Such a ‘Bler: My First Fourth of July

*Credits to my roommate, Amanda Henderson, for this spectacular photo of the fireworks. She’ll also start posting on the Undergraduate Admissions Blog as well, so stay tuned!!!!! 

THIS SUMMER WAS MY VERY FIRST ONE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and I felt that it was finally appropriate to finally play Fireworks by Katy Perry on repeat. It was a very very very hot day. My morning was spent brunching at Anne Sather’s with some friends from school. Anne Sather’s is a little café near Loyola that has the best cinnamon rolls. Please, just go try them.  

I swear it was unplanned, but we all showed up in some variation of red, white and blue. We also had matching auras of heat the entire time, despite being in an AC proofed café, because it was THAT hot of a day. But it was nice to be out for a bit and under all the festive decorations! I soon retreated back to my apartment though. My roommates were grilling up some sausages for a dinner of hotdogs. I eventually learnt that it was a usual activity on the Fourth of July. I also heard that there was a parade going on downtown!!! 

As the afternoon cooled down, my roommates and I decided to trek to the beach near Loyola. It’s days like these that I feel super lucky to live and go to a university near the water.  

We played frisbee and enjoyed the breezy air for a bit before the big fireworks began. Honestly, it felt like a whole day of fireworks because families would hold little fireworks display of their own! Sparklers and smiles were also found all over. The beach is located between Evanston and downtown, so we were able to catch both the Evanston and Navy Pier fireworks displays. The night before, I had already gone to see fireworks at Navy Pier with my friend, but it was really nice to just have a lie on the sand and admire a freckled sky. 

And it was one of those days where I felt extra lucky, to be here in the United States of America as an international student. 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS! 

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST: