By Bri Brands 

Whether it’s your first semester at the University of Iowa or your last, beginning a new semester brings about countless new challenges.  

Being a college student isn’t always easy, but you can mitigate some of the stress by trying these sure-fire strategies, habits, and choices, as recommended by Bri Brands, a spring 2026 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) graduate. 

Take advantage of CLAS and campus-wide resources 

Many students are unaware of just how much support is offered by the university. From academic to personal resources, here are a handful of services you should try to utilize as a CLAS student: 

CLAS’s academic student success centers  

CLAS is home to more than a dozen academic student success centers across campus.  

Designed to elevate students’ academic careers, these centers offer everything from free snacks and a relaxing study spot to group learning sessions and collaborative workspaces. 

Sure-fire tip: If you’re finding yourself unmotivated to write that midterm paper or study for that final exam, academic student success centers are the best place to get work done. There, you are sure to be surrounded by other hardworking students and be in a comfortable, quiet, distraction-free environment.  

The Writing Center 

Largely staffed by CLAS students, the Writing Center is a great resource for any kind of writing assignment, whether it is creative, academic, or even a job application. 

Housed in the English-Philosophy Building (EPB), students can set up recurring weekly meetings for a tough course that involves a lot of writing, make a one-time appointment to get feedback on a final paper, or submit a document review without ever having to step foot in the EPB. 

Sure-fire tip: You will never become a stronger writer unless you practice and get real, honest feedback on your work. No matter how small or seemingly unimportant an assignment may feel to you, those are often the best ones to do a test run on and learn how to incorporate feedback and revise a draft several times. If you make a habit of it, you will be a stronger writer in no time.  

University libraries 

There are eight libraries on campus, housed on the east and west sides.

Much like the academic student success centers, these are great places to meet a classmate to prepare a presentation or review notes between classes but also serve as research hubs for any topic you can imagine.

Sure-fire tip: Not a morning person? Not a problem! The Main Library is open until 1 a.m. during the school year, and you can even get coffee from the Food for Thought Café as late as 11 p.m., ensuring you have the energy for those late-night cram sessions.  

Don’t feel safe walking home that late at night? Nite Ride operates until 4 a.m. on and near campus. 

Get involved beyond the classroom 

Student organizations

There are several student organizations on campus that are the perfect fit for CLAS students. Whether you want to get more hands-on experience editing a literary magazine or get one-of-a-kind experiences with medical professionals, you are sure to find the perfect student organization and be surrounded by other CLAS students.

Sure-fire tip: It’s never too late to join something new! In fact, some student organization leadership positions only allow you to hold the role for one semester or academic year. You would be surprised by how much you might enjoy a student organization you passed by at the student organization fair your freshman year.

Travel

Maybe you love Iowa City but have always dreamed of seeing the world. Many professors in CLAS offer faculty-led study abroad programs over summer, spring, and winter breaks. These trips are often the perfect way to see the world and deepen connections with other Iowa students—all while earning course credit.

Sure-fire tip: Want to spend even more time seeing the world? Plan ahead to study abroad for an entire semester. If you don’t want to worry about finding someone to sublease your off-campus apartment while you’re away, living in the dorms for a semester gives you the flexibility to cancel your housing contract at no cost. 

On-campus employment

On-campus employment is the best way to make friends, have a flexible employer that allows you to put school first, and boost your resumé. Whether you like being on your feet or want a job that allows you to work remotely, Handshake has something for everyone.

Sure-fire tip: On-campus employment is one of the things professional employers look for when you are applying to full-time jobs post-graduation. Having a strong student job on your resumé shows you are reliable, hardworking, and able to juggle multiple tasks at once. 

Still not sure how to get involved outside the classroom? Stay up to date with everything going on in CLAS by following the CLAS Instagram.