1. The ADM golf team 

I joined the golf team as a freshman and have been out every spring since then. While I am not a spectacular golfer, I still have fun 110% of the time. It is a great sport to join if you’re not into running and want to have a hobby that can last you for the rest of your life. I’ve also been introduced to some of my best friends due to the golf team.

2. Jean Days 

As boring as this sounds, I set myself two “Jean Days” a week. On these special days, I wear a new pair of jeans that haven’t seen the light of day from my closet since the beginning of the school year. Simple as that, but can actually make you feel so much better during the week. Not only are you rotating clothes in and out of your closet, but you’re dressing up and making yourself feel good for the school day ahead. Usually, I set my Jean Days as Monday and Wednesday because those are notoriously the hardest days of the week. Give yourself some extra confidence this week and step out in your favorite pair of jeans that you never seem to get around to wearing.

3. Doing laundry 

I used to have a burning hatred towards laundry until I figured out a way to make it slightly less boring: customizable laundry detergent. I work at Buff City Soap, so this is going to sound like a blatant advertisement, but it’s not. I genuinely love their powder laundry detergent. In the store, you can choose any scent that you like and the Makery Associates can whip up your own tub of laundry detergent in that scent in less than a minute. It’s magic to me, honestly. My favorite thing to do is mix and match my favorite scents and add a little bit of personality to a mundane task such as laundry. It’s a true game-changer.

4. VSCO 

I’m not sure when we all collectively started using VSCO again, but it’s my new favorite form of social media. I love being able to post things I wouldn’t normally post on Instagram and have there be no anxiety and worry about how many likes or comments it gets. VSCO’s platform is centered around enjoying photos from your friends without being able to see the “like” count. The publisher itself can see how many favorites or reposts it gets, but no one else. Same as with follower counts. One of my favorite things about VSCO is the “republish” feature. It allows each user to republish a photo that they may find relatable or funny, and it pops up on people they follow feeds. Everything you repost is also under a “collection” tab on your own profile.

5. Waukee Ice Cream Shop 

I’ve never seen more flavors of soft serve in my life. If you’re tired of the standard chocolate, vanilla or twist soft serve then this is the next place you need to visit. They have an entire wall dedicated to every flavor of soft serve they have. Sweet, fruity, and sometimes even odd  (What is creme ‘de menthe anyway??). My personal favorite is pina colada or green apple. If you live anywhere near Waukee, it’s a must-try.

6. Prom prep 

I have been waiting for the night of prom since I began high school in my freshman year. It’s the one thing every girl (or guy) looks forward to and speeds up the year. I love fine-tuning details of where my group is eating, what my hair will look like, who will do my nails, etc. It gives me an outlet to be creative and make the night my own. Of course, I’m excited about the actual dance, but the preparation before is always the most fun in my opinion.

7. Cutting out red meat

I’ve never been the biggest fan of dark meat, so making the decision to cut it entirely from my diet has been the best option for me. I did a study about the negative effects of red meat on the cardiovascular system in freshman year, so ever since then, it’s been a thought in my mind. I went completely cold-turkey on beef, ham, and pork about four months ago. I haven’t noticed a serious change in my body, good or bad, mainly because I am still getting my protein intake through shakes, chicken, and turkey. I’ve also read it’s good for people who are at risk of cardiovascular disease and those susceptible to diabetes. Overall, I’d say it has been one of the best choices for me.