Month: September 2017

Pumpkin Spice Season

Pumpkin Spice Season

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It’s that time of the year where Chicago’s weather gets even more confusing than it already is! Waking up to that annoying cold feeling, which in fact, makes you not want to wake up or even go to class. I know. It’s one of the worst things about this season, but in my opinion I look forward to Fall time for many reasons:

FALL BREAK!!


This is something you should genuinely look forward to. Not many Universities get this break, so it is definitely a win-win for Loyola! Fall break will be October 9th & 10th this year, so it is definitely the perfect timing for a break right after the first round of exams and havoc we all are getting ourselves into.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes 

I don’t know about you guys but this is something I REALLY look forward to every year. I don’t think I’ve ever fallen in love with a drink as much as I have with PSL. (So basic I know but hey let me embrace this for a couple of months). For those of you that may not know what it is, it’s a latte with pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, which is not too sweet and not too bitter and perfect for the cold weather. (FYI replacing it with almond milk and getting rid of the whip cream makes it better-just saying!)

Pumpkin Patches 


If you’re looking for something to do with friends this season, definitely check out some pumpkin patches! They’re so much fun, make great instagram posts, and get you in the feels for the season! A pumpkin patch I have been to is Goebbert’s Farm in South Barrington and I was able to buy pumpkins/pumpkin pie, ride a camel, pet farm animals, go through a maze and haunted house, and take cute pictures. Definitely check them out!

Haunted Houses/Fright Fest 

Something a lot of my friends do around this time of the year is check out some haunted houses (if you’re into that stuff, of course). They’re pretty scary, but if you like the thrill, check them out. I heard the best one so far is called Statesville, and I’m planning to go this year! If you’ve ever been to that one, definitely let me know your thoughts on it! Also fright fest at Six Flags is going on around this time- if you like random, creepy people walking up to you and freaking you out… definitely check it out!

Halloween Candy/Movies

You cannot tell me you don’t love Halloween time! Actually I don’t… but I like the candy and the movies! I don’t go trick or treating anymore, but I love passing out candy and eating candy corn at the comfort of my home and watching movies. It definitely is one of those feel good fake holidays. The only eh part of it is that I have exams that week so WAMP. But nevertheless, candy corn is good and cheap.

Sweater Weather/Fall Fashion

This is by far my favorite part. Fashion. I lovelovelove fall fashion. I love the warm sweaters, high boots, cute jackets, maroon/olive/dark tones. I know it gets pretty cold, but at least you can still look cute and warm easily. You can even wear sweats and still pull it off as a fall fashion, to be honest.

Thanksgiving 

Last but not least, TURKEY. Thanksgiving break is literally the point into the semester where you can say…”crap I should probably start studying for finals”. I guess there is good and bad to that actually… Good where you’re almost done with the semester and you can finally say it. Bad in the sense… well you need to start studying and probably getting a hold of those professors. I think thanksgiving break is my favorite holiday though because it’s like a glimpse into winter break (mini version) and is just so chill. Its from November 22nd till that next Monday so definitely the perfect number of days to stay home with family in the warm and make an excuse to eat good home food and not think of healthy habits for this week. (Also pretty excited that my birthday is the day before this long holiday starts, YES!)

It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

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Okay, I’ve got your attention. Good! No, it is not Christmas, but Winter Break is on my mind whether you like it or not. The fall season is quickly approaching too! It’s getting colder and colder and leaf pigmentation is changing on the trees. It is surprising how last week, people were wearing shorts and t-shirts and this week, its sweaters and long pajama pants. It’s safe to say, everyone is comfortable here now and adjusting to the lovely bi-polar weather we have at Loyola University.

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With syllabi week done and students finalizing their semester schedule, this second week is up and rolling! Classes are officially starting, so this means quizzes, exams, projects, papers, presentations, and so much more. From experience, I believe it is quite essential to form your good study habits now and be excelling-standing in the beginning of the semester, rather than struggle toward the end. This should be your prime time to find good study spots, get acquainted with your peers and form a study group, know what resources are available to you (tutoring, dry erase board rentals, room reservations), and visit your professor during office hours.

Alongside developing good study habits, you need to consider your environment. Chicago is a wonderful city, but the weather can be considered less than wonderful once fall and winter approaches. Therefore you must accommodate! Especially if you are a commuter like me, you must be a warrior and take weather into account. Always bring an umbrella and put it in your backpack because you’ll never know when you’ll need it. Bring a jacket! With this weather, it is safe to assume that it will only get colder day by day; if you are too warm, simply take the jacket off. Self explanatory.

Now this semester will be a long one, personally for me. I have a lot of credit hours and manage some other things on campus. With that being said, it is great to keep up a optimistic attitude by thinking about holidays or any times when I can get a day off of school or other responsibilities. This means, I have Halloween, Thanksgiving Break, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Winter Break, Christmas, New Year, all in my mind. Those are things I look forward to and hence, the title of this blog.

If you are new to the city, take this time to get to know your environment, people, and school. All of these things will take time to get comfortable with, but you will be fine. I’m sure of it.

My Study Abroad Experience

My Study Abroad Experience

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If you are following me from my past school year’s blog, you may remember that I mentioned that I was planning to study abroad the summer of 2017. Initially, I planned on studying abroad in London, England for a class in International Public Relations, however, due to a very tense climate the month prior to my trip I realized for my own peace of mind that I should find another place to pursue my abroad experience. I’ll be honest and say that I was very uncertain and fearful especially since I was applying for study abroad in the middle of summer and many of these opportunities were already into full swing. My parents assured me and told me to patiently look and find an alternative program that would both help me and be accredited at Loyola.

When looking through the Loyola Study Abroad page I researched on both Loyola’s offerings as well as their affiliates. With much luck, I found an opening for a summer session in Heredia, Costa Rica through USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium). When looking at what the program I realized that this was the one for me:

  1. I have always wanted to visit Costa Rica, my family and I planned to go there when I was younger but switched last minute and we ended up going to the Philippines. We already had the travel books/tips needed for the trip so the transition would be a lot easier.
  2. The program in Heredia, Costa Rica would be accredited at Loyola. I ended up taking a course in Tropical Conservation and Maintaining Biodiversity (which I took for Tier 2 Scientific Core) and a class on the Cuisine of Latin America. Both of these classes interested me and I felt that this would be the perfect setting for classes like these.
  3. Luckily, I am fluent in Spanish. Living in Heredia, Costa Rica I would be required to live with a host family (who only speak Spanish). This experience would allow me to be fully immersed into another’s culture and appreciate it for what it is.

My study abroad experience was incredible, overwhelming, and a true learning experience. My host family was a welcoming family who took me in as their son. Each day, my host Mama would prepare me breakfast, lunch, and dinner and talk to me about her loving family, life in Costa Rica, and about her fascinating life. To say I was spoiled would be putting it lightly. She grew a fig tree in the front of her house and would pick one from it to accompany my breakfast of eggs, toast, and fresh white cheese. Without fail she would always have fresh juice on hand whether it be passionfruit, guyabana, or strawberries. I also got to spend time with my host Papa who would tell me about their coffee farm in the countryside where coffee, sayote (a squash type of vegetable), and other healthy vegetables were grown. He would ask me about my Filipino and Spanish culture and would be fascinated how similar it was to Costa Rican culture. I also had a host sister who lived a few kilometers away. She would tell me about her love for Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Turns out we are both Ravenclaws!

Through the USAC program I was able to meet a lot of new students from around the United States and the world. Some of my classmates were from Colorado, Alabama, and others were from Norway and Rome. There were 27 of us and we all got to know each other from wonderful bonding experiences. We were able to visit Monteverde Cloud Forest and go hiking or how we went zip lining on the longest and highest line in Latin America. One weekend, my friends and I were fortunate enough to go to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Sea and explore a black sand beach and enjoy the warm weather. It was this weekend that I stayed my first time in a hostel. Even for my science course we got to explore rainforests, national parks, and the waterways to explore biodiversity (we got to see different species of turtles, crocodiles, exotic birds, sloths, and howler monkeys).

But what made the experience most meaningful was spending time with my loving host Mama. We would go on adventures as she brought me to the Heredia central market to let me try a cheese and corn tortilla served with a light sour cream. It was delicious!!!!!! She also helped me buy souvenirs for all my family in downtown San Jose in the Artisanal Market (aka Hippie Market) by helping me barter and find the best prices. It was because of her that I felt very welcomed in the country.

Even though I was in Costa Rica for only three weeks, I miss the place dearly. I miss spending time with my wonderful host family (we are still in touch on Facebook and WhatsApp). My friends that I made in USAC are trying to find ways for all of us to meet up and hang out. My study abroad experience was truly unforgettable and only reaffirmed to me my appreciation for culture, traveling, and keeping an open and clear mind. Pura Vida, Siempre! 

Done with the First Week of School

Done with the First Week of School

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Surprisingly, these first 5 days of school felt like the first 5 months of school! I have been doing a lot of things and have not had the chance to relax yet, so this Labor Day weekend will be quite needed! Everyday, I have at least 3 classes if I have a gap time, I come in for work. Since I am president of VSA, there’s also a lot of responsibilities I have to manage internally and externally. To say in the least, I am being very productive already!

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The first week of school is quite exciting, especially for the new freshman student who are beginning their first days of college class. For other upperclassmen, such as myself, the excitement sometimes fades away because we know what to expect and are comfortable with the school. For the freshman, it is the prime time for them to socialize and finally experience the meaning of independence. For some, this means that students have to learn how to take care of themselves like by doing laundry, buying food, paying for phone bills, and acquire skills such as time management, responsibility, prioritizing, and thinking ahead. All of these things and more are little steps in which students form a stable foundation for life after Loyola AKA adult life.

Take advantage of your undergraduate years here at Loyola because this school allows you to continuously mold and reshape yourself in a safe and supportive environment. Here, we have safe spaces for you to voice out your opinions, clubs you can join to be active in a certain area, and so much more. 4 years here will allow you to find your identity, form connections, and grow as a student as well as a decent human being. Use this opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them because you can only learn from those mishaps! Once you finish your time at Loyola and walk away with pomp and circumstance, you officially enter adult life.

This isn’t meant to scare people! Alas, this is meant for people to consider and take into account when attending Loyola University Chicago. My advice would be for these new freshman to enjoy their time, use (EXHAUST) all the resources Loyola has to offer, and not worry about “adult life” until a couple more years. Slowly but surely, those small skills such as organizing task for the week and paying bills on time will come handy for the future. Then, “adult-ing” won’t be so surprising or hard.

Nevertheless, I am 21 and what can I really say…? These are only my views of college developmental psychology. I am nearing the end of my time at this point, but there are tons and tons of other things to prepare and look forward to, even after college. With that being said, my fellow freshmen or prospective students, go out and enjoy Loyola! You will have a great time here, so please take advantage of that!