There’s nothing better than being a freshman at Iowa

Freshman year may seem like a big leap in life, and at first it might be a little bit frightening. However, once it begins it’s going to be one of the most memorable times of your life.

As for the Hawkeyes? We make freshman year rock.

A few simple freshman tips

We all hear so many horror stories about being a freshman in college. After awhile though, you learn it’s really not that bad at all. No one treats you differently simply because you’re a freshman. However, marching around in your On Iowa t-shirt with your dorm key hanging from a lanyard around your neck really shouldn’t be your go to fashion statement…

Ignore all the lists of “things you must have in college”. Not only are half the items totally useless (seriously what college kid actually cares enough to iron their clothes), but you also don’t have a ton of extra space.

Most likely your room will be small, so organization is key. Keep it simple, clutter sucks.

On Iowa

On Iowa…GO HAWKS! After one week, you will never want to hear these words again.

The first week on campus is freshman nation. Iowa goes all out for the newbies – there are crafts, a concert, a night at Kinnick Stadium (get in that freshman picture!), and a bunch of other activities meant to help you meet people and take your mind off home. It might seem like a bit of an overkill, but you could have a lot of fun if you go.

For the first few days you’ll be split into small groups by color. You’ll get a lanyard for your color group (again, not a necklace) and go to a few mandatory info sessions.

Try to have fun with the activities- no one likes to hear constant complaining about having better things to do. It may not be the most exciting experience, but all freshman need a little reminder of the rules of campus. To sum it all up, icebreakers get old really fast and sexual consent is something to take very seriously.

Hawkeyes love football

If you really want to be a part of this school, buy the student tickets and go to all the games. You may know absolutely nothing about football, but it’s definitely worth it. There’s truly nothing like being at an Iowa football game standing in the student section. No matter if they win or lose, we fans love our Hawkeyes.

It’s loud, it’s exciting, and it’s one of the absolute best parts about attending this University.

 

 

How to be an Iowa State fan in Hawkeye nation

This one’s easy. You don’t.

If you’re a State fan it’s probably best to make that your deep dark secret and burn all the red shirts you own. You’ll learn pretty quickly that a lot of jokes around here are aimed at the Cyclones, and fuck State seems like a daily chant on campus.

No offense Cyclones, it’s nothing personal – we simply prefer our Hawkeyes.

 And of course, the night life

 Everyone knows that Iowa is one of the top party schools in the nation. This may or may not be something to be proud of, but either way it’s part of the experience here. Downtown Iowa City has a pretty decent bar scene, which you’ll notice pretty quickly. Between Summit, Union, Airliner, and Brothers, there is always something going on.

Advice to all freshmen, find a house party.

Bars are fun but what’s the point in jumping through the hoops pretending to be 21 when you could just go to a house where no one really cares? Not only that, you’re also bound to see way more interesting things at a house. For example – there was a guy who was so drunk he walked up to the side of the room, put his hand on the pipe, and ripped it straight out of the wall. In about two minutes that basement went from a hot-box to a damn flood zone.

I guarantee you wouldn’t see that sitting in a bar!

We all love to get a little crazy, but seriously…don’t go overboard.  After all, you don’t want to be that completely wasted girl who’s sitting outside someone’s dorm room totally lost with an RA trying to figure out her name and how the hell to contact someone who knows who she is and where she lives.

College is fun, just be yourself

Being part of the Hawkeye nation is one of the best experiences you will ever have. The campus is beautiful, and no matter who you are there will be something here to spike your interest. There are plenty of people around too, so no need to worry- you’re going to fit in somewhere and have an amazing time. The only thing you need to do is be yourself and be proud of it.

The University of Iowa is an awesome place to live- so just have fun, and enjoy being a Hawkeye!