How to spot a freshman on Iowa campus
Looking good in that lanyard
Being a freshman on campus can be a fun and rewarding experience, but is also filled with many life lessons.
After being on campus for a full semester as well as listening to what my older friends have to say, I picked out some key factors that can spot a freshman on campus.
Lanyards are a fashion accessory
Having a lanyard is a key indicating stereotype of how you know if somebody is a freshman or not. Most freshmen on campus learn to use the short lanyards with a wristlet (for girls) or a wallet (for guys) to keep their room key and much needed I.D. in sight at all times.
However, there are some people that will wear their lanyards around their neck. It’s a great way not to lose anything though, I’ll give them that.
Freshman indicator: seeing that stylish lanyard necklace.
![]()
One spliced word – OnIowa!
Everyone on campus that’s been here from the start knows about the OnIowa! Week long events. I’ll admit, I enjoyed some of the activities like walking on the turf at Kinnick.
However, I only wore that shirt I was given once for the class picture (which is pretty awesome).
Since then, I see people wearing that shirt and I know their age. At least they don’t wear it to the bars!
Freshman indicator: seeing someone on campus wearing their class shirt.
“OnIowa, go hawks!” is another freshman indicator. There aren’t really any upperclassmen that repeat this phrase, and at football games this past season (go Hawks for real though) if anyone yells this someone will quickly shout “FRESHMAN” back.
I actually have said it once or twice maybe… but quickly stopped.
They still genuinely like all the food spots on campus
According to a couple of upperclassmen I talked with, their obsession with some food places has now largely diminished after the initial year of excitement.
It may be the college budget getting to them, but it could be more.
I know when I first came to campus, I ate out at places I’ve never been to quite frequently, but the novelty has really worn off now.
Freshman indicator: Poncheros or Mesa being packed at 10pm on weekends.
Everyone always gets sick of the dorm food, but meal swipes are a life saver.
Being on the West side of campus, it’s just more convenient to use a meal swipe then to go out somewhere. That’s why so many freshmen flock to the dining halls – those meal swipes are fantastic.
The tell-tale X
Who else goes to the bars at 7 because they have to be out by 10?
Okay, maybe it’s more like 8 or 8:30 but the lines suck to get in by then, and by the time you get in sometimes you have to leave within 20 minutes.
Freshman indicator: seeing those long lines that early, and also the X’s on hands.
Dicey fake I.D.’s
What’s the deal with the fakes too? Most freshmen have them but the point is, if you’re not careful about it the Iowa City police bust pretty quickly. Plenty of freshmen have been caught and given tickets for being in the bars past 10.
Fake I.D.s are common on campus, and the police are really cracking down. Undercover cops at some bars have been asking guys who have wristbands on if they were going to buy drinks, then end up busting them. Recently, there have been people warning party goers that police stand outside of the dorms waiting for freshmen or underage individuals to come back, then subsequently bust them for being underage.
Freshman indicator: the wristband wall on the bridge outside the West dorms.
Dressing to impress
Totally a culprit to this, but I see a mix of freshmen who either dress way up for class or just don’t care at all. Yeah, it’s good to look nice, but it’s college not high school. Nobody is going to gossip about that fact you wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt to class.
The freshman indicator here is kind of inconclusive, but overall maybe the “dress-up for class” is seen more.
Freshman indicator: that one girl in class that wears full makeup and nice clothes to a 7:30am every time.
College is a huge change from high school, and being a college freshman is totally different – and infinitely better – than being a high school freshman.