1. Celebrate Iowa State’s History. There are many traditions here at Iowa State to take part in and learn about. They include the Campaniling, Zodiac, Curtiss to Beardshear run, Veishea and some of the historic buildings on campus. In depth information about these can be found on Iowa State’s website.

2. Attend Homecoming festivities. Homecoming is a time when alumni come back to Iowa State to celebrate its traditions. The first official Homecoming at Iowa State was held in 1912. Some of the festivities include tailgating, a pep rally, a football game and class reunions. “Yell Like Hell” takes place during the pep rally as a way for students to show their school spirit through skits. The Greek community also has lawn displays.

3. Visit every building on campus. Now that you’ve learned about the historic buildings on campus, take the time to visit them and become familiar with the departments they contain. Many classes are held in buildings that do not hold their department so being familiar with the buildings will help you find your future classes.

4. Go to an American football game. These games are typically held on Saturdays, but the Cyclones do play a few games on Thursdays this season. Check out the schedule at cyclones.com to see when the Cyclones play in Ames. You can also find ticket information here.

5. Hang out at the Memorial Union. Students can do just about anything at the Memorial Union from taking art classes at the Workspace to playing games in the Underground. There are plenty of places to eat and study throughout the building. The Memorial Union is also home to the University Bookstore where you can get your books and other school supplies.

6. Hang out on central campus. Although central campus is beautiful year-round, the best times to spend time there are spring, summer and fall. Once the weather is nice enough to spend time outdoors, students can be found scattered across the lawns studying, napping or playing sports.

7. Get involved in clubs and organizations. There are hundreds of student clubs and organizations on campus to get involved in. A complete list can be found at www.sac.iastate.edu. If you can’t find one that interests you, start your own.

8. Play intramural sports. Intramural sports give students the chance to take a break from studying and get some exercise. Some of the intramural sports offered include broomball, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, basketball, flag football, soccer, bowling, softball, baseball and much more. To sign up to play intramural sports, visit www.recservices.iastate.edu/im.

9. Go to Reiman Gardens. Located just south of Jack Trice Stadium, Reiman Gardens is a great place to go to spend time enjoying the beautiful flowers and butterflies. This 14-acre site has outdoor gardens, a conservatory and a butterfly house. Admission is free to Iowa State students who present their ISU card. Reiman Gardens is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

10. Experience the performing arts at the Iowa State Center. Iowa State provides many opportunities to take in a variety of shows at Iowa State Center. Students can choose from concerts, symphonies and plays, to name a few. The schedule can be found at www.center.iastate.edu.

11. Take a road trip. Central Iowa has quite a few places to go for a day or weekend to take a break from studying and see or do something new. Des Moines has Saylorville, Big Creek and Gray’s Lake for some outdoor fun as well as shopping opportunities and restaurants.

12. See an American home. The Friendships International program provides the opportunity for international students to spend time with an American family. The ISSO has information on this program.

13. Relax at the movie theater. Ames has two movie theaters and a total of 17 screens. Cinemark Movies 12 on South Duff has 12 screens and shows the new releases. North Grand 5, also known as the Dollar Theater, is located at North Grand Mall and has five screens that show movies that have already been in theaters for a few weeks.

14. Enjoy the scenery. Ames and the surrounding area offer plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors. Some of them include Ada Hayden (north of town on Grand Avenue), Brookside (on 6th Street just east of campus) and Ledges (west of Boone).

15. Explore Main Street. Although Main Street may seem a little out of the way for some people, it is on a few of the CyRide routes and there are plenty of shops, restaurants and bars to meet anyone’s interests.