Ollie loves how much the university is integrated with the Iowa City community. She's never more than a walk away from awe-inspiring events and fantastic local businesses, which makes her feel at home every single day.

One of her favorite moments from her first year was visiting Special Collections in the Main Library for her English Unbound class. "I got to physically hold and flip through the notebook of Mary Shelley and several other incredible items, which blew my mind!"

Ollie loves to get involved with anything and everything she can find time for! A couple of her favorites include Dance Marathon, several literary magazines, Camerata Singers choir, and the Honors Program. "Every activity I'm in makes me feel more connected to the university in a different way."

Her advice is to try a little bit of everything! There is so much that Iowa has to offer, and the more you choose to get involved with, the more you'll find the people and places that feel like home.