The Burns Effect: Iowa State University

Why You Should Live in Maple, Willow, or Larch Hall Freshman Year at ISU

I am going to preface this post by admitting my bias. Larch Hall was my freshman year dorm. Whenever you stay someplace, events, experiences, and people will completely bias you in one way or the other. Before I officially chose to attend Iowa State, I was told during a tour of the college that living in Maple-Willow-Larch would be one of the worst decisions I make. "It is a party dorm," I was told. While MWL can be seen as party dorms, I would also like to digress because any dorm can be one. If you aren't really a party person, MWL would suffice just as well. It all depends on the type of person you are. I happened to be a perfect mix: the first semester, I hardly went out; the second semester, went out a heckuva lot. Note that I am saying I went out. I never partied in Larch Hall. Regardless of whether you like to party or not, there is a multitude of reasons why you should select to live in MWL during your freshman year at Iowa State University.

1. The convenience to central campus

Maple, Willow, and Larch are right off the edge of central campus. There is nothing easier than getting to central campus from these dorms. You have many options: you can catch the Orange 23 bus, walk, or bike. It's that easy. Nothing is more than 10 minutes away from MWL (excluding other dorms, such as Wallace, Wilson, and the University-Schilletter Village Apartments).

2. Bus Routes

As mentioned above, Orange 23 is the primary bus to get around central campus. It leaves from the commuter lot (near Jack Trice Stadium) and comes to Maple-Willow-Larch, then it takes you to the most of the primary buildings (Lagomarcino, Mackay, Parks Library, Carver Hall, Memorial Union, and Lied gym). Across the street on Lincoln Way, you can also catch the 3 Blue South (or North, depending on which side of the street you stand on) and 1 Red East (or West).

3. Seasons Dining Hall

If you are lazy like me, you do not always feel like leaving your dorm to go get food. Most campuses set it up where you have to, but Iowa State (thankfully) allowed MWL to have a dining hall right downstairs. Seasons is one of the largest dining halls on campus, and it's definitely the most frequented, I would say.

4. East Side Store (C-Store)

If you are in need of a snack, a late night meal, toiletries, or a blue book, East Side is right downstairs. I love it because they accept dining dollars, meal plans (after 7:30 for Late Night), and regular cash or debit/credit cards.

5. MWL Commons

If you need a easy, nice place to study, the MWL Commons will make you happy. While there could definitely be more space added, it is large enough for the typical school weeks (don't try to go there during Dead Week). There is also a computer lab that lets you print! I mean, this was a real benefit for the lazy student who didn't want to bus or walk to Parks Library.

6. Lied Recreational Gym

Lied is a great gym for the athletic person; there are racquetball courts, basketball courts, ping-pong tables, fitness classes, a mini-track, workout machines, and a tennis court outside. Hello? This sounds like heaven, and it was considering it was really easy to get to. Finding the encouragement to trek across campus to State Gym was hard, so Lied made it harder to be lazy and make excuses for not working out.

7. Convos

Conversations is literally right across the street, and that's great for Late Night meal bundles. Instead of having to stick to food at the C-Store, you can branch out and go over to Convos for a nice meal (the chicken tenders were A1, and so were the quesadillas, jello, and puppy chow).

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Student Organizations for Multicultural College Students

The original introduction sentence that I was planning to write went something along the lines of, "attending a predominately white institution is interesting...," but I had to take a moment to reflect. Is it really interesting? I suppose the answer depends on which side of the equation you are on--are you a student of color or are you in the majority? If you are in the latter group, then the answer is probably no. There's nothing spectacular about PWIs. How can anything stand out to you if you fit right into the mold? And if you're in the former group, the answer might still be no. I say this because there's nothing interesting about a PWI as a POC because the world is seemingly a PWI. So, there's little difference in your experience. Nevertheless, there are some things that can make a PWI more interesting, especially for a student of color. Student organizations and clubs that are tailored to the needs and wants of people of color.
At Iowa State, I am a proud member of the Black Student Alliance. Without my membership in the club, I do not know whether I would want to continue attending Iowa State. Do not get me wrong: I love the campus, the people, and the courses available. It's because I come from Detroit (a predominately black city); so, jumping into a place where I feel as if I have little support from my community is not something I am sure I want to do. Of course, as I mentioned above, this world is definitely a white one. That means I can go many places without seeing someone who looks like me. (I have experienced this, both in Germany and even here, at ISU.) So, when I came to Iowa State, I knew that I would have to reach out and find a place that could be my relief. I am sure many other students of color resonate with what I am saying. I've heard it plenty of times around campus by other students of color, how certain clubs on campus are the reason they stay.
Considering many high school students are graduating and will be attending college come fall semester, I wanted to write this post. It's important - no matter where you go - to find at least one place that can be your haven, where you can be completely comfortable. I do not recommend choosing a university that you will never feel comfortable at, in the first place; organizations and clubs are simply an added cushion.

Student Orgs and Clubs for Multicultural College Students

Black Student Alliance
National Society of Minorities in Hospitality Management
National Society of Black Engineers
Womyn of Color Network (specifically at Iowa State)
African Student Association
Arab Student Association
Latinx Student Initiatives
Pan-Caribben Community
South Sudanese Assn
Puerto Rican Student Association
Multicultural Student Association

Every university has their own set of organizations and clubs for students of color. If this is something important to you, I highly recommend going to your university's student org's page online and seeing what they have! If there is not a club that fits your interest, you can always start one.

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In Best places to Study, College

Best Places to Study at Iowa State

Finals week is officially here! Day one is over (hopefully, unless you have a night final tonight - good luck, then). How are you all keeping up? I can say that I am beat down and ready to go home and sleep my break away. But alas, finals is not over for me and for plenty other students. I realized that I probably should have posted this post about a week ago during Dead Week, but it's better late than never, right? Here are some of the best places to study on campus or near campus when you attend Iowa State!

1. The Library (duh!)

This one is pretty common, as it's a library and libraries are the best place to buckle down and get your head in your books. (Please don't do this literally, as you will most likely fall asleep and defeat the entire purpose of you going to the library.) Park's Library is great to study as there are a bunch of space to study, whether you want a private room, a concealed space, or a large area for a group study session. The only downfall is that everyone is literally thinking the same way as you and like to study in the library, especially during Dead Week.

2. The Multicultural Center

I love going to the MCC in Memorial Union! It is literally the best place to study because it's rather quiet, there are private cubicles as well as open spaces and rooms to study in. And no, you do not have to be a multicultural student to go there and study. Everyone is welcome!

3. Cafe Diem (Main Street)

This is a cute little cafe that I recently found with a friend. It is literally the most adorable place you might ever go. The decor is cozy; there is free WiFi; and the lattes are amazing! (I am drinking an Eggnog Gingerbread Latte right now. Yum!) It's standard size for a cafe, and it's a semi-popular place, but you most likely will find a spot to study. The later it gets, though, the more crowded it can be.

4. Your Dorm ('s lounge or Mezz)

I like the convenience of study in Larch's lounge. I can literally not change out of my pajamas, yet still get the heck out of my room for the day.

5. MWL Commons

Can you say food an study sesh? You literally have Season's downstairs (and East Side Market), so if you ever need a break or to grab some food, it's extremely convenient. During Dead Week and Finals' Week, it tends to get pretty crowded the later it gets in the day, so be prepared to have to spread out on the floor (if you don't mind).

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In campus, College

Why You Should Choose Iowa State

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities that a student can choose to attend in the United States. Some are two-year institutions; others are 4-years; there are also public and private institutions to choose from. I happen to attend Iowa State University, a public 4-year institution in Ames, Iowa. Iowa State was not my first choice; it was my second. But if you were to ask me whether I regret choosing ISU (because I did get accepted into my first choice, which was the University of Central Florida), I would say no with no hesitation. I chose my adventure.

1. Majors Galore

When I originally began to look at colleges, I chose Iowa State because of the vast amount of majors and minors available to study. Anybody who knows me (and maybe even those who don't) knows that I am super indecisive. This means that whatever university I ever considered attending needed to give me options as far as what I could study; a few majors that I considered once upon a time include the following: veterinary medicine, graphic design, interior design, architecture, journalism, and criminal justice. Iowa State provides all of the above, plus more. After all, I am currently double majoring in Event and Hospitality Management and considering minoring in Public Relations.

2. Campus Clubs & Student Organizations

Another reason why I ultimately chose Iowa State is the amount of extracurricular activities, clubs and organizations available for me to become involved in. I was not a super involved person in high school, but I knew that I wanted to be once I attended university. Even if I ended up not participating in anything, I wanted it to be because I chose not to - not because I didn't have the chance to. I am a member of the general assembly for the Black Student Alliance, Society for the Advancement of Gender Equity, Womyn of Colour Network, Connect 4, and the Historian for the Freshmen Action Team (umbrella-ed under BSA). I tried out Develop, which is a photo club, and a couple of other clubs; however, my schedule doesn't really permit me to participate in so many.

3. The Campus is Beautiful

Iowa State University's campus is breathtaking. It was actually named the fifth most beautiful campus by Buzzfeed in 2015. Every campus tour that I went on was rainy. RAINY. Yet I still fell in love with the school. Now that I am a student, I have had the opportunity to see the campus in rain and shine (no snow, yet!), and I still cannot believe that my campus is so gorgeous. There are little pathways that boast the beauty of the campus; the architecture makes my heart happy.

4. Iowa Charm

Lastly, the students, faculty, and staff are friendly! I've been told before that what people consider southern charm is how Iowa really is. I am not surprised. While not everyone might be super open, and some may be downright rude, but the majority will make you glad that you chose ISU.

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Why You Should Live in Maple, Willow, or Larch Hall Freshman Year at ISU

1. The convenience to central campus

2. Bus Routes

3. Seasons Dining Hall

4. East Side Store (C-Store)

5. MWL Commons

6. Lied Recreational Gym

7. Convos

Student Organizations for Multicultural College Students

Student Orgs and Clubs for Multicultural College Students

Best Places to Study at Iowa State

1. The Library (duh!)

2. The Multicultural Center

3. Cafe Diem (Main Street)

4. Your Dorm ('s lounge or Mezz)

5. MWL Commons

Why You Should Choose Iowa State

1. Majors Galore

2. Campus Clubs & Student Organizations

3. The Campus is Beautiful

4. Iowa Charm

About me

Krishaun.

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recent posts

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Pages

Why You Should Live in Maple, Willow, or Larch Hall Freshman Year at ISU

1. The convenience to central campus

2. Bus Routes

3. Seasons Dining Hall

4. East Side Store (C-Store)

5. MWL Commons

6. Lied Recreational Gym

7. Convos

Student Organizations for Multicultural College Students

Student Orgs and Clubs for Multicultural College Students

Best Places to Study at Iowa State

1. The Library (duh!)

2. The Multicultural Center

3. Cafe Diem (Main Street)

4. Your Dorm ('s lounge or Mezz)

5. MWL Commons

Why You Should Choose Iowa State

1. Majors Galore

2. Campus Clubs & Student Organizations

3. The Campus is Beautiful

4. Iowa Charm

About me

Krishaun.

Add Me ON

recent posts

Blog Archive

Popular Posts

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