Month: November 2018

Friendsgiving Season

Friendsgiving Season

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Students are heading home for the holidays, but before we do that, many of us indulge in a little trend called Friendsgiving!

If you’ve never heard of it, it’s basically Thanksgiving – but with your friends, instead of your family. Although in a lot of cases your friends ARE your family, some people go home and some stay, some are from the same suburbs and some are from further away. It’s not uncommon to see students walking to and fro with tupperwares, pots and pans, and other things on the nights of the weekend before Thanksgiving break. They’re all going to Friendsgivings!

Most people celebrate Friendsgiving by doing a potluck-style dinner, and everyone brings one aspect of a meal. It can be Thanksgiving-type meal: mashed potatoes, corn bread, turkey, more turkey, perhaps some green beans and so on, but it doesn’t have to be.

This year I was delighted to find myself celebrating not one big Friendsgiving but two! One of them was with my friends I made during my time in Beijing (although not all of them, given that many are at schools around the country… or still in Beijing), and the other was my friends from Rome and freshman/sophomore year, since a lot of them came to Rome or knew people from Rome. I didn’t host either of them, but was all too happy to take corn hotdish (aka corn stuff) to the first and mashed potatoes to the other. Both easy and delicious!

Not only that, but the university and clubs also like to put on Thanksgiving-style events. My sorority, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., does our annual Unity Feast, where donating food to a food shelf nets you all you can eat from us, catered by Boston Market, which is a resturant that specializes in American comfort food. The Vegan society does Vegan Thanksgiving from a local restaurant called Chicago Diner where everything is Thanksgiving food but vegan, and so on.

(This plate is not from the Vegan Thanksgiving but from my Beijing Friendsgiving, in case you were concerned about the meat there.)

I wasn’t able to make it out to the Vegan Thanksgiving myself, but my friends both Vegan and not went and said they had a great time! Even if you don’t celebrate this holiday, Thanksgiving is a great time at Loyola because of the sudden wealth of food events that pop up, and how the usual annual giving tradition and consideration of those less fortunate than us recurs. Loyola year-round thinks about the poor and those with less oppportunity, but it’s when Chicago starts to get cold and windier that we too really buckle down on our philanthropic efforts.

 

Happy holidays, everyone!

 

Such a ‘Bler: Theatre Town Hall 2018

Such a ‘Bler: Theatre Town Hall 2018

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I missed both Theatre Town Halls last year, so I was definitely not intending to miss this semester’s!

Town Halls are held near the end of every semester to keep students of the Theatre Department up to date with the upcoming productions on campus. Updates range from the upcoming semester’s productions to the upcoming academic year’s productions. Main Stage Productions (staff directed shows that are performed in the Newhart Family Theatre) are chosen by the Theatre faculty. Students are given the opportunity to apply for positions such as Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager(s) of these productions.

There was something extra special about this particular Town Hall, which is why I’m so psyched that I was able to attend. Second Stage Productions are under construction – that is, the faculty have decided to make some adjustments to the program as a whole.

Second Stage Shows are student proposed projects that run for either 2 weeks, 5 weeks or 12 weeks and are performed in the basement of Mundelein – a rather smaller but cozier space compared to the Newhart. This does have its benefits and has proven to allow a large extent of creativity and experimentation for the students as it is a black box theatre space. However, after many discussions, the faculty came to the conclusion that the term “Second Stage” self rather “Second”, as if it were less important. It also came to their attention that this program had a lot of undiscovered potential!

And so, the program is being expanded into many different models for students to take charge on! Just to name a few (and ones that I’m particularly excited about):

  • Question Based Model: Student(s) proposing the project pose a question and a methodology for examining that question in a 2-week theatre workshop.
  • Follow-up from Class Model: Students develop a previously crafted class masterpiece.
  • Funded Research Model: Individually or in a small group: apply for an undergraduate research grant for a research trip over Summer or Winter break.

I’m very ecstatic to say the least and am eager to start constructing proposals. I’ll be honest and say that I was quite intimidated and hesitant to propose for a Second Stage Production. But this new development of the program has given me new confidence, and a clearer starting point to narrow for my myriad of scribbles.

The new program still does not have a name yet though, and T-shirts are up for grabs. Perhaps I’ll start on that first….

BY THE WAY, I made a new video about what I’m studying at Loyola. Watch it here:

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:

Such a ‘Bler: International Education Week 2018

Such a ‘Bler: International Education Week 2018

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Can you name the countries?

This wasn’t actually my first international nibble of the week! Monday kicked off with a warm bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich). I’m from Hanoi, Vietnam so this was like a warm morning hug. There was even a little stand set up in Sullivan Center just like (well, as close as Chicago can get haha) the streets back home.

I got a pork bánh mì, something I’ve definitely missed. A friend in my theatre class said it looked amazing and asked where I got it when she saw me munching before class. I felt very proud.

With Friday came International Night. There was food, information boards and a dance performance, as international and local students arrived in the Damen Multipurpose Room to celebrate. I noticed that dishes from around the world are actually equally similar and different in so many ways. They were definitely all similarly delicious.

International Night was also a great chance to see old friends – this is Vanya, one of my first friends here from freshman orientation week, a newly Loyola Alum and always a proud Indonesian.

The short trip around the world was refreshing – my taste buds danced the night away! It was a great International Education Week.

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:
A Series of Firsts: My First Time Leading a 360

A Series of Firsts: My First Time Leading a 360

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My Retreat Leaders Team, a.k.a. Team A! Sept 30, 2018.

When I got that e-mail from Campus Ministry early last semester saying “Congratulations, you’ve been chosen as one of the Honors 360 Retreat leaders,” I could not believe it. It had nothing to do with the fact that I had submitted the application late (correction: VERY late) or the fact that I was already involved in so many things. It was because I was going to be part of one of the programs that had such a big impact on my First Year experience. My 360 helped me find a little direction in the maze that was my first semester, and it helped me connect to Loyola on a very personal level. I learned more about the Jesuit values and how Loyola tries to apply them in its curriculum and in its activities, and how my time at Loyola had a purpose, I just had to find it. I also met some very cool people during that retreat, and was able to strengthen those relationships that I already had. So it wasn’t surprising that I was very happy when I learned that I would be part of the experience of so many new First Years, who had much of their time at Loyola ahead of them.

To be honest, my favorite part of leading the retreat was preparing for it. Don’t get me wrong: I loved meeting my Small Group and being able to discuss with them what their expectations of the retreat and Loyola as a whole were, and what they wanted to improve of themselves. Every single one of them had a different idea of what they wanted to do with their experience at Loyola, and it was great seeing them interact with one another and getting to know each other. I also liked being able to witness how many of the students in the retreat felt like their retreat had changed something in them. Whether it be their attitude or the fact that they made new friends, I could tell our retreat had been a transformative experience for them just as it had been for me.

However, the process of becoming a Retreat Leaders had a great impact on my experience in this 360 retreat.I was lucky to be placed in my Retreat team, who are some of the best people I have gotten to meet here at Loyola. During our training, we got to know one another quite well, while prepare for our retreat in terms of logistics. Therefore, we built a little community and had created a good atmosphere even before the retreat started. In addition, as part of the training, I was able to learn a little more about myself, things like what kind of leader I want to be, and how I would put into practice all that I’ve learned as a student at Loyola back home. So, by the time we had to leave for our retreat, my Retreat Team were all very excited to be spending a weekend together at LUREC, one of the best spaces Loyola offers to its students, with its location outside of the city, its comfortable facilities, and their (in)famous cookies. It was honestly a great experience, and it went WAY better than I expected: everyone was willing to participate, our Small Groups had connected instantly and the conversations they engaged in were very good as well. But most importantly, I was able to spend a whole weekend with my now-close friends while enjoying just one of the many opportunities that Campus Ministry offers us Ramblers.

Nashta November

Nashta November

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Pakistani Students’ Association (PSA) hopes everyone is ready for the Thanksgiving holidays. As we approach the end of the semester, things can be quite stressful, but that is why PSA is inviting you to yet another exciting event! To celebrate a successful semester and to thank you all for your support, BREAKFAST IS ON US!!! We will be serving Halwa Puri with Aloo and Cholay, Seekh Fry, Naan, Paratha and Omelets along with Chai. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this popular Pakistani breakfast, halwa is a sweet that comes with a deep fried bread (puri) and is typically served with potato (aloo) and curries mixed of chickpeas (cholay). Seekh Fry is We will also be giving a run down of the upcoming spring semester!  Bring your friends along and enjoy Nashta November!!!
 
When: Monday, November 19, 2018 from 11am-2pm 
Where: Damen MPR South
 
 
 
Note: Loyola Students Only.
 
 
We look forward to seeing you all this Monday 11/19/18! This will be our last event of the semester so stay tuned for what we have planned next!
Our mission is to recognize the struggle and hardship facing Pakistan today and help alleviate these hardships through fundraising events, while simultaneously raising awareness about the culture and beauty of Pakistan. We hope to create a diverse group of members through our outreach and fundraising efforts.
Through many of our previous events taken place this year, we have raised over $1,500.00 and have donated this to the Dam Fund in Pakistan. PSA could not have done this without the help of Loyola students, so we thank you all!
Helping Global Neighbors

Helping Global Neighbors

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Last week I went to the Kristallnacht memorial, but this week Loyola was hosting a presentation about something a little more recent. The Yemeni civil war is on its fourth year, but the American government has a chance to do something about the destruction it is creating.

Loyola’s Peace Studies and International Studies program hosted Hassan El-Tayyab, the Jordanian-American Policy and Organizational Director at Chicago Area Peace Action.

 

He talked passionately and at length about the war in Yemen, starting with presenting two short videos to give us a background on the topic. One of them gave a brief overview of the politics and current state of the fighting affairs, while the other was a passionate plea to the U.S. Senators by children in Yemen, affected by the civil war. You can watch that heartbreaking video here and learn more about what’s going on from that website.

After detailing the conflict, as well as sharing his family connection to the suffering and war crimes happening in the Middle East, Hassan moved to talk about his organization, Chicago Area Peace Action, and what could be done.

I learned that CAPA is working to pass two bills, one in the House of Representatives and another in the Senate, that would get U.S. involvement in Yemen recognized by Congress and then ended through the War Powers Act of 1973. Although many Congresspeople from both sides of the aisle have supported these bills, others have not done anything one way or the other, including Senator Tammy Duckworth – so, he shared, CAPA was taking action and had a rally scheduled outside of her office.

Loyola itself also has a local chapter of CAPA on campus, and our student organization has actions planned and a focus on raising awareness of what can be done to stop what the United Nations recognizes as the “worst man made humanitarian conflict in recent history.”

Overall, I was really glad I went to this event, and that Loyola allowed for this kind of awareness-raising event. Even as someone who reads the news daily, I think it’s very valuable to pay special attention to disasters like this and that we stay informed of the way our fellow humans are experiencing our planet at the same time we sit there and eat cookies and drink lemonade, in a building of a university we are being educated at, without fear of a missile or other government-sponsored attack raining down at us at any time.

My biggest takeaway, though, was that there is always something we as individuals can do. Even if it’s just signing a petition or writing a blog post, the speaker was very clear that even the smallest action, even just a small group of people, can affect global change – and save lives, if the bills can be passed in the new Congress.

Colossus is over.

Colossus is over.

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Guess what guys… after many years, Loyola’s annual two-night show, which often featured a musician one night and a comedian the other, won’t continue.

The event has been cancelled since May, current and former Department of Programming (DOP) students said. While DOP is student-run, the decision came from the top of Loyola’s Student Activities and Greek Affairs (SAGA) department without any input from students, according to the DOP students.

The decision was made after Colossus 2018 on March 17. On its second night, comedian Hannibal Buress, told a joke about Catholic priests molesting children. His microphone was cut. The restrictions banned content related to rape, sexual assault, race, illegal drug use and sexual orientation.

While university officials cited financial reasons for Colossus’ cancellation, the students at Loyola said they thought the Buress incident also played a factor.

Now, DOP can’t have a two-night event that weekend and feature a comedian and musician, the students said. It also can’t be called Colossus.

Instead, the students said DOP aims to spread out events featuring big-name guests across the academic year. Having musicians and comedians perform at Loyola is still an option, the students said.

That doesn’t mean an event that holiday weekend is off the table. Because of DOP’s “alternative programming” philosophy, the students said they’ve been brainstorming ideas for another type of event for St. Patrick’s Day weekend, but nothing’s been approved yet.

Local Fave Restaurant: Nha Hong Vietnam

Local Fave Restaurant: Nha Hong Vietnam

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You know how I’m always thinking about food?

Well, I’ve got another restaurant recommendation for you all! This one is not so local, but it’s near and dear to my heart.

Nha Hong Vietnam is a local restaurant in the Argyle neighborhood of Chicago – only about 15 minutes by the L – and about a five minute walk from there. Argyle is known as Little Vietnam, but Nha Hong has got to be my favorite restaurant in the whole area.

This past weekend I went there with my roommate (don’t tell her I’ve posted this pic) and it was, as ever, so good. I haven’t been there in two years, because of being abroad, and I missed the taste of delicious and cheap pho!

(Admittedly, I do have another roommate who is Vietnamese who makes her own pho, but there’s something about the way they make it at Nha Hong and the atmosphere that makes it just fun, even though it does cost more money than free.)

The restaurant is family-run and whenever someone goes there and the grandfather of the family is not there, my groupchats get a flurry of worried messages about his health. It’s not very large of a space, so you either have to go there not at peak hours or be willing to wait, but it’s so worth it. They used to give you free ice cream after your meal too, but last time I went they didn’t, so I wonder if they stopped that… or they don’t do that in the wintertime!

Their cheapest dish is about $3, and I swear they must have over 200 items on their menu. If I didn’t go there specifically for the pho, I’d no doubt be overwhelmed! Pho runs you about $8, which is a lovely price for a big bowl of warmth, happiness, and a full stomach.

If you have a hankering for Vietnamese food or find yourself by the Argyle stop, go to them! Campus has lots of good restaurants nearby, more of which I promise I’ll write about, but I just have to recommend Nha Hong. Check out their yelp page here. Yum!

Such a ‘Bler: Rushed-gistrations

Such a ‘Bler: Rushed-gistrations

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Welcome to the arena. Get your cursor ready, class registrations will begin shortly.

Here are some tips from a surviving sophomore:

  1. Pre-planning is key! Already have a backup schedule for next semester on top of that four-year plan you made in UNIV 101? Make another! Or three!
  2. Ask upperclassman for help. They’ve definitely had more courses and professors and can offer some really good close up insight.
  3. Check ratemyprofessor.com and scope out the instructors’ scene. This also really helps narrow down course time choices.
  4. Make some hot chocolate and keep an optimistic mind – I know I did.
  • Disappointment isn’t rare because getting into the majority of your desired classes, let alone all, is difficult. Be ready to change up your schedule and even four-year plan. Be ready for the rush.
  • Take everything with a grain of salt because you yourself still haven’t experienced the actual courses yet. A review may completely shoot a professor down but what if their teachings end up working for you? Do what you think is best for you.

In all seriousness, it’s going to be all right! My registration appointment was one of the latest because, having completed A Levels, I didn’t come in with high school credits. This also means I have to juggle all the required core courses on top of making sure I keep up with my course schedules for the three areas of study. I’ve had to change up my schedule and four-year plan with every registration appointment, but I always got at least half of the classes I aimed for. And I’m still on track!

BY THE WAY, I made a new video about what I’m studying at Loyola. Watch it here:

I’m routing for you Ramblers. Good luck!

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:

 

 
A Series of Firsts: My First Cubs Game

A Series of Firsts: My First Cubs Game

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My friends and I at the Loyola Night Cubs Game, after the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sept. 27, 2018.

There is nothing like going to Wrigley Field with a couple of friends and a hot dog in hand. Or so I had been told. I had grown up with my mom trying to convince my sister and I to watch the World Series and get into baseball and root for the Pittsburgh Pirates and such (she was a huge ). But I really never acquired the taste for the sport. I had never been to a baseball game ever, and there really weren’t any ways that I could play baseball on my own back home. So, during my first year at Loyola, I chose not to go to a Cubs game, even while knowing that they had won the World Series a year before.

Don’t get me wrong: I like sports. It’s just I am not that kind of person to watch a full game in one sitting. Also, I barely know the rules of baseball, I still don’t understand what the 9 innings are, and I really have not had the time to look at Cubs tickets. But when a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go to the Loyola Night Cubs game with her, I didn’t hesitate to say “Where do we get that cute cap they said we are getting?”.

To be honest, the game was an experience even before game night. I was so excited to finally be going to a baseball game (the irony) and couldn’t think of anything else but the game for days. I had already looked online for the different menus and knew what I wanted to order. And I told almost everyone I knew to come with me so that I could share this experience with others. I was making a show out of it. And I was right to be excited.

The moment we got off the Addison Red Line Stop, I couldn’t help but be contaged with the energy gloating in the air. Everyone was wearing their Cubs gear, having fun, enjoying their time with their friends. It was surreal, to say the least. When the First Pitch took place, I couldn’t believe that I was finally going to watch my first game. As the innings went by, the excitement started to bubble down, and it transformed into concentration. I started to get the idea of what the game rules were and I recognized that the Pirates weren’t that bad of a team. Yet, I still hoped for the Cubs to win, knowing that it would make my experience a little better. The fact that the game was a Loyola Night made it even more exciting. There were people all around wearing their Loyola Cubs cap, and we all sang along to Coach Moses singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” And when the Cubs finally won the game, we all cheered for the team and tried to get our caps signed by the players (and gracefully failed in our attempts).

Now, the Cubs’ chances to win this year’s World Series are null (Congrats to the Red Sox), but I am sure that when the season starts again, I’ll get someone to take me out to my second ball game.