Why you should commit to the University of Iowa

Choosing a college is an intense process, and a huge decision. It’s important to know exactly what you’re going to get out of a school, and that you know you’ll be happy where you end up! Being a freshman at the University of Iowa is the most exciting part of every former Hawks life.

To convince you even more to give Iowa a shot, here are some things that set us a step above any other college in the Midwest. 

The campus is beautiful

Usually when you think of a town in the middle of Iowa, minds wander to pictures of cornfields and barns. However, Iowa City is a different world compared to the typical Iowa town. It has an artistic, busy downtown filled with beautiful columned buildings that look almost like monuments.

The Pentacrest is a pentagon-shaped area in the middle of campus that is home to buildings like MacBride Hall and Schaefer Hall, along with the renowned Old Capital Building. It’s covered in green grass every spring and fall, as well as tons of beautiful yellow flowers. Anytime it’s warm you can see people laying around on the grass, playing Frisbee, and walking dogs.

The nightlife is the best in the Midwest

The University of Iowa is probably the most well-known for its party scene. It’s been in the top 5 party schools for many years now, and it continues to hold up that rank. There are at least 30 or 40 different bars in town, and they all have something unique to them.

Summit has the Jungal and a new DJ every weekend, Union has the best concerts during the week, Airliner has the best food before 10 and is famous for the discovery of Ashton Kutcher, and Pints is always the place to go when you’re ending the night at bar close. The outdoor ped-mall downtown is always full of people on weekend nights, and restaurants like Mesa and Pancheros always have massive lines once it hits 2 am.

The school spirit is one of a kind

Iowa has struggled in past years with sports,  but last year they made some big improvements and proved themselves to biased sportscasters like Colin Cowherd (more like Colin “Coward”). They won 12 games in their regular football season and lost 0, and ended up going on to the B1G title game with Michigan State, only for a heartbreaking loss at the last second.

They also played in the Rose Bowl game in Pasadena for the first time since the 80s. Basketball also had a surprising season. They were #4 in the nation at one point and they made it to the second round of March Madness. Football tailgates next to Kinnick Stadium are something that will also become your favorite part of college. Waking up at 6 am to tailgate in a yard full of people your age decked out in black and gold is something you’ll miss long after you graduate.

There’s a new celebrity in town basically every other week

If you’re a die hard star chaser, you’ll definitely see your fair share in Iowa City. There’s a new rapper performing at Union once a month (e.g. Travis Porter and Ty Dolla $ign) and presidential candidates visit all the time trying to snag the votes of the young people that are fresh out of high school and ready to be an adult by participating in their first election.

This  year, Hillary Clinton brought Demi Lovato to perform at her rally and somehow I managed to get front row seats. Amy Schumer is coming later this month and Kevin Hart was here in the fall. Lastly, if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll spot Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis at a football or basketball game during your time at Iowa.

The quality of education is incredible

Whether you only want to get an undergrad degree, or you see yourself moving on into med or law school at Iowa, all forms of education are guaranteed to be worth your time and money. There are multiple professional/graduate programs at the University of Iowa, and the professors are all very personable and helpful if you take the time to go to their office hours.

You also get to escape from the small classrooms of high school, and live the full college experience by sitting in a massive lecture hall with maybe a couple hundred kids that would make perfect study buddies.

There’s a job opportunity around every corner

One of the best choices I made when I started living in Iowa City was to work at 2 bars/restaurants downtown known as The Airliner and Bardot. Majority of my friends I made by working with them, and I always have a place to go if I want to get away from school and eat a burger or enjoy a night out with friends somewhere I know I’ll be safe.

At Airliner, I feel like I have a second family. I love all my coworkers and I don’t know where I’d be right now if I didn’t get that job. I look forward to going to work and I know that someone always has my back if a creepy guy tries to hit on me or I lose my group of friends. 

There’s something for everyone

The University of Iowa sits in the middle of Iowa City, which just so happens to be world-renowned as one of 6 “cities of literature”. It’s considered to be equal to Melbourne, Australia and Edinburgh, Scotland. It doesn’t get much cooler than that, does it? There’s a neat show to check out every weekend at the Englert Theatre, and if you so happen to decide to be a writer, you can find the best program in the nation, called the Writer’s Workshop, right here at the University of Iowa.

It’s one of the most diverse campuses in the Midwest as well, and there are always different festivals and events for different cultures from around the world. There’s even a huge fashion festival called the Flyover Fashion Fest coming to Iowa City in May of 2016, put on by the Iowa Fashion Project to promote Iowa in the fashion world.