To the average Iowan, Ames might just feel like another town. However, to an out-of-state freshman at Iowa State, Ames can feel entirely different.

Anusree Mazumder, a junior in data science, said getting involved with Destination Iowa State, an event designed to welcome new and transferring students, made Ames feel like home. 

“I made a bunch of friends, and this campus became home to me very easily because I got to socialize through DIS and everything,” Mazumder said. 

Additionally, Mazumder joined on-campus clubs and organizations.

“I am in two clubs, one is martial arts and I’m planning on women in tech, too,” Mazumder said. “I’m also a peer mentor this semester for data science, so I’m helping new freshmen and people who are transferring into data science settle down.”

Originally from Bengal, India, Mazumder appreciates the cooler temperatures in Ames.

“On average, it’s a lot cooler and in comparison to last year, it’s cooler this year,” Mazumder said. “It’s always in the hundreds over there, but here it’s like 60s and 70s, so it feels a lot cooler.”

What drew Mazumder to Ames was the scholarships she was able to receive. 

“The scholarship helped a lot because I was bringing in a lot of credits and I got a lot of merit for that,” Mazumder said. “That’s a major reason I chose Iowa State, because of the scholarship.”

Preston Day, a freshman in industrial engineering, compared Ames to the chaotic city life he was used to in Dallas, Texas.

“It’s a small town,” Day said. “It is very different from Dallas, where there’s always some chaos. It’s very safe here. People will leave stuff unattended in the dining hall, and I’ve never experienced that before.”

According to Day, the people are also a part of what makes Ames unique.

“People greet you more here,” Day said. “It’s not like Dallas, where everybody is dismissive of you and kind of mean.”

What originally attracted Day to Iowa State was the new $42 million Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building. 

“The industrial engineering building, the new one, that’s what drew me,” Day said. 

Back home, Day said he attended a 90% Hispanic school, which led him to join a few cultural organizations on campus.

“I went to the Puerto Rican Student Association and then the LSI, Latin Student Initiative, and they were both great,” Day said.

Ali Hlusak, a freshman in accounting from Minneapolis, Minnesota, had mixed feelings about Ames.

“I don’t like Ames too much, because I am more city-oriented,” Hlusak said. “But, I do like how close by things are and how the bus can go everywhere in the town.”

Hlusak said the numerous apps available to Iowa State students helped in finding her way around campus.

“Campus is pretty easy to navigate, especially with all the apps they have here,” Hlusak said.

Emily Ward, a freshman in civil engineering from Apple Valley, Minnesota, noted the variety of activities available in Ames.

“So far, I’ve really liked Ames. It’s a smaller town than what I’m used to, but it has a lot to offer, a lot of different activities, and it is just a nice little quiet town,” Ward said.