A Day in the Life of an ISU Freshman

Well, it's Sunday night; almost time to start my second week of classes at Iowa State. Let me tell you, that first week was something else. At first I thought I'd be lost among the thousands of people, but after a few days, I had things basically figured out. If only last week I'd known some of the stuff I know now, it could have saved me some major headaches.

Let's start with Monday morning. I woke up and made it to my first class on time, so everything started out ok. I had classes over the lunch hour, so I hurried back to the dorms after class hoping to grab a quick lunch. I couldn't believe it when dining services was already closed. I had to wait until suppertime to have anything to eat. If only I'd know about the sack lunch program or the C-Stores, which are mini-convenient stores in the dorms. I found out about the Dining Services web site, where I now look for the weekly menu, dining service hours, and any other information related to eating at ISU.

During my classes, some of my professors had mentioned to be sure to check my university mail for class announcements. I checked my regular email account, but didn't find anything. Luckily, a friend told me later about Webmail, the Iowa State University email system. He also told me about AccessPlus, which is a great source of information. Here I can find my class schedule, grades, university bill, register for class, and even look for part-time jobs at the university.

All went well through Tuesday afternoon. After class I headed to the local pharmacy to pick up a prescription. It was quite a long walk, but I finally made it. Later a friend asked me why I didn't just take Cy-Ride, Ames' city bus system, which is free for students. Or even better than that, he said I should have gone to the Student Health Center (515-294-5801) on campus, which would not only be closer, but also offers prescriptions and services at a discounted price to students.

Wednesday night I walked over to the library to do some studying. I needed to find several sources for a report. I could have saved a lot of time if I'd known that the entire library catalog is available to be searched online at the Parks Library web site. By the time I left, it was dark outside and after 11:00. Walking across campus alone made me nervous, so I practically ran home, checking over my shoulder every other step. I should have just called the Safety Escort at 294-4444 for a ride back to my dorm.

By Thursday I was ready to find activities to do on campus. I'd heard people talking about different clubs and organizations they were in, but had no idea how to join. I was told about the ClubFest held every semester, where students have the opportunity to learn about all the clubs on campus. Also, I can go to the Student Clubs and Organizations web site for information. I also wondered how to get involved in intramural sports. I found out that Recreation Services offers a wide variety of intramural sports, as well as fitness classes, outdoor trips, and access to recreation facilities in several buildings around campus.

By the time Friday night came around, I was ready to relax and have some fun after my first week of classes. I wasn't really sure what there was to do around ISU and Ames, though. A couple of people from my dorm floor said they were heading over to the Free Friday Flick, so I went along and saw a great movie for free. I've also found about ISU AfterDark, which offers fun, alcohol-free activities on campus. Of course, there are always Cyclone Athletics to attend. A friend told me about a great deal. I can buy a student ticket that gets me into all the Cyclone sporting events. I can't wait to go cheer on the Cyclones! And after checking out the "What to do in Ames" web site, I realized there are more things to do here than I'll ever have time for.

So overall, my first week at ISU turned out ok. Now that I realize how many resources are available to help me, I can find basically any information I need. Other great resources I've discovered are the Student Answer Center (515-294-4469), the Iowa State University web site, and Iowa State's newspaper, the Iowa State Daily.With everything I've learned, I can't wait to start my second week of classes. College life isn't so tough after all.