The University of Iowa was the only school that human physiology major Dominica Eckstrom applied to. She loves her pre-med-track classes and activities. Amidst the excitement of transitioning from high school to college, Dominica offers encouragement to stop and appreciate the people who have helped to get you this far.

Dear Prospective Students,

Congratulations! This is such an exciting time, and you have made it past so many stressful points already, I’m sure many of you have been looking forward to this place in your life for quite some time. Well, I’m here to assure you that it is something worth looking forward to! But don’t forget to sit back and take a deep breath. Appreciate how far you’ve already come, and where you are at now. It’s important to cherish the people and things in your life before you rush onto the next.

Nevertheless, the first day of college will be approaching fast, and there are some things you should know! College means different things for everyone, and every person comes in with their own individual expectations and experiences. What’s important is to create your own. There are so many things to do, people to meet, and experiences to be had! For me personally, there have been so many things that have, and continue to contribute to my amazing experience here at the University of Iowa, and I am excited to share them with you!

My name is Dominica Eckstrom, and I am a second-year majoring in Human Physiology, minoring in Lifestyle Medicine, and I am on the Pre-Medicine track. It can be stressful at times, but I find it so fascinating, and I absolutely love it! There are such a broad range of areas of study here at the university and it can be overwhelming. If you don’t know what you’re interested in yet, that’s okay! Just remember it is most important to love what you do!

My time so far here at the University of Iowa seems like it has flown by in the blink of an eye, but at the same time it’s crazy to look back and reflect on how much I’ve grown. My short time here at Iowa has provided me with such great people, new skills, and invaluable experiences that have truly shaped who I am today. The University of Iowa was the only school I applied to (it’s safe to say that I was confident with my college decision) and I have never once regretted that choice. Each day I spend here at this school just further confirms what I always knew: University of Iowa is an amazing place to be.

One of the things that I think makes the University of Iowa so great is the enormous range of activities and organizations they offer. I can promise that for any hobby or interest you may have you can almost certainly find a club or group to share that with! I am very involved around campus and can without a doubt say that it is a fantastic way to build resumes, meet people, and relieve stress.

With that being said, I hope you find some fun ways around campus to get involved, but at the same time, remember to always keep a healthy balance. Don’t burn yourself out too quickly trying to do everything all at once. Take some time to become acclimated to your new (and exciting) environment, form new social connections, and really soak up the magic of this new phase in your life - it’s a great one!

You will do great! I wish you nothing but the best :) Dominica Eckstrom