During the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to compare and contrast the University of Georgia with Iowa State. What I usually come up with is that, although Iowa State is home to my wonderful friends and co-workers, Athens is far more entertaining than Ames could ever be.

In any situation, there are positives and negatives. Georgia is no exception. Here are a few examples:

Pro: After living in culturally bland Willow Hall for two years at Iowa State, I now have the opportunity to live with people who normally live on the other side of the world. I gain insight into how their culture works while I teach them a few American ways of living.

An example was when my German roommate Claudia asked me to show her how to floss. I got a real kick out of that, and I couldn’t help but smile as we flossed together. It was definitely a cute moment.

Con: The rules in Morris Hall are pretty strict and since I don’t want to do anything that could get me kicked out of the program (i.e. drinking), I’m being good in the dorm. I was also getting used to the unwritten rule of keeping my dorm room unlocked last year. Here at Georgia, the security system is pretty tight.

Here we have to not only scan our ID cards to get into the dorm, but we also have to use a hand scanner. We use the hand scanner to get into food service or the rec center. Gone are the days you could just swap your ISUCard with a visiting friend to get them into events.

Pro: Having a downtown like Athens is a God-send. It’s filled with swank, expensive boutiques, thrift shops, record stores, bars, salons, small restaurants and cafes, like independent coffee shops along with corporate Starbucks and the tasty Planet Smoothie. And for an added bonus, there are plenty of benches, tables and chairs outside so customers can enjoy the weather.

Just this past weekend, Athens seemed to triple in size because of the South Carolina-Georgia football game. Even though we lost, downtown was bustling with thousands of people who flocked there for drinks and food. It was just fun to go down and mingle with the people and occasionally stop and listen to people who had pulled out their guitars to play songs for a little extra money. It was definitely a vibe that is nonexistent in Ames.

Con: One has to be very careful when walking around downtown Athens at night. There have been a string of rapes lately as young women walk home from the bars late at night . There are also plenty of beggars on the street, going up to random people asking for money. Once the streets clear at night, Athens can be a pretty sketchy place to live.

My friend Angela, from Wyoming, and I decided to take a late night walk on a Sunday since we both couldn’t fall asleep. We decided to go downtown so she could show me where some of the stores she had been telling me about. While we were down there, we were approached by two beggars at different times, all pulling the same excuse for money. I gave the first one $2 just so he would leave us alone and then he asked if he could hit on us. By that time, we were already walking away.

Pro: Since nearly every single person in Morris Hall is in the same situation as I am (far away from home and eager to make friends) everyone has become relatively close and inclusive. Every weekend, there’s always something going on and we’re all invited. It’s a good feeling, knowing that we’re all shedding our homesickness and moving on with our lives.

Con: Everything good has to come to an end. My friend Amie, who just finished a semester in Spain, said she is finding it difficult to adjust to Iowa life again. I know I’m going to have the same problem. Even though I miss all my friends and co-workers, I just can’t help but wonder what would happen if maybe I just didn’t come back.

As tempting as that seems, I know that it’s not likely to happen. After this semester, I’ll only have three more remaining in my college career, and I think I’d like to spend those last semesters as a Cyclone, not a Bulldog.

Amber Billings is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Sioux City.