I was an incoming freshman three years ago and I know you’ve already had a plethora of information thrown at you, ranging from class schedules and CyRide routes to Destination Iowa State and the all-you-can-eat buffet at Union Drive Marketplace.

I know the lecture rooms filled to the brim with students in LeBaron or Kildee halls might make you feel like you’re just another lost body among a hundred others. I know about the anxiety of bicyclists flying past you as you listen to your Pandora stations on your way to class.

But, as you find your way around campus, finding shortcuts to your classes or realizing when the right and wrong time to go to the Memorial Union for lunch is, life will become a little easier.

Your freshman year will be an unforgettable one. It will provide you with memories and relationships you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. At Iowa State, there is always something going on. From that exciting first week of school to dreaded finals week in May, there’s going to be a lot to take in.

Maybe you’ll find yourself at midfield of Jack Trice Stadium after an upset win. Or maybe you’ll find yourself among a band of your housemates, clinching your teeth as you watch another thrilling ISU basketball game.

Maybe you’ll find yourself at North Grand Mall, realizing you got on the Blue North bus instead of the Red West. Or perhaps you’ll have that euphoric feeling of relief as you hand in your final paper of the semester.

Soon, you’ll find yourself where you belong, whether that’s with the marching band, the Government of the Student Body or working on the solar car in the garage of Sweeney Hall. 

Without a doubt, you’re in one of the most beautiful places in the nation. This university will teach you more than you can ever imagine, in and out of the classroom.

Enjoy your adventure, class of 2018, and welcome to Iowa State University.