Tag: Academics

Time Management

Time Management

By |

Clock

Sometimes I am shocked and surprised to realize that one full school year is almost coming to a close. Time, does indeed, fly by quite quickly. For seniors, this is their moment to shine; the countdown to graduation is nearly here. But until then, everyone including myself must stay focused on doing well on the final exams.

Time management is crucial before and during finals week. Students must learn how to prioritize themselves and balance their time to study and time to have fun. Some subjects require less attention than others, for instance, people might dedicate more of their time and effort for organic chemistry than for leadership class. It just depends.

Here are some ways to manage the way you study:

  • Write yourself an hourly agenda. This helps you keep organized and explicitly shows you what you need to get done at a specific time. Remember to consider some time in-between to relax and take a break.
  • Prioritize. Do not procrastinate, as even I know that is very hard to do. Find out what needs to get completed first. Which finals come first?
  • Zone-out any distractions. Specifically with social media, on-line or on your smartphone, things can get very distracting. Mute your phones if you must; move to a quiet study area! Allow yourself to maintain a focused mind and concentrate on studying. Remember, in the end, all your hard-work will pay off if you truly put the time and effort in.
  • See the teacher. Going to see them personally may help you immensely because they may be able to give you more information on what will be covered on the exam.
  • Keep the positive attitude! If you genuinely believe that you will do well, then you will have confidence when you take the exam. Plus, who doesn’t like being happy?!   🙂

 

30 Reasons Why We LOVE Loyola

30 Reasons Why We LOVE Loyola

By |

 

With Valentine’s Day approaching and everyone talking about love, it only seemed appropriate to talk about what Loyola staff and current students have to say about their relationship with Loyola.

Here are 30 reasons staff and students love Loyola:

  1. The ability to go abroad to the Rome center. – Ellen
  2. The incorporation of social justice into academics. – Judy Kyrkos
  3. The small campus feel with access to the city. – Lexy Rux
  4. Being in Chicago. – Maggie
  5. The small class sizes; it really feels like you get one-on-one time with the professors. – Patrick
  6. Being on a beautiful campus with access to downtown. – Adam Buller
  7. Living in Mertz and the chicken tenders from Damen Dining Hall. – Katie
  8. The sense of community. – Ricky Mott
  9. The beautiful campus and social justice focus in all of my classes. – Kara
  10. The small campus feel. – Shaniqua
  11. How the core classes make us a well-rounded person. – Elise
  12. How self-aware the student body is. I’ve never encountered an impolite person on campus. – John
  13. The community feel, size of campus, friendly/welcoming environment, and small class size. – Christy Vargas
  14. How there are Vegan and gluten-free options in the dining halls. – Sarah
  15. Dynamics of taking class on the lake shore campus and downtown. It’s nice to experience the best of both worlds. – Claire
  16. Class sizes, pretty campus, and nice/passionate professors. – Carlee
  17. Diverse community. – Samantha
  18. Friendly environment on campus. – Brittney
  19. Approachable teachers who seem to enjoy their jobs and always want to help you do your best. – Gabby
  20. The view of the lake. – Shannon
  21. I feel safe on campus. – Adrian
  22. Loyola has always given me the opportunity to succeed. – Aaron Brunmeier
  23. The architecture of campus. – Brian
  24. The sense of community. – Aliyah Jervier
  25. I love that Loyola offers something for anyone and everyone who attends so that they can be a part of something and feel included. – Hiba Abbas
  26. I LOVE that every time I step outside and see our beautiful campus I get excited for my day no matter how stressful it is. – Lucy Mooney
  27. I love that Loyola has so many things to offer to their students. Whether it be information on study abroad, fairs talking about feminism, or tutoring for certain classes, Loyola does an amazing job providing us with tools for success. I think that since there are so many resources offered, any type of student can feel like this school is a perfect fit for them. – Katherine Weir
  28. Loyola fosters education both inside and outside the classroom enabling YOU to grow immensely. Upon graduating from Loyola in the spring of 2015, Loyola has taught me that the aim of my education is not the facts, but rather of values. –Joe Sadofsky
  29. How connected students are to the Loyola community. – Callie Short
  30. How Loyola shares the same values as myself. – Alyson Crutchfield

Happy Valentine’s Day from Loyola University Chicago!

Finals Week: It is Possible

Finals Week: It is Possible

By |

Finals are no one’s favorite part of the year and I think each semester they sneak up on us a little sooner than we expect. Today marked the last day of classes for the fall semester of 2014. Which means 24 hour quiet hours in the residence halls have started and this weekend will be spent studying in the Information Commons instead of out enjoying the city. As you look ahead to your always daunting exam schedule, here are a few tips to help get you through the week:

  1. Write out your schedule in a fun way. Break out the crayons, markers, or colored pens to write out your exam schedule. It’s easy to let yourself be in a bad mood during such a stressful week. So cheer yourself up with a schedule that at least looks pretty.
  2. Encourage your roommates and floormates. My roomies and I created a finals week wall in our kitchen with all of our exam times on it, plus some Christmas doodles. We also decorated our hallway with post-its of things we are grateful for to keep our spirits high as we take on the week.
  3. Don’t be afraid of a study break. Without classes to attend during the week you’ll have all kinds of “free time” to study. But if you have your nose in a book the entire day you will get burnt out quickly. So don’t be afraid to take a break and a deep breath. (I’m already planning to watch Elf on Wednesday–Loyola’s study day with no finals–to relax a little).
  4. Sleep well and eat well. If you don’t schedule your study time wisely you’ll end up staying up all night and making yourself miserable. And don’t let your study snacking get out of control, aim to eat healthier snacks like nuts and fruit. A combination of good sleeping and eating will keep you energized and ready to go on test days.
  5. Dress for success. My favorite finals week pick me up is dressing up for all my exams. I’m a firm believer in the “dress for success” mantra. I always feel more confident and perform better when I put a little extra effort into my test day outfits. You only have to switch out of your sweats for a two hour test–you can do it.

Finals week may seem like an impossible feat, but trust me when I say it’s possible. Keep your head up, go grab a coffee, and study, study, study!

School of Communication and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Event

School of Communication and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Event

By |

On Tuesday, my classmates from my media law class and myself attended a free media law workshop that was hosted by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) and the School of Communication. The workshop covered gaining access to court records and proceedings.

The RCFP has provided free legal advice, resources, support and advocacy to protect the First Amendment and Freedom of Information rights of journalists working in areas where U.S. law applies.

Representatives from the RCFP provided a folder full of vital information for journalists in regards to how to access public federal records and the Illinois reporter’s privilege. I will definitely keep this safe for future use.

It was really interesting and thought-provoking to hear what was shared at this workshop because not only does this help me remember what I have learned in my media law class, it shows that this will be of importance to me in my future career as a journalist.

In regards to that thought, I also think about how opportunities like these are so important for my development and perspective. The School of Communication has been very adamant in providing opportunities to have students and people in the field come together and have these conversations.