Tag: Volunteering

Extra, Extra, Read All About It

Extra, Extra, Read All About It

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It is always fantastic to stay active within your community by doing extracurricular activities. They keep your day productive and you get to have many amazing experiences within the club (activities and events) and be able to meet new people.

At Loyola, I am part of two clubs/groups: AMSA (American Medical Student Association) and VASA (Vietnamese American Student Association). Both of the these clubs are fantastic because they define who I am and who I want to be; they help me understand and enjoy the things I love the most. In AMSA, I get to hear speakers from all different types of backgrounds tell their story on how they became a doctor, MCAT test prep representatives help me prepare for the rigorous exam, and ultimately I am able to obtain a better idea of how to be successful in my medical future. In VASA, I learn more about my culture through eating delicious (and FREE!) Vietnamese food, celebrating Viet holidays, and seeing student performances that originate from Vietnam.

Outside of Loyola, I volunteer at my local hospital every other Friday. Starting this summer, I plan to take summer classes at Loyola to ease my workload for the school year. Also, I plan to take cello lessons at a music school as well as apply to volunteer my time at Rush University Medical Center. Although it sounds like a lot, I know that this is my prime time to do this as I currently have the motivation to stay productive and participate in extracurricular things that I truly love to do.

Service to the Community

Service to the Community

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To some, community service may be something not done very often; to others, it has become a big part of their life to help others.  For me, I love to volunteer my time at my local hospital, Swedish Covenant. Since freshman year of high school, I have dedicated my summer, days off of school (full and half-days), and weekends towards volunteering here. I suppose the motivation that keeps me volunteering is the idea (or dream) of being a doctor; I love to help others feel better and become stronger and healthier. This semester, I have scheduled to volunteer more frequently to show others and the hospital my true commitment and passion towards service by volunteering every other Friday at nighttime.

At the hospital, I work at a patient care unit (post surgery). My work is scattered- I answer call lights, I can organize charts, resupply inventory, help do sponge baths, feed patients, walk patients, help discharge, and so much more. The people I am with, most of the time, are CNAs and nurses because they have the most contact with the patient.

Working at a hospital is truly a blessing. I am always on my feet doing work and I always get to meet the people and (if I am lucky) talk and hear their stories on their family, jobs, dreams, and tragedies. With that being said, I sometimes build connections with people and surprisingly, I meet them outside of the hospital months later and get to check up with them on how they are doing.

All in all, I love what I do and I hope to continue to aspire to become a doctor for the given reasons (from volunteering).

Chicago Marathon 2012

Chicago Marathon 2012

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This last weekend I volunteered at the Chicago Marathon. While waking up at 3am might not be the best thing to do on a Sunday, there is one moment that makes it all worth it. Its that moment when you realize the accomplishments of these people running.

Some have their own reasons for running and others simply do it for fun but no matter what it is months of dedication all brought together to one day.

This year I got to support my friends as they worked through the pain to finish.

I would like to recognize all these people and I can’t wait to run the marathon myself.

True Life: I Survived The First Week Of Classes

True Life: I Survived The First Week Of Classes

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It was painful, but I did it. I survived the first week of classes!

The first few days back from Summer break are always the hardest to get through. After an amazing, relaxing Summer spent sunbathing and swimming, sitting in class is the last thing I look forward to. It is the inevitable end to every Summer however and I have found that there are a number of emotional stages that every recently back to school student must go through:

1. Denial – “School is not actually starting that soon. I still have time. It’s still Summer, for goodness sake its 95 degrees out!”

2. Crisis – (partly a result of the denial) “I’m not ready! I haven’t even thought about my classes yet and they start tomorrow morning!”

3. Depression – “I am actually up at 7:30am getting ready for class…”

4. Acceptance – “Well I am here I might as well pay attention. This may be boring but I need good grades”

5. Excitement – “OK wow, turns out that this is actually interesting material. I am excited for this class!”

Now, if you’re lucky, like me, you are actually taking classes that really interest you and apply to your future. I am taking 5 Education classes and 1 English class. I have found that the content we are learning in my Education classes is actually incredibly interesting and very applicable.

This Fall I have a new tutoring job that I look forward to starting with a company called Frog Tutoring. Also starting soon is volunteer opportunities such as Loyola’s chapter of UNICEF and Loyola 4 Chicago.

After I got through the initial stages of denial and depression (which didn’t take long) I see that coming back to school is actually something to look forward to and to be excited about.

I am going to miss this! A sunrise this Summer from my house back in Michigan.
Loyola 4 Chicago

Loyola 4 Chicago

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This semester I have been lucky enough to volunteer as a tutor each week at a Jesuit school in Chicago! The organization that has made this possible is Loyola 4 Chicago.

Loyola 4 Chicago is a program in Loyola’s Center for Community Service and Action, that provides opportunities for students to work with nearby communities in Chicago. They have many different volunteer sites and do work that ranges from helping the homeless to tutoring students.

I am part of a group that goes to the Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) each Tuesday and tutors students. CJA is a full-scholarship, Jesuit, male, middle school for children of “modest” economic backgrounds. The school day is extended as well as the length of the school year with their goal being to prepare their students for college. I have had the opportunity to see first hand the amazing and life changing things that this school is doing for their young men.

Being a future teacher myself, I really cherish my experience tutoring at this school. I have been able to see how the teachers at CJA handle rowdy students and the different techniques they implement in order to keep order in general. One rule is that all of the young men call us tutors Miss. or Mr. [last name] and we call them Mr. [last name]. This establishes a mutual respect and makes working with the students more personal.

Loyola provides my group with a van that fits all nine of us so that we do not have to take public transportation. The hour long car ride gives us a chance to bond as a group and reflect on our experiences tutoring. I am very grateful for this opportunity that Loyola has provided me and I can not wait till next Tuesday!