...of 5 Cool Facts You Might Not Know About UNI!

1. UNI is ranked as #2 on USN's list of the best public universities in the entire Midwest!

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-midwest/top-public

2. Our ITC building houses one of the largest 3D Printers in America!

 http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/02/04/uni-students-train-future-using-one-north-americas-largest-3d-printers/

3. UNI is one of only 7 colleges in the U.S. to have an indoor football stadium! It is kept at a solid and quite comfortable 72 degrees exactly at all times.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1117636-college-football-ranking-division-i-indoor-stadiums/page/7

4. UNI's campus was originally built as an orphanage by Annie Wittenmyer for the orphans of Civil War soldiers and sailors...

 https://www.library.uni.edu/collections/special-collections/university-archives/brief-history-uni

5. ...and since then has had 4 different names when it became a college. 

• Iowa State Normal School, 1876–1909
• Iowa State Teachers College, 1909–1961
• State College of Iowa, 1961–1967
• University of Northern Iowa, 1967–present

 I could list hundreds of facts more, but I'll leave those for you to find out. I'd say this school is pretty darn awesome, don't you think?

-STAR, Lauren

...Of Being Excited for Summer Orientation

Hey Future Panthers,

With summer right around the corner, us, STARs (Student Telecounseling Admissions Representatives), have been calling to remind incoming transfer and incoming freshmen students, like yourselves, to sign up for summer orientation! If you haven't already gotten a call/email from us, here is the low-down :)

Summer Orientation is mandatory for all incoming students; it is a 2 day process for incoming freshmen and a 1 day process for incoming transfer students! At orientation, you register for your fall classes, learn more about your major, make some awesome friends, meet awesome summer orientation staff leaders (like myself), and learn more about this university. Freshmen, you have the chance to stay overnight on campus!

If you have NOT signed up for orientation yet, do so by following this link :)

Also, a friendly reminder now to complete your ALEKS test before coming to orientation, it will make your visit a million times easier! If you have any questions call our Admissions Office at 319-273-2281

NOW for the fun part, here are 7  REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE PUMPED FOR SUMMER ORIENTATION! (after reading this post you should be as pumped as Wes Washpun!)

Reason #1
You will get to hang out/meet with other students you will be with in the fall!

The friends in your orientation group could possibly be your friends that you hang out with throughout college! So be prepared to mingle allll day :)

Reason #2
You will be one step closer to becoming a Panther, and what could be better than that?!

Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING

Reason #3
For incoming freshmen, there is a DANCE PARTY!

P.S. Be prepared to show off your best dance moves

Reason #4
You will register for classes in the fall, (this may not sound exciting) but I promise us Summer Orientation Leaders will make it fun for you!

Reason #5
Sometimes Ben Jacobsen or other important UNI faculty will stop by to talk to incoming students like yourself! Be prepared to "fan-girl"

P.S. I hear President Ruud and Coach Jake like selfies



Reason #6
You get to experience living on campus, and can stay in the dorms overnight (for the freshman)

P.S. BRING A FAN


Reason #6

You get to hang out with your super awesome summer orientation staff team



Click here to check out the sweet staff for this summer! :)





Hopefully this post made you a lot more excited for summer orientation!! Can't wait to see you this summer! Again, DON'T forget to sign up for orientation! 


-STAR Grace

P.S. Go Cats!

...Of a Shopper :)

Hello Panther Fans!

Today I wanted to take a moment to tell you all about the shopping options here at UNI. We have a variety of convenience stores on UNI's campus and a fabulous book store! The book store is a great place to get books and SO MUCH MORE...They have:

Children's Clothing

Fan-tastic panther baskets.

Super cute Panther apparel!

The bookstore has a variety of items, but I also enjoy the convenience of walking less than a block to the book store to get the latest fashions and styles to support the panthers. I also LOVE that as a member of S.T.A.T (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow) you receive coupons and exclusive deals!! :)

If for any reason you don't find what you're looking for at the bookstore, we also have College Square Mall about 4 minutes from campus, and Crossroads Mall about 20 minutes from campus. Both have a variety of clothing, food, and beauty stores; and there is a bus system you can take to them.

If you're interested in any of the stores I mentioned, don't forget to check out their websites:

University Book and Supply

Crossroads Shopping Center

College Square Mall

Happy shopping! :)

-Star Olivia

...Of Working at UNI!

 Hey Future Panthers!

 In honor of Student Employment Week at UNI, I wanted to share benefits of working on campus!

If you're looking for a job for the upcoming school year, check out the Job Board on the UNI Website! Sign into your MyUniverse account and click on “Work at UNI”. Then click on “Jobs at UNI” and then “UNI Job & Internship Board” under Student Openings. (You can go to advanced options and search UNI Campus Jobs only).

Why work on campus?

1. You don’t have to drive anywhere.
2. They are flexible with hours, especially with your class schedule.
3. You will make more connections at UNI and meet other students!

Working on campus is really a win-win situation! (You get to have fun AND get paid for it!)

There are plenty of job openings ranging from food service to office work. There might even be positions for your major! Start looking for jobs now, and really be on the look out in the summer.

I have really enjoyed my on-campus job being a STAR! It really is the best part of my day, and it is something I look forward to. It is so convenient because it is right on campus, and I can easily walk to work. I love coming to work because I get to call future panthers and work with my fun co-workers!

Have a great day, and be on the search for jobs for the fall!

-STAR Emily

...Of Sprinting to the Finish!

It's April 14th... which means... SUMMER BREAK IS LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY! 

Which means finals are coming up and you have a ton of projects and you just kind of feel like:

So what are you supposed to do? Well, here are some tips in getting ready for the final stretch.

Tip1:

Write EVERYTHING down.

Tip 2:

Plan ahead. Figure out what has priority. You may have a huge project due on Friday, but by next week you have to have a whole book read. Yes, finish the project first, but don't put that book off. Get started now! Baby steps.

Tip 3:

Once you've completed all of your projects and studying and papers and whatever else you had to do, get excited! You've worked your hardest and you deserve a big ole pat on the back.

Tip4:

Enjoy your summer at the end of it all and get excited to come right on back in the Fall. Now that you've made it through this school year, nothing can ever stress you out again! 

...Right?

-

 -STAR, Lauren

...Of a UNI Student Having Fun Off Campus

Hey Future Panthers!

I remember one of my worries being a prospective student was what Cedar Falls had to offer students to have fun outside of all the fun things on campus!
While I had found many options once I got to campus, I recently experienced a new one this past weekend with my friends and it was so fun I just had to share!

Only a few miles away from campus, Adrenaline X Laser Tag is an awesome place to take a small or large group of friends! The staff there makes the experience extremely enjoyable and welcoming for regulars or even someone going laser tagging for the first time!

There are two courses, a smaller and less intense course and a larger and more challenging course! As a beginner I attempted the larger course and still had lots of fun!

The other great thing about Adrenaline X Laser Tag is that there are coupons in the student coupon books that are handed out for free around campus and are in the bookstore! For the two hours in the "Pro" course it would normally be $25, but with your student I.D. and the coupon I saved $10 and it was definitely worth EITHER price!

Be sure to check out their website and check out their facility when you are a Panther on campus :)

P.S. Wear all black, it makes you more difficult to find!

Hope you're excited for your time as a Panther!

-STAR Grace

...Of A Jason Aldean Fan.

How do you know you are a Jason Aldean Fan??

1. You are at least 10 of the 18 million+ views on the "Burnin' It Down" Music video on YouTube.

2. You know all of his songs by heart...and you make sure everyone knows it. Whether you are rockin' out in the shower or in the car with friends, you are not afraid to sing at the top of your lungs.

3. You know that Jason Aldean originally wanted to play baseball. Country singing was not what he wanted to do with his life.

4. He always wears a hat..hopefully there is hair underneath..

5. You know that he has a special lady in his life and your chances of snagging him have drastically decreased.. :/

6. You were on UNI's campus Saturday, March 28th for his amazing concert!!

I am the one with my arm up :)

Until next time Jason Aldean Fans.



 -Star Olivia

...of Studying and Time Management!

Are you nervous about studying and time management in college? I know I was really nervous about this when I came here, and I have found some tips and tricks to help with classwork!

1. Use your planner. You will receive a planner from the university at the beginning of the year, and it is so important to write down important dates. Go through your syllabus at the beginning of the year and write down all the due dates and test dates!
   
   
   
2. Make a to-do list. This is something that has helped me so much. I use my planner to write down important dates and assignments from class that day. I will make a daily to-do list to write down everything I need to accomplish that day. This ranges from assignments and studying to cleaning my room. It feels so good to cross out the list and be done at the end of the day, so this might help you too!
   
3. Make a friend (or more) in your class. Get to know the person next to you! I have made a lot of my friends in my classes, and this really helps around test time. Finding a study partner can really help you in class. Having someone you can ask for help on anything assigned in your class is really nice!
   
4. Find what studying technique works best for you. Studying is different for everyone. There are a few techniques you can use. One is flashcards. This can be on note cards or online on Quizlet. Another is writing important things down on a piece of paper a lot of times until it is memorized. Another thing to do is outline and highlight your notes, both from lectures and from the book. There are other ways as well, so be sure to find one that works for you!
   
5. Don’t stress. I know this one may seem impossible, but if you manage your time throughout the day and allow yourself enough time to study, you will be less stressed. Study until you feel confident, and try not to overwork yourself.

These are just some things I wish I knew when I came to college because they have really helped me with my classwork. The biggest thing is knowing what works best for you to study, so use different techniques and see what works best!

-STAR Emily

...of a Movie Addict on a Budget

Hey Future Panthers!

STAR Grace here with another awesome deal for you, especially all you movie lovers out there!

Just a couple miles from campus is College Square Theatre! This movie theatre has all the same great movies showing all over the country, but they have some special deals for us college students and for the Cedar Falls residents as well.

The great deals they offer for college students are available on Thursday: admissions to any movie is only $5 and a small popcorn is free! :) This is a really fun activity for you and friends or as a quick study break! 

Not only is there a sweet deal on Thursdays for college students there is also one on Tuesdays for everyone! The movies on Tuesday are $5 as well, plus free popcorn, $2 candy, and $2 hot dogs! 

Last week I saw Cinderella with a drink and popcorn for only $8.00 total! Normally its about $7 just for admission. 

Be on the lookout for great movies while on campus because the deals are great, and after all that studying, you'll definitely need a break! 

P.S. Be sure to checkout the the College Square Theatre website for deals when you're here!

Cant wait to see you on campus! 

-STAR Grace

...of an Elementary Education major!

Hey future Panthers! STAR Hannah here!

As some of you may know, I am an elementary education major! The returning students are starting to register for classes, so I thought I would give you guys some insight on what typical classes are in the schedule of an elementary education major!

I started out the fall semester of my freshman year taking mostly Liberal Arts Core classes. The good thing about being an elementary education major is that a lot of the LAC courses are also major courses, like Math Reasoning for Teachers I and any of the Inquiry into Life, Physical, or Earth Science classes!

I registered to take my Level 1's during this Spring semester. If you are not familiar with this terminology, it is short for saying "field experience." There are 3 levels of field experience, and then the fourth "level" is student teaching! Level 1's is usually two classes. One of them is called Dynamics of Human Development. I am currently in this course, and it is very interesting! It goes through the development of humans, beginning with the fetus--a course perfect for elementary education or early childhood majors! The second course is Level 1 Field Experience: Exploring Teaching. This is the class where you talk about what goes on while you're in the classroom in a surrounding school district. My field experience placement is in a first grade classroom at Orange Elementary in Waterloo! I am loving it so far! I have to be in the classroom for a minimum of 30 hours. At the end of the semester, I will have gone for at least 3 hours per week for 10 weeks. On Monday, I had the pleasure of teaching a short math lesson, and I had a lot of fun interacting with the students! It was like being the teacher for five minutes! I am currently working on a lesson plan to teach a mini-lesson about the story Chrysanthemum!

 Some of you may remember this from your childhood!

The best part about our College of Education here at UNI is that they make sure you get out into the classrooms before Spring semester of your second year! This creates a very hands-on experience since the classroom is where we are able to learn best from other experienced teachers. The video on the College of Education homepage (uni.edu/coe) is a great summary of just how awesome our program is! You can also find many helpful tips and resources on that website as well. Feel free to explore it a little bit!

Have a great week, future Panthers! :)

~STAR Hannah

...of UNI Now!

If you are a student planning on attending University of Northern Iowa, have been accepted, paid your acceptance fee, completed your housing contract, will submit your final transcripts when you graduate and have a summer orientation date scheduled, congratulations on your becoming an official member of the Panther family!

When you attend your orientation session, you get to stay on campus overnight, meet your new classmates, learn more about your major, register for classes, and attend the Pantherpalooza to play games, relax, and just have a great time. If you think that sounds pretty fun, just wait to see what else we have in store.

UNI has something brand new and exciting coming up this summer! Incoming students, after they attend their orientation, can come to campus for the new UNI Now program on August 19th and move in early! This will give new students the chance to get acclimated to the university, get to know their peers, and participate in fun activities put on by our admissions Cat Crew!

“How do I register?” you may ask. Well, you can do it easily online at http://www.uni.edu/orientation/uni-now! If you think orientation and its accompanying activities are fun and you can’t wait for your college experience, you haven’t seen anything yet! 

- STAR Lauren

...of Going Home for Spring Break!

Hey Future Panthers!

Spring break just ended and it's back to work and classes! Before, during and after spring break I heard a lot of people complaining about having nothing to do. So, I decided to put together some tips of fun things you can do over spring break even if you aren't going anywhere!

Have a great rest of your week F.P.'s!

~STAR Eliza

... Of Preparing for Midterms

Hey Future Panthers!

At UNI, midterms are approaching, which means a ton of homework, projects, and tests.  This is also the time where most students are either relieved or overwhelmed… 

Here are some tips to avoid feeling so overwhelmed about midterms during your time on campus!

·       Make to do lists or keep a planner

Lists are a great way to manage your activities, homework, and deadlines.  It is also a great feeling when you are able to cross items off your list!

·       Turn off Netflix

Many of us are guilty of binge watching Netflix, but when midterms are coming up, it is a good idea to either turn it off or minimize how much you spend your time watching it.  Instead, use this time to be productive by studying, completing projects, or doing homework

·       Find a study spot

Personally, I find it difficult to do intense studying in my room or house’s lounge.  Find a study spot that is quiet, not too busy, and without lots of distractions.

·       Study a little bit every day

Pretty self-explanatory; studying a little bit every day helps make the workload seem a lot less intimidating!

·       Don’t procrastinate

In the moment, procrastination might seem like a great idea, but do not do it.  The all-nighters, last minute study sessions, and panic about if you will finish a paper on time is not worth the stress.  Like I said before, get a little bit done every day.  Set little daily goals and this will help reduce the amount of stress that comes with procrastination.

·       Get plenty of rest

It might feel like you are constantly on the move, so be sure to get lots of rest to keep your energy up for the next day!

·       Exercise

Exercising is a great way to keep endorphins going!  It is also a great way to relieve stress while staying healthy!

·       Do something fun

This can be anything!  For my roommate, she has decided that a nap is what sounds the best right now.  I volunteered at Special Olympics with my friends.  Do something that will just make you relax, laugh, or be happy.

Sydney and me with our buddy Mark at Special Olympics

 -STAR Courtney