This was my first visit to the state of Iowa! I am always excited to visit new states and new college campuses, especially when I have heard so many great things about them. Everything I had been told about Iowa City was that it was a great college town and that Iowa was such a fun school. I also love meeting new chapters and getting to work with more AEPhis!
I got to explore downtown right away. It is such a cute little area with lots of different kinds of food, bars, and cute shops. It's also right next to campus, which is a big deal having gone to a school with no downtown at all. The pictures below are from the "ped mall," which is the areas of downtown that are pedestrian walkways, where cars cannot go. It has such a cool vibe and seems like an awesome place to go to school.
I also had fun walking around the campus. Even though it was freezing, I wanted to see all the important places. I wandered from downtown to see some sorority houses and the President's House, the back through campus to the Iowa Memorial Union and the Old Capitol Building. Even though it was cold and grey for most of visit, I could tell it was a cool place that would be super busy when green and nice weather comes.
I also got the chance to see distant parts of campus and the surrounding areas on a driving tour of Iowa City and Coralville, a next-door town. I saw the cute residential neighborhoods around campus, where the pretty houses reminded me of old New England homes. I don't know why everyone thinks Iowa is flat (don't worry, I did too), but it is actually hilly and looks very similar to the Northeast. Of course I didn't see any corn because it is the dead of winter but hopefully I will get to visit again in nicer weather when the rolling hills are full of corn crop.
The food I tried downtown was some of the best I've had in my travels. First, Alison made sure I knew to go to Molly's Cupcakes. They had so many options and literally ever single one looked good. I also spent a good deal of time at Java House, which I was told has been a long-standing TEC favorite. I joined the ranks of pasts TECs by making myself at home with their amazing coffee and lots of work. And finally I got to try Ally's favorite Iowa City place, Oasis Falafel. It is a Mediterranean restaurant downtown and has amazing hummus. I ate plenty of fresh falafel and hummus in Israel and I have to say that Oasis' is up there with the best.
On my last day in Iowa City, I got to visit with my Delta Chi friends and tour their fraternity headquarters. It is a cute little house right off campus where lots of students live. I got to sign their guest book and see all the cool memorabilia they have throughout the building. After visiting so many headquarters in Indianapolis, I really enjoyed getting to see an office with so much history!
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