Hey everyone! Isn’t this wonderful weather that Chicago is having the perfect excuse to sit outside and read a book?? Oh yes it is! Because of classes, I do not have a ton of extra time to read for pleasure, but because of my English major, I do get the chance to read a lot of novels, most of which I have liked! I thought I would share some of my favorites and you can put them on your spring/summer reading list!

1. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston – This story narrates the life of Janie, an African-American woman who is searching for something bigger and better than what she currently has. She is seeking love. In the novel, you follow the heartbreaking story of her search and discovery of love. Beautifully written in African-American native dialect, this story is a must read!
2. Native Son by Richard Wright – Another African-American novel, this story focuses on the life of Bigger Thomas, an African-American boy living in Chicago in the 1930s. He kills a white woman and the novel moves from the incident, to his hiding from the law, and then his capture by the law. The novel demonstrates the struggles of African Americans, the idea of Communism, and the discovery of the self. Bigger embraces the animalistic nature that he is thought to be associated with and runs with it.
3. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen – Who does not love Jane Austen? Being her first novel, the reader is enveloped into the life of Catherine. While pining away after Henry, she is invited to visit their house, Northanger Abbey. Here, Catherine, obsessed with gothic novels, finds herself trying to develop one at the Abbey. The reader is able to see the mature growth of Catherine as the novel continues.
4. Breathe, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat – This story revolves around Sophie, a Haitian woman, who tries to build connections based on love. She goes on a journey to love her mother, her husband, her family, and her child. With a terrifying past filled with rape and abandonment, Sophie seeks the understanding of what can be endured and what can be forgiven.
5. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison – The story of Pecola, a little African-American girl living after the Great Depression, told from the eyes of other people. This novel deals with class-shaming racism, or racism within the African-American community. Pecola is longing for the blue eyes of a white child, because she has internalized the white beauty standard and feels ashamed of her own dark skin. Though dark and deeply disturbing, this novel presents the reader with a deeper understanding of the color caste system.

These are older books, but interesting reads! All had to be read for some of my English classes that dealt on the topics of shame, identity, and femininity. None of these are particularly light reads, but interesting reads for discussion with others. You can look up better summaries online, because my summaries really did not do the books justice!

It’s the time of year again that everyone has a love/hate relationship with–registration. While it theoretically should be easier for those of us already enrolled at Loyola that are continuing onto sophomore year and up, that is not guaranteed.

I don’t mean to make registration sound like a horrible process, because it really isn’t for most students, but it can be stressful if you’re not sure about your major/minor, or are running out of core to take. While I know not everyone really took their four year plan in UNIV 101 seriously, it is a great resource to use–there is no reason you should be at a complete loss of what classes you should take.

I recommend making at least three schedules if you’re not the first to register (honors, ROTC, or athletes), with a variety of classes and teacher that you are willing to take. Don’t believe everything you read online, and keep in mind that people who write reviews are often very opinionated one way or another. A good way to figure out who you want to take next semester is to look at a few times and teachers that will work for you, and then asking around who has had which teacher and the workload in each class.

Remember, it will all work out and it really isn’t a big deal–you will get the classes that you need. There’s always a chance that the class you want that filled up the space before your registration time will have an open seat during the summer! You can add, drop, swap until what is pretty much the first week of classes next semester.

Good luck to all!

Happy Sunday everyone! The weather has been sooooo beautiful. It is the perfect weather to just sit out by the lake or go for a walk along Lakeshore Drive. While I have been enjoying the weather a little bit, most of my time has been spent preparing for graduation and searching for jobs. Since this is about the only thing on my mind currently, I thought I would share some of the graduation process here at Loyola.

First of all, you have to make sure that in order to graduate, all your academic requirements are met. You can check this under LOCUS in the “Academic Report” section, but you can also go to your advisor to make sure that everything is taken care of. There is nothing worse than discovering that you miscalculated your hours or forgot a required class once graduation comes around. Once you become a senior, you will start getting emails regarding graduation and helpful workshops, talks, and job fairs. You will receive an email asking you to register for graduation by a certain date. Once registered, you will then receive emails entailing everything you need to know for graduation. They will ask you if you are attending graduation, and once you answer, you are able to pick tickets for your ceremony. This year we were only allowed four tickets per student, so if you need more, you will have to reach out to other students to see if they are willing to give you a few tickets. You will then get an email telling you when to pick up your gown, cap, and tassels. I did not have to purchase a gown because my sister already had one, but I did purchase my tassels. I purchased one for the School or Arts and one for the School of Sciences. At the pick-up, you can also purchase a class ring, take pictures in your cap and gown, eat free food, and ask questions about the job search. Now all I have to wait for is the big day!

Graduation is coming on fast and I cannot believe my time at Loyola is almost done. I have loved every single year that I have been here. I have made some amazing friends, taken some great classes, and have been taught by some excellent professors. It is scary transitioning into the big-girl world, but I know that Loyola has prepared me for this and I know that I can tackle whatever the world throws at me.

Something that a lot of parents and students wonder about is if their student is going to be able to have a job to help fund their life in the Windy City over the semesters. The truth is, it’s not guaranteed. You have the responsibility to find a job, either through Loyola’s career center, or  around the campus area.

While you do not have to be qualified for federal work-study to get several on-campus jobs, it certainly does help. However, off campus jobs do not take that into consideration when they’re hiring.

Keep in mind that we have more than one campus as well! Downtown stores (both the magnificent mile as well as the Water Tower Place mall/Macy’s) are often looking for seasonal help around the holidays, and will sometimes keep seasonal employees that do a great job.

Another option to look for is internships–some of them are paid, and they are great experience to add to a resume. You can find ones that are in your field of study/interest, or just ones that sound cool. Keep an eye out for now hiring signs, and if you know there is a place you’ll likely be hired, you can even arrange your schedule for the following semester around optimal work shifts.

While it is not a required thing to have a job on or off campus, it is a nice thing to have extra cash. Just keep in mind the number of credit hours you’re taking, and make sure you don’t over book yourself.