As young women move out of their parents’ homes and hometowns to begin their college careers, there is fear and excitement about having a newfound sense of freedom. This freedom allows for changes and experiences that come with little consequence from authority. This essay looks at how women in college are using this time to find themselves and their individuality without anyone telling them “no.” Through messy rooms, wielding weapons, late nights, and sisterhood, the women of the University of Iowa are expressing themselves in ways only they know how.
Anika Smith, Jordan Petersen, Shae Nickels, and Maddy Nuzmum laying on an air mattress and couch in an apartment in Iowa City on Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026. All four girls traveled from Ames to spend a weekend at their friends apartment. After a night out, the girls recover from their hangovers in bed.
Cora Johnson stands in her backyard smoking a cigarette in Iowa City, on Thursday, Apr. 2, 2026. As tornado sirens go off, Johnson stands outside in her pajamas to watch the storm.
