Stephanie Rodriguez – Page 5 – College Admission at Loyola

Optimism during Undergrad…it’s possible.

By Stephanie Rodriguez | November 1, 2014

Keeping a positive outlook under stressful situations during your Undergraduate career is a difficult task, I agree.. Let’s be real, it’s like destiny throws in a personal life dilemma right before a huge exam. We have all been there, when other problems cannot let us concentrate. This post is not on how to tackle your problems, but how to remain positive amidst everything that is being thrown at you.

1) STOP OVER-THINKING. Yes, you want to calculate the grade you need on this midterm to keep your A. You start making up scenarios in your head about things that will NOT happen. STOP. Take it as it comes!

Over-thinking creates problems that weren’t even there in the first place.

2) LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. A lot of us are quick to look at how far we have to go, but fail to realize how far we’ve come! Perhaps, you didn’t prepare well enough for a practical, oh well. Now, you know. Focus on things that you can do right next time around.

When it rains look for rainbows, when it’s dark look for stars.

3) SMILE. I know this seems simple, but it really helps. Smile at strangers (in a non-creepy way, of course), or compliment someone, perhaps he/she needed to hear that. This always brings positive vibes into my life.

Better to be the one who smiled than to be the one that didn’t smile back.

4) BE AROUND HAPPY. Surround yourself with happy people. Bitter people will just sour up your life and do no good for you. Optimistic people are the best kind of people.

Invest in people who invest in you.

5) LOVE YOURSELF. Nothing in this world will make any sense if you don’t love yourself first. You cannot love those around you without appreciating your worth. It might sound cheesy, but during undergraduate sometimes you just don’t feel good enough. Find it in you to see your flaws as blessings. Personally, this has been the hardest one for me to achieve, but it’s a work in progress.

Love yourself as much as you want to be loved.

Loyola’s recent PhD graduate…

By Stephanie Rodriguez | October 26, 2014

Have you met Dr. Binaku?

Katrina Binaku, also known as Dr. Binaku, graduated last spring from Loyola University Chicago and received her PhD in Chemistry. She was my General Chemistry Teacher Assistant freshman year. She was always very helpful and nice, and I was lucky enough to bump into her last week. She told me about her dissertation and work experience at Loyola, but was very relieved to be done. A PhD, the highest degree awarded by a graduate school, is not an easy breeze. Through her experience and her research at Loyola, she had to spend endless evenings and nights running experiments that sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t. Chemistry is a lot of trial and error, and while it may be frustrating, Dr. Binaku expressed how rewarding it is!

As an undergraduate student she worked in industry, but decided on Loyola’s graduate program and worked alongside Dr. Shmeling, a Loyola professor. Therefore, it comes to no surprise that she joined the Loyola team and is now a laboratory instructor for all the freshman laboratories. Her smile and amazing personality make her an outstanding instructor, and I’m so glad to have witnessed her growth from a graduate student to a professional instructor. I am sure you will see more of Dr. Binaku and her future research. Keep an eye out…

Tips for First Generation Students

By Stephanie Rodriguez | October 25, 2014

You’re the first one to go to college and you’re clueless, but it’s OK. I, too, am a first generation student at Loyola University Chicago. I am also an only child and I did not have any close relatives attending college in 2010; it was difficult, but I did it! Here are some tips that worked for me!

REACH OUT EARLY. This is the most important and this is why it’s my first tip! Talk to your counselor/advisor asap. If you know you’re major advisor, talk to him or her as well. You need to make sure you’re on track so you don’t end up doing a fifth year. It’s a huge transition from high school, so make sure you’re aware of your options and you know what to do.
INVOLVE YOUR FAMILY. As a first year, I thought I could do it all myself. However, I still talked to my parents about their opinion(s) on which classes to take, even though I was the first one to go to college. Don’t try to do everything yourself, involve your parents and siblings and try to explain things to them so they understand and can help you out.
JOIN ORGANIZATIONS, INTRAMURAL SPORTS, GO WORK OUT, ETC. The goal here is to make friends. You did it in high school, do it again! You’ll meet many people and who knows, if you meet someone in your major they’ll be able to give you advice on professors, classes, homework, etc.
GO TO OFFICE HOURS. Meet with your professors if something doesn’t make sense, or if something does make sense! Let them know about your issues, or likings about the class and introduce yourself. They’re there to help; take advantage of it.
BE PATIENT. Sometimes it’s difficult for your family to understand that you have work to do, or that you can’t go home as often as you’d like because you’re swamp with papers/exams. Talk to them and explain what the classes entail and require from you. With time, they will understand and get the hang of it.
MAKE FRIENDS. Meet other people who are also first generation students. There will be days when you don’t know where to run and it’s always nice to have someone there.

These continue to work for me! MAKE THE BEST OUT OF YOUR UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE.

Medical Brigades

By Stephanie Rodriguez | October 16, 2014

Are you on the pre-med track, or anything health care related? Well, have you heard of Loyola’s Global Brigades?

Here you will find all the information on this wonderful opportunity for you, and Loyola peers, to go abroad and shadow doctors, pharmacists, dentists, work triages, and much more!

Click on the link BELOW to see my personal experience from my 2012 Panama Global Brigade!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQvWBETFW90&feature=youtu.be

Loyola keeps winnin’

By Stephanie Rodriguez | October 13, 2014

It’s difficult to not sound cliche every time I have to answer the question: Why did you choose Loyola? First, let me take you to 2007. I remember that year perfectly because I had my list of universities I wanted to apply to. Loyola was the first one down on the list. My mother’s good friend had two sons who had just graduated from Loyola and she always talked to me about it. Always. Among DePaul, U of I, UIC, Saint Louis University, Iowa State University and Northwestern, I knew Loyola stood out the most to me, but I wasn’t sure as to why just yet…

It wasn’t until my senior year of high school when I received all of the acceptance letters that I started feeling overwhelmed. I took it one step at a time and decided to visit the campuses. You know how they say don’t judge a book by its cover? I had to. No other campuses compared to Loyola’s breathtaking views. Needless to say whenever I mentioned Loyola to anyone they always “oohed” and “aahed.” It’s prestige made it that much better.

I had finally realized why Loyola stood out to me the most. I always wanted to be a city girl, but still be close to home. I wanted a prestigious education, but at a reasonable price. I wanted a beautiful campus, but still feel at home. I wanted to meet people, but make lifetime friends. I wanted to challenge myself as a student, but find myself as a person. I knew Loyola would make all of this happen and it did. It also made me realize that it’s OK to sound cliche when you appreciate your education THIS much.

The best project to work on is you.

By Stephanie Rodriguez | October 8, 2014

I do not know how I would’ve gotten through college without my best friends, coffee, and Halas. Halas, Loyola’s exquisite Recreation Center, is pretty much my second home. I remember walking in as a freshman, before all of the construction, and waiting in line for half an hour for Zumba class. Yes, it got crowded and sweaty because the classes are that good. Not even Chicago’s 2011, horrible snow storm stopped my roommate and I from attending the gym!

Over the course of the years, I have made many friends from attending the Group Fitness Classes. We like to call each other the veterans because we come back each year and attend classes religiously. I continue to enjoy these classes, but one of my favorites of all times has to be Turbo Kick. This class was first introduced Fall of 2011 and was taught by a Loyola alumni: Katrina Badowski. She was the Loyola’s Dance Captain, now a Chief’s cheerleader, and a great friend. She taught Loyola’s first Turbo Kick class…BUT what is Turbo Kick? Think of a martial arts, kick boxing and dance choreography class. If you want to burn around 1,000 calories, this class will do that to you!

After she graduated, I started attending other classes with some fabulous instructors and, now, great friends as well. Eliza Stucker and Mary Kesinger took over the Turbo Kick classes and continue to teach other classes as well. Keep an eye out for Eliza’s Step class and Mary’s wonderful PiYo class. Last year, I was so dedicated to their workouts that I lost 15lbs from Turbo Kick and PiYo classes alone. Ok, I also had to change my eating habits a tad bit…
If you haven’t checked out any of these classes yet, please give them a try! Everyone is very friendly and you will get a workout, I promise. Eliza will push you to that extreme level and Mary will strengthen your core just as well. We are always looking for new members to make our Turbo and PiYo families bigger!

Coffee on the go

By Stephanie Rodriguez | October 3, 2014

If someone would have told me what a workout it would be to commute from my hometown to Loyola, I would have chosen to commute a long time ago! (jk, living on campus is much more fun!). Apart from the fact that my commute is only a two and a half hour commute, I have to say that I really enjoy it…as long as I have my Starbucks.

Yes, I’m that girl: “May I have a grande green tea latte with nonfat and two pumps of classic.” However, to all of my commuters if you ever catch yourself leaving Union Station or Ogilvie Station you need to stop at THIS particular Starbucks on LaSalle St. right next to the Quincy Stop. I’ve ran into many Loyola Alumni; I have conversed with business women, doctors, and professors. This is networking at its finest! I’ve actually met a professor who teaches at a graduate school I am interested in.

Anyhow, this is not a place to sit and drink your coffee since it gets very crowded from 5-9am. Due to its popularity, mistakes occur but if they mess up your order, you might get a free goodie! If you are ever downtown with friends, check it out! You’ll be amazed at how many people you meet in less than 30 minutes.