I wanted to share the view from my office with you today. Take a look:
The view from the 11th floor of Mundelein Center. Click to enlarge.
This view actually means a lot to me.
First, it is a sign of the parallel between how far I have come and how far Loyola has come since I arrived here. It has actually been pretty fun to watch this school grow alongside me. Despite the annoyance that construction brings, it is pretty exciting to watch and it feels good to know that something better is always on its way.
When I was a Freshman, that green lawn (which is our East Quad between the Information Commons and Dumbach Hall) was a hole in the ground. The year before I got here the IC had just opened for the first year and the year I arrived they were re-doing the roads, sidewalks, and lawn around it. In the picture you can see a construction crane. They’re working on finishing up Cuneo Hall, which is standing on the stump of old Damen Hall. Loyola has grown a lot.
I remember looking out onto this view from my old boss’ old office. I was a Freshman and he was the Operations Manager of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. During the year I set up chairs and stands for ensembles and helped my boss with events. I finished my first year of college with a 4.0, a lot better than the GPA I had in high school. Now I have a new boss (Scott Heston, who rocks), a new office, a new set of jobs (Event Manager, Jr. Marketing Specialist, Blogger, and Media Analyst) and I’ll be graduating this May. I’ve grown a lot, too.
I like looking out on the lawn during a sunny day and seeing everybody looking so small in our beautiful campus in the city. Being so far above things and seeing this view is a great de-stresser. It helps keep things in perspective. I can see so many little people bustling about their daily lives. From eye level it feels as if you are in your own little world down there. But from up here I can see them next to the lake and with Chicago all around. It helps put things into context. The world is a lot bigger than your problems, and you’ve got plenty of places to go- plenty of things to do- that you haven’t yet.
When I leave work I’ll be back down there among them and on my way to class. I’m no different, but at least I am lucky enough to enjoy view from my office for a little while.
Tags: Chicago, Cuneo, Damen, East Quad, IC, Information Commons, Loyola, Mundelein, View, Window