Hi everyone! So far this week has been kind of slow for me. Due to the blizzard and all, being indoors under layers of covers with some hot cocoa and Netflix is where it is at. Buttt, last week I went out to this amazing breakfast place called Anne Sather which is walking distance from Loyola, right near the Granville el stop. I went to Anne Sather with one of my best friends, who is also another blogger, Stephanie Rodriguez.

Like me, Steph is doing a fifth year. We met as freshman because we were both in the same dorm Simpson (Simpson is the best!). We did not really connect until we had our first class together second semester. It was Chemistry and we bonded over the struggle to survive in that class. We studied together all the time and we made each other laugh and since then we have lived together and become super close friends. Be prepared to meet friends for life here at Loyola!

Anyways, she commutes now so we don’t have so much time to hang out so we arranged to have breakfast after our classes. I suggested Anne Sather. Anne Sather is located at 1147 West Granville Avenue and it is the breakfast place to be at if you do not want to walk that far from your dorm. They serve breakfast all day and have a variety of options. They have heart-healthy meals, delicious eggs benedicts, and omelets. But they are best known for their OUTSTANDING cinnamon rolls. Seriously, if you order nothing besides cinnamon rolls, you won’t be disappointed. Their cinnamon rolls are HUGE! Each cinnamon roll is about 2 to 3 times the size of your regular cinnamon roll. They are super cinnamony with plenty of icing and fluffiness. As all good things, they are a little high on the calorie scale, so I would not recommend making these your staple diet (it will be hard not to) but they are really worth the once and a while treat that you need. Almost every meal on the menu comes with two side dishes and the cinnamon rolls (you get 2 of them) count as ONE side. Crazzzyyy deliciousness for not that expensive of a price. You get a delicious benedict, two cinnamon rolls, and another side for all around 10 dollars. Not bad huh?

I am now officially craving cinnamon rolls. Perhaps I can get Stephanie to go back with me…..too soon though, too soon…

Hello again everyone! Since it is that time where everyone is picking out roommates, I thought I would give some tips on how to pick a good roommate. These tips can apply to anyone, whether you are a freshman or a senior looking for someone to live with. I myself chose a random roommate for my first year, and I had a positive experience with it! But, if you have a roommate in mind, make sure that you both will be compatible with each other, because of course, you will be spending a lot of time with this person.

Tip number one is to ask questions! If you are discussing living with someone, do not be embarrassed to ask certain questions that could make or break your living situation. Here are some examples:

Are you a very tidy roommate or messy?

How late do you plan on staying up?

How early do you get up?

What are your thoughts on sharing certain things? (ex: blowdryer, printers, ect.)

Are you ok with having people in the dorm?

How do you deal with stress?

Are you willing to discuss certain issues that you may have with me while we are living together?

Do you have a significant other who will be spending a lot of time in the room?

Tip number two is to see if you have common interests! Whether you have the same major, want to get involved in the same clubs, like the same books, or come from the same place, common interests are important to establishing a bonding relationship with a roommate. You do not have to have everything in common with your roommate. No need to go overkill. But, it is always nice to have things you can do together and discuss.

Tip number three is to not give into pressure! You may find that someone wants to room with you and you do not want to room with them. Be honest with them. Don’t be mean, but say and discuss why you do not think that you two would be good roommates. Remember, you will be living with this person for a whole year, so do not back down and just submit to whatever your potential roommate wants.

Tip number four is to find someone who is compatible in nature with you! If you are a shy person, you probably will not want to room with someone who is overly loud, ect. Also, if you are super studious, rooming with someone who is a big partyer in not a good idea. Discuss these things ahead of time. This is not to say that you can’t make friends who are different than you, it is just to say that having very little in common can lead to a strenuous room situation.

Tip number five is to not default to rooming with your best friend! People say that rooming with your best friend most likely leads to ruining that friendship. I think it is different for everyone, but I have seen friendships ruined due to stressful rooming situations. Go out of your comfort zone a little and try rooming with someone new! I have found that not rooming with your best friend only makes that friendship stronger. Of course this is subjective in my case, and it is different for everyone, but it is always great to room with someone new because you will make new friends and experience new things!

These are my helpful tips that I have found to be useful in my past years here. Overall though, go with your gut when picking a roommate and do not be afraid to go random! I did, and it worked out just fine for me! So good luck choosing a roommate and may the odds be ever in your favor! hehehe

Hi everyone! Not a lot has been going on over here at Loyola. As students, we are currently in a state of limbo. First exams have not happened yet and so we are just going to class and doing homework and trying to get as much sleep as we can before we have to buckle down and study. So, because my weekends are free of over stressing my brain, there is plenty of time to go out with friends and try new things. Since I am a major foodie, new things for me means new restaurants and cuisine experiences.

One of my favorite things to eat is sushi! I like how sushi is lighter and a bit more refreshing in opposition to such foods as burgers and pizza. This past weekend, I went to Bistro Sake located at 7600 Madison Street in Forest Park. Since I am a fifth year student, most of my friends have already graduated. And as a Bio major, I have some friends who have made their way into medical school, specifically Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine. I was visiting them over in Oak Park which is close to the medical school, and we decided to get dinner at Bistro Sake. The best thing about this place is that they have an all you can eat sushi menu. You pay twenty dollars, and in exchange, you get to eat as much sushi as your stomach can hold. The only catch is though that you have to finish everything on your plate, because they charge you for any leftovers. I was a little leery of an all you can eat sushi place, because I thought that the sushi would be low quality, but I was definitely wrong! The sushi was phenomenal and very fresh! The menu for all you can eat consisted of appetizers, soups, salad, sushi rolls, and individual sushi slices. It was three pages long and all of it was all you can eat. Did I mention that it was only twenty dollars per person! Super cheap!

I went with a group of three guys so of course the ordering was outrageous. They had all just finished a med school exam and had not eaten all day, so needless to say, we ordered more than once. The food was great, the staff were friendly and helpful, and we left there stuffed. Overall, it was a great way to spend a Saturday catching up with good friends over good food!

 

Hi again everyone! Hope the weekend is going well. This weekend so far has been really relaxing. It has been filled with spending time with friends, sleeping in late, and delicious food. Today I went to a new restaurant to try something different. It is called Joy Yee Noodle and it is located near the University of Illinois Chicago’s campus.

Joy Yee Noodle has more than one location in Chicago, but the one I went to is located at 1335 S. Halsted St, Chicago IL, 60608. I went with a friend who had been there before, but this was my first time trying their delicious Pan Asian food. I hear this place can get pretty crowded with university students, but when we went there was no wait and many open tables, most likely because it was 2pm and was a late lunch, early dinner time. The restaurant is pretty open and airy, with geometric iron chairs to sit on and plenty of lighting. The menu is HUGE! Pages upon pages of delicious food entrées. They also include pictures with their most popular items so you know what the food looks like.

Joy Yee Noodle is known for their smoothies, and I quickly learned why. They have about a page and a half of just smoothie options for you to try, both consisting of Chinese fruits, and American fruits. They have the option for you to create your own smoothie, add ice cream to it, add tapioca balls to create bubble tea, or just choose something already fixed from the menu. They also have these amazing things called popping balls which can be added to your smoothie. They are about the size of tapioca balls, but are filled with juice so as soon as you sip one up, they burst in your mouth! I ordered a watermelon smoothie with lychee popping balls, and it was like fireworks were going off in my mouth. Incredibly delicious! My friend ordered a strawberry banana smoothie with mango popping balls and his was just as amazing. They also come in a crazy 12oz beer glass! So a large portion of delicious smoothie was just around 4 dollars each! For our actual food dishes, I ordered a beef pho and my friend ordered chicken fried rice and teriyaki chicken. All were excellent. Did I mention the portions are HUGE as well! They give you a gallon, a GALLON of pho for around 9 dollars. Enough for two more meals. Living on a college budget, I am not complaining.

 

The service was excellent. Everyone seemed willing to help and give recommendations. Plus, the food comes out super quickly. No waiting at all. I would totally recommend this place to my friends and I will definitely be back for more. It is also just a great place to grab a quick smoothie and light appetizer to just catch up with friends. I left full, and I am still full!

 

Hello everyone! Since this is my last semester of picking classes and figuring out a class schedule, I thought I would give you guys some tips on creating your class schedule. I know that picking classes sounds intimidating and seems like complete mayhem, but if you get yourself prepared ahead of time, there really is nothing to worry about! So, here are some helpful hints to get yourself started

1. First off, print out this handy-dandy scheduler builder! http://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/advising/pdfs/Schedule_Builder1.pdf

This has all the block times for all the classes during the semester so you can easily keep track of which courses you are taking and when. Make sure to write in pencil because while figuring out your schedule, changes will have to be made! It is always great having a visual aid, so make sure to print this out to figure out your upcoming classes on.

2. Secondly, when you are searching for classes, try to find classes that may double dip. Everyone is required to take CORE classes. See if you can find a class that can count for more than just one thing. Like if you are taking a philosophy class, see if you can find a philosophy class that is writing intensive. I know for my English major we had to have a multicultural class, so I double dipped my multicultural class with one of my English major classes. Double dipping can add extra work load to a class, so no need to go overboard. It just comes in handy for completing certain requirements without having to take another class.
3. Thirdly, check out ratemyprofessor.com. This website tells you the inside scoop on teachers at Loyola and their teaching style. Of course you cannot trust all the reviews, and ultimately, it is your own decision to choose a professor, but this website can be helpful in letting you know the workload, grading style, and overall class structure the professor has. The reviews are written by students for students. Of course, you will not always get the teacher you want, but a little background information never hurts.
4. Fourthly, HAVE A BACKUP PLAN! You will need to have more classes than you will take in your shopping cart when you go to register for classes. You must always have a plan B. Classes, especially popular ones, fill up fast and it is more than likely that a class that you want will already be filled by the time you go to register. So, it is important to have other options to choose from. Again, they may not be your dream classes, but you might be surprised that the backup classes you will take will actually be quite interesting and fun!
5. Finally, talk to your advisor. Don’t be afraid to approach your advisor for help. Scheduling classes is not an easy feat, and the advisors are there to help you. Set up an appointment with them to make sure that you are on the right track. My advisors have helped me loads of times! There is no such thing as a dumb question.

Hope these helpful hints will save you from the dreaded class registration, because it really is not that bad once you get the hang of it!

Hello again everyone! Since it is that time of the year where everyone is shelling out a lot of money on textbooks, I thought I would provide you with some resources and helpful tips on buying the cheapest textbooks out there. Since this is my fifth year of college, and I pay for all of my own textbooks, I am always on the lookout for the best prices and I have the expertise to help you!

First off, no matter where you get your textbooks from, RENT them! The only reason not to rent a textbook is if you will need it for more than one semester, but otherwise, ALWAYS rent. Renting is the cheapest way to get textbooks. If you cannot rent a textbook, buy a used textbook. Used textbooks are always cheaper than buying new textbooks. Yes, I know, sometimes it is nice have a fresh, brand new textbook, but it really is not that big of a deal if it used. Most used textbooks only have highlighting, marginal writing, and some wear and tear, but nothing that bad that you would be willing to pay double the price for a brand new book. Finally, as your last resource, buy a new textbook. But I am convinced that  you will never need to because there is always an option of buying a used textbook or renting.

Secondly, compare prices! Yes, Loyola’s bookstore is extremely convenient, but they rarely have the cheapest prices out there. Amazon is where it is at. They usually have the cheapest prices on books and they even have rentals which are shipped back for free. Amazon has helped me save a ton of money in the past few years. Chegg is another great site to rent textbooks from, and if you rent a few, they always send your textbooks with a ton of free samples of different products such as mascara and Redbull. Always an added bonus. Other great sites to check out are Ebay, Valore books, Half Price Books, and AbeBooks.

Just make sure that you do the research ahead of time with plenty of weeks before school starts.  You have figure shipping into your plan of attack. Also, make sure you are buying the correct edition that your course lists. No need to get the wrong textbook! Having to check all these sites and compare a ton of price listing is not nearly as fast as going to Loyola’s bookstore, but trust me, it is worth it. Every college student wants to save a few bucks, especially on textbooks. They may break our backs, but they won’t break our wallets!

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and a fantastic New Year. My Christmas break consisted of me sleeping in late, baking way to many cookies and French pastries, doing some writing, and spending time with family and friends. So, basically all the good stuff that sort of gets put on the back burner during school time. But now that I have finished my last first week of college, I cannot believe that it is my LAST first week of college!

Loyola has been amazing. I could have not asked for a better college experience. The professors have truly cared about my education and my future. They have always tried to help me in any possible way they can. My employers on campus have also been wonderful. They have set the bar extremely high for all my future professional bosses and supervisors. And, all the students have been incredible. I have made life-long friends here at Loyola who mean the world to me. Of course, it has not all been sunshine and rainbows. I had plenty of meltdowns, tears, and feelings of despair, but I was always able to pick myself up again and the people at Loyola have always succeeded in lifting up my mood. It is extremely weird to think of leaving Loyola this May. Not waking up every morning to go to classes, seeing friends in classes, and just walking around campus is something that is still hard for me to imagine. I know though that Loyola has prepared for me whatever me future may hold and that it has given me all the necessary tools and a strong mind for success. I am not entirely sure what I want to do after college, but I know that I CAN do whatever I put my mind to and I thank Loyola for that

As I walked to class this past week, I saw all the freshman running around being super excited for classes and seeing old friends. They still have a few years to call Loyola home, and for that I am slightly jealous. I do not think that the full force and impact of graduation has hit me yet and I am going to try as long as I can to hold that force at bay. I will be sad to leave Loyola, but it is because of them that I have grown into someone who is capable of handling whatever the future may hold.

Hi again! This is my very last post before winter break starts up! I have one more final to go and then I can just relax and binge watch Netflix and TV for a few weeks! Cooking shows are my weakness, and I love The Taste and Masterchef Junior. Speaking of food, I wanted to tell you guys about an amazing website that delivers food from all different places. It is called Grubhub and it has seriously been a lifesaver throughout my college career.

Grubhub is exactly what it is in its name. It is a hub of grub. By just going to www.grubhub.com, you are instantly teleported into a world where food options are endless. When you are on Grubhub’s home page, you just type in your address, whether you want delivery or pick-up, and what kind of food you are looking for. Let’s say I was feeling Thai (to be honest I am always feeling Thai because that Crab Rangoon is the BEST food in the world). I would type in my apartment address, say I wanted delivery, and choose Thai as my cuisine selection. Grubhub would then offer a list of restaurants that fall under the Thai category. It would say how far away each restaurant is and it also says the minimum price you would need to reach to get delivery. Some places have no minimum, so if you are just wanting a piece of chocolate cake (I have done this before, don’t judge), you can order delivery. Other places have a 10, or 15 dollar minimum delivery price. You can also search for just certain types of food by itself, like searching for a burrito or burger. For each restaurant, Grubhub lists their whole menu and includes the most popular dishes that are starred and reviews.

Checkout for Grubhub is super easy. Just fill it out as a guest, or you can create a free account which will remember your information. Also, if you create an account, Grubhub will send you emails for a bunch of freebies and discounts. They also create a “Rummy Tummy” game where after each order you place, they offer you three face-down cards with one containing a freebie underneath. Sometimes, you can get a free dessert or drink! Pretty cool! Grubhub will deliver to college dorms as well as an added bonus, so if you are up for a late night study sesh and are craving some pepperoni pizza, Grubhub has you covered.

Go Crazy! Go to the hub and get some grub!

Hello again! Christmas break is almost here! Just two more finals for me and then a whole month where I can just shut my brain down and do absolutely nothing. Since it is finals week, I did not have time to try any new places since I am basically in lock-down mode right now, so instead, I wanted to talk about Rambler Bucks and what they are, where they can be used, ect.

Rambler Bucks is a form of Loyola currency that is accepted at many on-campus sites and some off-campus businesses. How it works is that you log into your LOCUS account and add money (money can be added by check, cash, or credit card) onto your Loyola ID card. This ID card basically becomes a Loyola debit card and you can use the money on your ID to buy food and other goods both on and off campus at the places that accept your ID. It is super convenient for those who do not want to always carry around their wallet with all their money and credit cards and personal information with them. Since you most likely always have your ID on you (you need it for the dining halls, the gym, the IC and library, and to get back in your dorms) it is a quick and easy way to pay for goods and services.

The places that are off-campus that accept Rambler Bucks are: Café Descartes (a great place to grab coffee on the Lakeshore Campus), Epic Burger (yummy burgers with their EPIC sauce at the Water Tower Campus), Felice’s Italian Pizza (fresh pizza made by students for students on the Lakeshore Campus), Five Guys (GREAT Fries and burgers on the Lakeshore Campus), Metropolis Coffee (fancy coffees and teas on the Lakeshore Campus),  Papa John’s (the pizza we all know and love on the Lakeshore Campus), Pete’s Pizza (serves delicious gelato, pizza slices, and great sandwiches on the Lakeshore Campus), Potbelly’s (NEW and incredible shakes on the Lakeshore Campus), Subway (on Sheridan and Granville on the Lakeshore Campus), and The Coffee Shop (yummy coffee on the Lakeshore Campus). All on-campus services accept Rambler Bucks.

So go forth and use those Rambler Bucks!

Hello again! Classes are officially over for the semester and finals are looming upon us. I, like all other students, am feeling the pressure of trying to cram a million things into my head and just hoping, praying, that something will stick. During finals week, we moan and groan over all the tiny tidbits our teachers make us memorize, but we never really thank our teachers for all the knowledge they have given us. So for today’s post, I wanted to give a shout out to an amazing teacher that I had this semester.

Amy Kessel is truly an amazing teacher. I had her for ENGL 303 aka grammar. She managed to turn a class that I was dreading, into a class that I actually looked forward to. Grammar can be extremely cumbersome, especially when you take it for an entire semester. You learn all parts of speech, clauses, phrases, and everything that needs to be known for proper English. It really sounded like a complete snooze-fest of a class, but it turned out to be the complete opposite. Kessel made learning fun! We diagrammed sentences on the board, made up our own sentences, and even did presentations on words that are commonly confused. An example is “whose” and “who’s”. She was extremely helpful for understanding the material and listened to the students when they were having problems, both as individuals, and as a class. When things became difficult, she encouraged group and open book quizzes so that other students could help each other out. She truly wanted everyone to succeed and firmly believed in giving students second chances when needed and deserved. Extra credit was attainable (seeing Steven Pinker speak which was actually really cool) and encouragement was always readily available for any student having a difficult time. As a bonus, since it was a night class, she would always aim to let us out early!

Amy Kessel is someone who really tries to understand her students and wants everyone to succeed. So, if you are thinking about becoming an English major, take one of her classes! I guarantee that it will be a highlight in your college years.

So thank you teachers for all that you do! Now I have to head back to the books to study for finals. Christmas break is so close…….