Month: February 2015

Midterm Week

Midterm Week

Finally, midterm week has ended and classes for the second semester are halfway done. For some, including myself, a lot of stress and cramming/studying are over for now; so much has been done to prepare for this week: the countless “all-nighters”, the student study group sessions, and more. As my favorite teacher, Dr. Helgott, always says before an exam, “hard work pays off”. I could not agree more with her. If students put the time, effort, and consistent motivation to do well, then they should be on the right track to success in everything they do. I try to do the same, but sometimes it challenging.

Just like the saying goes, “easier said than done”, I try to be a better student but sometimes I lack determination to push myself even harder than I usually do. Most students understand what I mean. After trying all different types of resources to help myself improve, sometimes the results don’t add up; it doesn’t pay off. With that being said, I have to try harder. I have to open my mind and see a different approach to resolve the problem. Yes, this means that more time and dedication will have to be put in, but in the end, things will be worth it. I promise.

I might sound like I’m going off on a tangent on my own problems, but in the grand scheme, I am trying to be optimistic. Hope is still out there. Things will get better. I will still stand strong.

Chicago Bucket List: 35 Things To Do

Chicago Bucket List: 35 Things To Do

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I recently saw an article trending on Facebook among my Loyola friends, titled “Your Loyola Bucket List: 50 Must-Do Things Before Graduation.” Inspired by this concept, I decided to adapt and modify it, creating my own beyond-academics agenda of “35 Things I Aim to Accomplish at Loyola.”  That leaves me approximately three and half years for me to finish my entire list.

Since first stepping foot on campus last August, I have been conscientiously immersing myself in a broad range of activities which have, thus far, culminated in an array of impactful* experiences, from interesting and informative to outright challenging, from to awe-inspiring and emotionally moving to deeply insightful, and from warm and friendly to just plain fun.  So some of the items on my bucket list, below, have already been checked off, with 22 to go.

  1. Live in an apartment with a lake view.
  2. Live in an apartment in the heart of Chicago.
  3. Pull an all-nighter at the I.C. and watch the sunrise over the lake.
  4. Attend a group fitness class.
  5. Go on a LUREC
  6. Witness the river being dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day.
  7. Jump in the lake at the onset of winter, before it freezes
  8. Watch a movie in the Damen Cinema.
  9. Study in the Harry Potter Room.
  10. Attend a Hawks game.
  11. Attend a Cubs game.
  12. Rent a bike from ChainLinks.
  13. Take 8ride back to the dorms.
  14. Rush to ResNet for a computer rescue.
  15. Nap on the Victorian furniture in the Silent Room.
  16. Go to the Art Institute of Chicago.
  17. Eat cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather.
  18. Study abroad.
  19. Complete an off-campus internship.
  20. Go to a comedy show and concert at Colossus.
  21. See a performance by Loyola’s AcaFellas.
  22. Watch the Quidditch team play.
  23. Eat at Thai Spice.
  24. Try Ethiopian food at Ethiopian Diamond.
  25. Take a class that doesn’t have anything to do with your major or minor.
  26. Go ice skating at The Bean.
  27. Stand in the circle outside Madonna della Strada to hear the famous
  28. Meet Sister Jean.
  29. Walk on the lake when it’s frozen.
  30. Take a whole stack of cookies from the dining hall.
  31. Go to Felice’s Late Night.
  32. Go to the Lincoln Park Zoo.
  33. Visit the Field Museum of Natural History.
  34. Visit the Museum of Science and Industry.
  35. Visit the Adler Planetarium.

 

Image from: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyfzwhCiYC1r49seco1_r1_500.png

The Growling Rabbit

The Growling Rabbit

One of my favorite things about living in Chicago is all of the cute and interesting café’s and restaurants around the city! This past weekend, a friend of mine and I found a cute café just down the street from Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus called The Growling Rabbit! In this post, I will talk about my favorite things about this new gem in the Loyola neighborhood.

My friend Abbey discovered the café one morning last weekend and asked me if I’d like to check it out for lunch. Of course, I said yes, I would never want to miss an opportunity to try a new place! The Growling Rabbit is just a short walk North down Sheridan, not too far past the 7/11. When we got there, the first thing I noticed was the cool lime green color of the walls, and the steps down to get into the building. These unique features of the place automatically intrigued me to eat there, well that plus the food smelled amazing! The café was filled with really unique people, and the two tables next to us sat really friendly people who we chatted with a little bit! I loved how social this little place was, making new friends as we enjoyed the atmosphere.

We then began to peruse the menu. They offered a variety interesting and delicious-sounding breakfast and lunch foods, with a bunch of vegan options! I was especially in the mood for something sweet, so I ordered a fruit and honey crepe. Abbey ordered a vegan breakfast burrito. When the food finally came, I was amazed. My crepe was beautifully decorated and tasted amazing! Abbey’s burrito was huge, and she said it was delicious. The food was not too overly priced, and the service was quick and kind!

All in all, The Growling Rabbit is a great little gem of a place to get good decently priced breakfasts or lunches close to campus! If you’re looking for a new place to try, I’d definitely recommend it!

Things to Consider When Committing

Things to Consider When Committing

If any of you are high school students or parents and are SO close to committing to your college, but not really sure, here are some things to help you make a choice and make sure that the college you’re paying for is the right one for you/your family.

1. Can you see yourself happy here?
Pretty simple, right? Is there something that intrigues you about the campus, is there something that really stands out? If you don’t feel a connection to the college right away, don’t fret-just make sure to close your eyes and imagine yourself at the college. Can you do that, and does it work?

2. Do my AP/IB credits transfer?
Definitely, definitely check this if you have already spent the money on the credits. This can be a huge contributor to where you want to go, but most college do accept them. It’s always good to double check if you’ve spent the money, however.

3. Can I graduate in time?
If you’re trying to triple major (hard, but possible) is there a way that you can fit everything that you want to do into four or five years? Make sure that you talk to an academic advisor and see if there is something that you can do to get everything you want to have done accomplished.

4. Will I be comfortable at this college, especially living here?
There is so much more to living on campus than just living on campus. Check out the school’s resources, and even local business around the college to see what kind of specials they offer or to see what life at that college will actually be like. Also, ask students about this–it’s always a good idea to get an inside perspective.

 

Happy Committing!

Taking the Stage–Roman Style

Taking the Stage–Roman Style

Well, at least taking a stage that happens to be in Rome.

This semester a class of about 20 JFRC students (including myself) have decided to “take the stage” and learn a thing or two about the world of theater. Beginning Acting is taught by professor Eric Nicholson who is no stranger to the drama department and is thankfully sharing his wisdom with us. So far we’re a few masks short of a Commedie dell’Arte troupe, but with mid-term monologue performances underway I see some casting calls in our futures.

From 2-5 PM on Wednesdays our class meets in a conference room on campus. The first half of our time together looks pretty typical. We’re assigned readings weekly both from Audition by Shurtleff, which covers the “guideposts”of acting, and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream . After in depth class discussions on our reading material we break for about 20 minutes then reassemble for our not-so-typical half of class. This is when we get to put what we learn into practice via lots and lots of improv games.

The 1st time Professor Nicholson tried to talk us into these activities we were pretty hesitant, but the timidness wore off quickly. Sometimes I wonder what other people think when they walk past our classroom only to hear utter chaos coming from inside. Spontaneity is highly encouraged and always helps our “mini performances” turn out better. These games allow us to perform as all different kinds of characters, from high and mighty to meek and nervous–often times switching roles at the drop of a hat. Looking and feeling ridiculous probably means we’re doing it right.

And what would a theater class be without a performance or two? Though there was a small written portion to our mid-term exam, the majority of our grade will come from a monologue performance. We were all allowed to choose one or two monologues of our choice from a play, movie, musical, or even an SNL skit. Some of us have chosen to perform two monologues from differing genres, the other option being one monologue that’s a bit longer. I decided to go with a classic, comedic monologue–Viola’s monologue from Twelfth Night–and a contemporary, dramatic monologue–Sarah’s monologue from High and Uptight. My performance went well as far as I can tell and I was happy to have the chance to play two very different characters. I’m sure I couldn’t have pulled it off quite so well without the coaching of my professor and for that I am certainly grateful.

After our midterm performances come to an end our class won’t have seen the end of our time on the stage. Our final for the class is a performance of (you guessed it) A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If all goes according to plan we’ll get to perform in the courtyard of the JFRC during finals week for everyone to come watch. Our monologue performances have been impressive thus far so I’d bet that we’ll have a pretty successful show–especially if Professor Nicholson has anything to do with it.

So here’s to breaking some legs for the rest of the semester! …Or just having a good show.

Loyola’s Phoenix Newspaper

Loyola’s Phoenix Newspaper

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I am going to take the time to talk about the Loyola’s Phoenix Newspaper because come on, everyone reads it…right?  Well, honestly, I never read it religiously.  In fact, it took two whole years during my undergraduate career to actually get into the habit of reading it.  Now as a senior, I find myself reading it more and more.  What is the reason behind this?  Who knows!  Could it be nostalgia that I will never walk around campus, as an undergraduate, and snatching a newspaper from the stand, again?  Or could it be that different things interest me more now than before?

Nonetheless, I was reading this week’s newspaper on the train.  I was so intrigued by the front cover; I mean it is Rahm Emmanuel on the cover.  This reminded me of one of our most important rights: Freedom of Speech.  Many of the editors choose to talk about things that may be sensible to others, ut they still do it.  This makes me very proud that we are able to voice our opinions and bring up subjects that other schools would find “offensive.”  This really lets us practice our Freedom of Speech.

I remember picking up the newspaper for the first time and thinking that I was going to read sugarcoated stories.  Also, I thought that I would be reading a story about Loyola page after page.  In contrast, it provided essential topics that can be found in the news or in any other local newspaper.  The only difference is that the editors are our fellows Ramblers.  I find this inspiring, don’t you?  I believe that we are rising, and I am thankful that Loyola allows such topics to be discussed.  I believe that this is the only way to grow; perhaps, this is why I found myself picking up the newspaper more often.  Try it.  Perhaps you will agree, disagree, or laugh at some of the stories.  After all, you do not have anything to lose.  Let’s gain some insight together!

Every Vote Counts – Counting Every Vote

Every Vote Counts – Counting Every Vote

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This past Tuesday, beginning at 6:00 a.m., Chicago’s voters flocked to the polls to vote in the municipal elections—the mayor and city council. I, however, was on the other side of the election system, acting as one of three election judges at one of the precincts in the 48th ward.

This was my first time serving as an election judge. In the weeks preceding Election Day, all judges were required to attend a three-hour training session during which we were taught how to properly set up and close down the polling place, as well as learning how to use the equipment. We were warned to use extra care when assisting individuals, especially if they aren’t registered, because we cannot turn away voters. That would be denying someone the right to vote, thus breaching the 14th and 19th Amendment and would constitute election fraud. Though it sounded extremely intimidating during training, it definitely was not all that nerve-racking, when it came down to handling these types of cases onsite. On the day of voting, all judges had to be at their designated precinct at the crack of dawn, 5:00 a.m. to be exact, to set up the polling place. We were to remain at our stations until the polls closed (at 7 p.m.), then help put away all the equipment. I stayed a little past eight. As a first time election judge, both the facilities and the processes were very unfamiliar, so for me, it was a fresh learning experience. But, perhaps because I’m a “millennial” majoring in computer science, one observation about the voting system left me quite intrigued. You would think that, in this day and age, everything would be electronic, but paper ballots worked much faster, because the touch screen machine loaded slowly and malfunctioned more than a few times. Of all 209 voters at my precinct, only one was an electronic ballot.

My precinct had a 37% voter turn-out rate, about 10 percent higher than the overall day-before prediction. Dick Simpson, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a former Chicago alderman, pointed out that “snow and cold do tend to depress voter turnout.”  However, Jim Allen, a spokesman for the city’s election commission, attributes the low numbers to decreased interest, insisting that “Voter interest drives turnout. Not weather, not sunshine” (Red Eye). I find that an interesting argument to ponder.

Although a majority of the election judges were relatively older in age, the student election judges, like myself, who had classes on the day of elections, by Illinois law, could not be “counted as absent from school on the day they serve as judges.”  Though it was a long day at the polls, participating in the democratic process, at the voting site and in real time, was certainly an unforgettable experience, especially meaningful since I turned 18 not too long ago and have not had the chance of voting yet.

 

 

Image from: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thFAAu8wKaQ/T2JxTHJz6mI/AAAAAAAAQeI/CMRbKFAP5Vo/s1600/voting_booth.gif

Residence Hall Bonding Over The Oscars

Residence Hall Bonding Over The Oscars

As many of you may know, the Oscars were on this past Sunday night! For many people the Oscars are really fun to watch, to see if your favorite movies and stars will win awards! I wasn’t sure I’d get a chance to watch them, though, because I do not have a TV in my dorm. Luckily, the second-floor lounge of my building had a large TV and a bunch of other eager people who wished to watch the awards ceremony too.

Living in a dorm can be a little difficult if you do not have a TV. You don’t get to watch all of your favorite shows as they air, movies as you wish, or record any programs you might miss! However, I have learned that many times, if there is a special program on TV, I will not be the only one who will wish to watch it! Sunday night, there were about twenty of us all gathered downstairs in front of the large TV awaiting the start of this magical awards show. I was with some of my friends, but large amounts of the people down there with us were people from many different floors, some that I’ve never seen before. It was a really cool experience to see that everyone can come down to the lounge and bond over watching a popular television program! I found myself talking to people I’ve never talked with before, and enjoying all that the show had to offer with them! It was a great bonding experience. I also had my overnight guests for the evening with me too, so they were also able to experience how easy it is to build a community here at Loyola and how friendly everyone can be!

Overall, Loyola residence halls are a wonderful place for bonding and building community. Many residents without television sets will seek to watch their favorite programs in the public lounges with other people who are in the same situation as them! This proves to be a wonderful way to make new friends with similar interests, while being able to enjoy simple things such as your favorite television program!

HOUSING PSA

HOUSING PSA

Hi everyone! Just a reminder that housing registration started yesterday for upperclassmen.
(Note–everyone that is not a freshman is considered an upperclassmen here at Loyola).

The way it works is on a lottery system–all student’s names are entered in and they are randomly assigned numbers, ranging from 1 to what I believe this year was around 1600. While you will get a reminder email that you can start registration for housing, keep an eye on the time your chosen day. Housing spaces go fast–so here’s also a reminder to have a back up plan or two. Maybe even three.

If you’re like me and have no idea what any of the other residence halls that you live in look like, no fear. Loyola offers a solution for that, on their res-life page. (I will post the link at the end of this article.) Know the different styles of rooms that the halls offer–for example, Georgetown Hall is all quints, meaning that you will HAVE to have 5 people at registration when you attempt to get a room.

Another reminder–make sure that you have your roommate’s roommate pin (a four number code that they will have made up to ensure that whomever is trying to room with them has thei

A list of all of the residence halls with pictures and possible videos: http://www.luc.edu/reslife/currentstudents/halls/
Loyola’s Explanation and step-to-step guide on housing: http://www.luc.edu/reslife/currentstudents/apply/

Defining Different Types of College Visits: Which visit is right for you?

Defining Different Types of College Visits: Which visit is right for you?

 

Enjoy your Campus Visit