after a 6 hour car ride, with one broken lamp, 3 bathroom breaks, and one jam packed car. As my family and I pulled up to Burge, the street was lined with anxious students with stuffed cars, including mine. Moving in was super quick, but it was the decorating and organizing my room that took a while.  But after much effort, my dorm room is starting to look like home! I still need to set up a few more things (bookshelf and some more photos of friends and family back home in IN,) but those will be up shortly!

There is literally sooo much to do in Iowa City and  on campus the next couple of days! My roommate, AJ and I have been exploring all around town. Oh and by the way, isn’t it ironic my roommate and I both have boy names!! Anyways,  I am planning on taking a yoga  or hip hop class before ONIOWA actually begins on Friday afternoon. I already have things to do filled out on my planner…ice cream social with all the dance majors, check-in meetings, and a floor meeting! This will be a great fun-filled weekend leading up to classes next week! It is going to be a good year at University of Iowa!