Author: Tanner Walters

Spring Break: So Close, and Yet So Far Away

Spring Break: So Close, and Yet So Far Away

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Spring Break is next week! Of course, that means that every professor in the university has decided to schedule whatever exams, papers and tests they could fit into the last few days before freedom. I conquered an Intro to Computer Science exam on Tuesday, but I might not be so lucky with my Honors Seminar exam coming up on Friday. I’ve got to become an expert on Shakespeare, Moliere, Descartes and Machiavelli within the next 24 hours. Unfortunately for me, studying is still a skill I haven’t mastered. My trips to the IC usually consist of an hour of Facebook browsing for every hour of work, so wish me luck!

In the midst of studying/failing to study, class, and rehearsal, I was lucky enough to see Loyola’s Mainstage production of the comedy Tartuffe at the Newhart on Sunday! I was beyond impressed with the cast of the show. Anyone familiar with the play knows that it is written entirely in rhyming couplets. Trying to portray a character truthfully and naturally can be difficult when speaking in rhymes, but the cast handled the language very well. The show is hilarious and I’d recommend it-it still runs for one more weekend!

On another note, I’m thrilled and relieved that the housing process for my sophomore year is complete-and I got into Georgetown! I’m so excited for next year to live with four of my best friends in a killer building. It seems so odd to me to talk about sophomore year already, because it feels like just yesterday I made the big move to the city, knowing no one here. The year has really zoomed by-and I wouldn’t mind if it slowed down just a little.

After I survive the next two days, I’ll be back on the Megabus (or as I call it, the StruggleBus) to the Nati (Cincinnati)! I haven’t seen my family since winter break, so I’m ready to be back home and relax a little. When I get back, Frankenstein goes into tech rehearsals so I’ll need the rest!

 

Life Update

Life Update

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Another busy week at Loyola!

It’s hard for me not to write about Frankenstein, because I spend so much of my time in rehearsal or thinking about rehearsal. We have now completely blocked the show! We are now focusing on fine-tuning the scenes, especially a lot of the movement work.We have been rehearsing in a rehearsal studio in the Mundelein Center, but tonight we move into the actual space-the Underground Theatre! I’m excited to work in the space we will be performing in. The blackbox theatre is very small and intimate, which will take some getting used to and adds a fun challenge to the show.

Here is an interview with our fearless director and playwright, senior Ali Burch! Tickets for the show can be purchased online now (I will not apologize for the shameless plug).

Also happening in the theatre department at Loyola now is the mainstage production of Moliere’s Tartuffe, which opens tonight and runs til next weekend! I’m seeing it on Sunday afternoon.! I just read Tartuffe in my Honors class a few weeks ago, so I’m eager to see the performance on stage.

In other news, the housing lottery numbers came out for freshmen a couple of days ago-a stressful situation-but I’m lucky enough that one of my room mates drew number 20, meaning he will be one of the first students to pick a residence hall for next year! We are hoping to live in Georgetown, an apartment-style “quint” residence hall with a huge kitchen, living area and three bedrooms for five people. We find out Monday-wish us luck!

I hope you are all having wonderful weeks!

 

Enjoying the Weather

Enjoying the Weather

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I had a nice surprise for Valentine’s Day-warm weather! I know it seems strange that I would post that right after writing a whole entry called “Snow!”, but that’s the Midwest for you-arctic conditions one day, and a tropical breeze the next.

My friends and I took advantage of the nice day by taking a walk along the Lakeshore Path right along the water, which is only about a mile away from campus (to be honest, I was supposed to be running, but I gave that up pretty quickly). What I love about Loyola that I felt was unique to our school is the opportunity to go between two different worlds. Our Lakeshore campus in Roger’s Park is in an urban environment, with complete and easy access to the city of Chicago, but its nice to have the Loyola bubble to escape from the crazy rush every once in a while. You get the stunning architecture of Chicago and the natural beauty of Lake Michigan. Most urban campuses I visited gave up the natural beauty for the city environment-here, I don’t feel like that is the case.

I hope everyone had a good Valentine’s Day!

Here’s a picture of the Lakeshore Path by Loyola!

Frankenstein: It’s Alive!

Frankenstein: It’s Alive!

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It’s been a busy week for me!

Frankenstein rehearsals have started! This week we have been focusing on the movement aspects of the play. The director (who also happens to be a the writer) is incorporating a lot of dance into the play, which is definitely a unique and challenging experience for me-because I am by no means a dancer! Luckily, our rehearsals are a pretty judgment-free environment so I never feel too upset about making a fool of myself.

Frankenstein is one of the most exciting production I have had the opportunity to be a part of. Of course, on a visceral level, it’s such a cool concept-a modern adaption of a classic horror novel-but the real appeal lies in the new take on the story. As our director told us at one rehearsal, the story is one about life, not death. It’s easy to get caught up in the blood and gore (which I am excited to say will definitely be a part of this show), but there is a deeper message in the story. Our director has added a lot of new depth to this version which is very exciting!

This is the second original show I’ve been a part of at Loyola. Illuminating Voices was written entirely by Loyola faculty and alumni. It is so different to work on a piece that has never been performed before than to perform in some age-old musical that has been done a thousand times. With both Frankenstein and Illuminating Voices, we got feedback from the writers that really helped develop our performances. We also got to contribute a lot to the scripts, helping the writers making changes when necessary. What has already been so exciting about Frankenstein is the amount that the cast has already influenced the work. Rather than being completely controlled by our director (a senior at Loyola), we are constantly asked questions about our characters and given the chance to perform scenes differently than what she might have imagined for us. This is definitely more difficult than other productions because we are given so much more responsibility, but it is completely worth it. It is lucky that we are given the opportunity to work on this because so much of what actors do in the real world is brand new and in development.

On another note, I wanted to give a shout-out to my friend Shawn, who has spent his entire weekend in and out of the ICU at St. Joseph’s hospital with complications with a skin infection and his diabetes. I visited him there yesterday, and I must say he is such a trooper. He just got back to his residence hall today, and luckily for him, his doctor will be visiting him at Loyola’s Wellness Center.

Thanks for reading, I’ll be sure to update again soon!

 

 

Snow!

Snow!

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When telling people I would be attending school in Chicago, I was repeatedly warned about the low temperatures I would face over the winter.

“You better bundle up!” they would urge forebodingly, as if I had never been given that advice before. Like the confident young college student that I am, I laughed in the face of danger. “Cold, pshaw! What is cold to Tanner Walters?” I thought. But as someone who has always been a warm-weather kind of guy, I knew it might take some adjusting. But coming from another relatively chilly Midwestern city, I figured this was something I was used to.

And then it happened.

0 degree high temperature. I kid you not. It’s real, and it’s out there.

The first time was rough, but everyone got used to it pretty quickly. You learn to pile on the layers and the scarves and hats and soon, 20 degrees sounds like a mild day-the kind you want to spend outdoors.

The best part about the cold is snow! Loyola’s campus look’s beautiful covered in white. We’ve had a good amount this week. The most fun is seeing the kids from California react to it. Here’s hoping it stays for a little while!

 

The quad covered in snow!

 

Hello!

Hello!

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My name is Tanner Walters, and I am currently a Freshman, starting my second semester at Loyola! This blog is where I’ll be talking about my personal experience as a student at Loyola and as a new Chicagoan. A little about myself:

  •  I am double-majoring in theatre and journalism (we’re not all biology majors, I promise!).
  • I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, about five hours away from the Windy City. I went to a college-preparatory public high school with a history of sending students to Loyola every year-I am one of four students from my high school in the class of 2016.
  • I have a twin brother who attends DePaul University.
  • I speak fluent Ubbi-Dubbi. Anyone who watched Zoom on PBS as a five-year-old should be thoroughly impressed.

Now that I’ve been at Loyola for a couple of months, it truly feels like my home. I was fortunate enough to make a tight-knit group of friends on campus relatively early, which definitely helped. I also got involved quickly on campus. Though it might seem scary to immediately put yourself out there in such a new environment, it is important to stick it out and go for what you want early. Just a tip? When you’re feeling awkward and nervous on  a new campus, just know that every other freshman is feeling the same way.  Luckily for me, the Loyola community was enthusiastic to welcome its new class.

I found this to be especially true in the theatre department. I auditioned for every production available until I was cast in Loyola’s production of Illuminating Voices in the brand new Newhart Family Theatre. Illuminating Voices was a unique experience in that it was written completely by Loyola alumni and faculty about Loyola. It was a perfect way to be introduced to the wonderful theatre department we have here. This semester, I’m in the student-run Second Stage production of Frankenstein, which I’ll definitely be talking about more once rehearsals start!

I also work as a writer and student intern for the Loyola Magazine at the downtown campus, a gig I got through the work-study program.

In my free time, which I’ll admit is limited at times, I like to explore Chicago with my friends. One of the best benefits of being a Loyola student is the UPass, which means unlimited rides on the train and the bus-and full access to the city. My friends and I spend a lot of time walking around downtown, but also exploring some of the other neighborhoods around the city.

That’s a wrap for the introduction, and I look forward to keeping you updated! As a frequent reader of the student blogs on Loyola’s website before I enrolled here, I hope that my blog can be as helpful to any future Ramblers.

 

My friends and I in front of Lake Michigan!