After [spring] finals week, I always fathom about what kind of summer I am going to have, what am I going to do, am I going to be productive…the list is endless. As a native Chicagoan, you would think that I would roam the streets of the Magnificent Mile or take a typical touristy picture next to the Bean (no, it is not called the Cloud Gate…).  If not, you may think my family would plan a summer road trip to the Dakotas or fly to another country to enjoy a relaxing week, holding coconuts with little umbrellas and colored straws watching a majestic dolphin leap in the ocean sunset.

Nah. Nope.

The first half of my summer was spent at Loyola taking a Genetics course and chemistry research. It is quite nice to take a course over the summer for some reasons. Firstly, you can focus on just that one class and dedicate more study time for quizzes and exams. Secondly (speaking as an introvert), campus isn’t flooded with people walking around and it is generally more quiet and peaceful outside. However, since I am taking a summer course (and class only meets for a total of 18 days over a stretch of 6 weeks), course material is crammed and the content is heavy-filled. Especially for science courses, it is crucial to be on-top of everything because if you don’t, it will be a struggle to catch up.

On toward the more exciting parts of my summer! I’ll focus on 3 main events to keep things simple and easy.

Music. If you do not know by now, music is what I live on. I recently joined my church’s Saturday choir, Seraphim, as a musician (not as a singer because my voice is not that angelic). For a couple of masses, I played the piano, but primarily I play the cello. I’m a mere novice at this giant violin, but I’m not giving up. The sounds that get produced and beauty of the instrument itself is enough to keep me motivated and satisfied to keep playing on. In addition to choir, I still attend Old Town School of Folk Music for cello classes. In July, our class had our biannual recital which included pieces from J.S. Bach, Bartok, and Suzuki followed by ensembles and other classy arrangements. Also, in the span of the three-month long break, I was able to play cello for 5 weddings too. I always wanted to do something like this and now, I got the opportunity to do so with talented musicians and vocalists.

Marian Days. As I do every year (for the past 5 years), I go to Carthage, Missouri to attend an unforgettable and exciting religious event. This year’s theme is: Jubilee of Mercy, which coincides with what this year is called, declared by the pope.  If you want to know more about the logistics of Marian Days, here’s the link: http://blogs.luc.edu/uao/2015/10/15/40-years-of-tribulation-grace/

Here I was able to participate in many things such as during mass and at a restaurant booth, and more importantly, meet up with some good friends, who live insanely far from Chicago. Regardless, Marian Days continually grows in attendance and I hope to participate more in that event in the near future (goal- play my giant violin in the orchestra during the evening mass).

 

Fishing. Immediate downside is waking up early, but still, it is amazing to be up to fish and watch the sun rise over the Chicago skyline. Almost every Saturday was spent doing this. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be in a great city and be able to experience and see so much, Little things like fishing really do get taken for granted. It doesn’t matter that you do something grand to be considered worth talking about or bringing up.

Unfortunately, summer doesn’t last forever and obviously, I’m back in school again. Junior year! (Isn’t it scary how time flies?) Throughout the year, I hope to add some more input on topics such as commuting and off-campus life in addition to anything religious related and cultural. This year, I hope to write better material and write more colloquially (to make things much more comfortable and enjoyable to read).

Anyways, I’m always here if you have any questions or simply want to get to know me better. I am friendly and am willing to help you get more acquainted with Loyola University!

Again, welcome (back) to my blog!