Category: Everyday Life

Such a ‘Bler: Giving Thanks

Such a ‘Bler: Giving Thanks

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Last thanksgiving, my boyfriend Jacob visited, and we were invited over by a lovely family-friend Vietnamese couple for lunch. They made us a whole spread of Vietnamese delights and it felt like we were back home for a few hours.

He visited again this year, tagging his roommate Kent along as well, and we had our first Friendsgiving. One of my closest friends on campus Maddie and her boyfriend Nick cooked up a huge dinner, with an actually turkey and everything! We were also joined by my roommate Amanda, who though was up to her ears in finals revision was able to pass to watch me try cranberry sauce with mashed potatoes for the first time.

Jacob, Kent and I brought a bit of our own tradition by – spring rolls. Earlier that day, we went grocery shopping in Argyle – essentially the Vietnamese district of Chicago – and then spent the afternoon preparing. Our friends really enjoyed the treat!

I still can’t decide which part of this whole experience I love most. The incredible food, being surrounded by my favourite people, the warmth or how it all came together though we each came from such different parts of the world. Maddie is from California, Nick is from Ohio and Amanda is from Chicago. Jacob, Kent and I are all from Hanoi, Vietnam but very different districts. But for this special occasion, we were together, watching the boys play Overwatch on the TV and digging into another slice of pumpkin pie.

I am grateful.

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

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Friendsgiving Season

Friendsgiving Season

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Students are heading home for the holidays, but before we do that, many of us indulge in a little trend called Friendsgiving!

If you’ve never heard of it, it’s basically Thanksgiving – but with your friends, instead of your family. Although in a lot of cases your friends ARE your family, some people go home and some stay, some are from the same suburbs and some are from further away. It’s not uncommon to see students walking to and fro with tupperwares, pots and pans, and other things on the nights of the weekend before Thanksgiving break. They’re all going to Friendsgivings!

Most people celebrate Friendsgiving by doing a potluck-style dinner, and everyone brings one aspect of a meal. It can be Thanksgiving-type meal: mashed potatoes, corn bread, turkey, more turkey, perhaps some green beans and so on, but it doesn’t have to be.

This year I was delighted to find myself celebrating not one big Friendsgiving but two! One of them was with my friends I made during my time in Beijing (although not all of them, given that many are at schools around the country… or still in Beijing), and the other was my friends from Rome and freshman/sophomore year, since a lot of them came to Rome or knew people from Rome. I didn’t host either of them, but was all too happy to take corn hotdish (aka corn stuff) to the first and mashed potatoes to the other. Both easy and delicious!

Not only that, but the university and clubs also like to put on Thanksgiving-style events. My sorority, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., does our annual Unity Feast, where donating food to a food shelf nets you all you can eat from us, catered by Boston Market, which is a resturant that specializes in American comfort food. The Vegan society does Vegan Thanksgiving from a local restaurant called Chicago Diner where everything is Thanksgiving food but vegan, and so on.

(This plate is not from the Vegan Thanksgiving but from my Beijing Friendsgiving, in case you were concerned about the meat there.)

I wasn’t able to make it out to the Vegan Thanksgiving myself, but my friends both Vegan and not went and said they had a great time! Even if you don’t celebrate this holiday, Thanksgiving is a great time at Loyola because of the sudden wealth of food events that pop up, and how the usual annual giving tradition and consideration of those less fortunate than us recurs. Loyola year-round thinks about the poor and those with less oppportunity, but it’s when Chicago starts to get cold and windier that we too really buckle down on our philanthropic efforts.

 

Happy holidays, everyone!

 

Such a ‘Bler: International Education Week 2018

Such a ‘Bler: International Education Week 2018

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Can you name the countries?

This wasn’t actually my first international nibble of the week! Monday kicked off with a warm bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich). I’m from Hanoi, Vietnam so this was like a warm morning hug. There was even a little stand set up in Sullivan Center just like (well, as close as Chicago can get haha) the streets back home.

I got a pork bánh mì, something I’ve definitely missed. A friend in my theatre class said it looked amazing and asked where I got it when she saw me munching before class. I felt very proud.

With Friday came International Night. There was food, information boards and a dance performance, as international and local students arrived in the Damen Multipurpose Room to celebrate. I noticed that dishes from around the world are actually equally similar and different in so many ways. They were definitely all similarly delicious.

International Night was also a great chance to see old friends – this is Vanya, one of my first friends here from freshman orientation week, a newly Loyola Alum and always a proud Indonesian.

The short trip around the world was refreshing – my taste buds danced the night away! It was a great International Education Week.

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

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Local Fave Restaurant: Nha Hong Vietnam

Local Fave Restaurant: Nha Hong Vietnam

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You know how I’m always thinking about food?

Well, I’ve got another restaurant recommendation for you all! This one is not so local, but it’s near and dear to my heart.

Nha Hong Vietnam is a local restaurant in the Argyle neighborhood of Chicago – only about 15 minutes by the L – and about a five minute walk from there. Argyle is known as Little Vietnam, but Nha Hong has got to be my favorite restaurant in the whole area.

This past weekend I went there with my roommate (don’t tell her I’ve posted this pic) and it was, as ever, so good. I haven’t been there in two years, because of being abroad, and I missed the taste of delicious and cheap pho!

(Admittedly, I do have another roommate who is Vietnamese who makes her own pho, but there’s something about the way they make it at Nha Hong and the atmosphere that makes it just fun, even though it does cost more money than free.)

The restaurant is family-run and whenever someone goes there and the grandfather of the family is not there, my groupchats get a flurry of worried messages about his health. It’s not very large of a space, so you either have to go there not at peak hours or be willing to wait, but it’s so worth it. They used to give you free ice cream after your meal too, but last time I went they didn’t, so I wonder if they stopped that… or they don’t do that in the wintertime!

Their cheapest dish is about $3, and I swear they must have over 200 items on their menu. If I didn’t go there specifically for the pho, I’d no doubt be overwhelmed! Pho runs you about $8, which is a lovely price for a big bowl of warmth, happiness, and a full stomach.

If you have a hankering for Vietnamese food or find yourself by the Argyle stop, go to them! Campus has lots of good restaurants nearby, more of which I promise I’ll write about, but I just have to recommend Nha Hong. Check out their yelp page here. Yum!

Life’s a Beach!

Life’s a Beach!

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Even if you’re from Chicago, when you think of the city, you might not think about beaches much – or at all.

I always find I surprise people when I mention that there’s a beach at the end of my street. It’s a real beach, no exaggeration – sandy shores, a pier, a lifeguard chair that’s usually empty, and picnic tables further back for families to gather around.

Coming from Minnesota, I’m no stranger to lakeside beaches. But I totally understand everybody’s surprise. I mean, Lake Michigan is a lake, sure, but it’s a Great Lake!

Up in Duluth, Minnesota, where Lake Superior meets the land, there’s no beach… just huge rocks filling the shore. In fact, Loyola is surrounded by beaches.

To the north of campus is three separate beaches within a five minute walk – Hartigan, Albion, and Loyola Park – but there are even more the further up you go. One summer, when I had my bicycle and worked here, I would always stop at the beach that was halfway between Loyola and Northwestern’s campus for a break.

This picture is the beach at the end of my block. Of course, nowadays it is a lot less pleasant to visit than it was in the summer, but it’s still beautiful… but I don’t put my feet in so much. Plus, it’s much emptier now!

I love going to the beach at sunset and sunrise (if I’m ever up that early) because the lake is just gorgeous. Sure, I see it from campus, inside the IC or walking around, but there’s something about being close enough to touch it. There are no beaches on-campus.

South of campus too is more beaches! The Lakefront Trail, a pathway stretching from Loyola down to Navy Pier that you can walk, run, or bike down, is pretty much all beach. In the summer and spring, it’s the best place to hang out with your friends, getting out and enjoying the fresh air without having to take public transportation or go too far away.

If you come tour Loyola, there’s no doubt the tour guide will take you lakeside, where, as we say, it’s Cooler By the Lake, but if you have some free time walk north just one block and you’ll find yourself a beach! Going to Loyola is not just the campus itself, but the Chicago that surrounds it.

Supporting the Arts!

Supporting the Arts!

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Although some of our most populated majors at Loyola are science-based, like nursing or biology, and we have a very good business school, Loyola is still a liberal arts school seeking to educate and allow a space for the creative arts. That’s why we have a Fine Arts Program, and that Fine Arts Program puts on lots of showcases for the various disciplines that make up ‘the Fine Arts.’ Last week, I attended the student orchestra’s showcase, just for fun!

Actually, there were three orchestras – the symphony, the percussion, and the wind instruments, each taking their turn. They were all quite good – I played the oboe and clarinet in high school, so to see a symphony was quite fun. Beyond the sound of Beethoven, I love watching the bows go up and down. Wind instruments don’t really move like that as an unintentional visual show to accompany the music.

I wish I could include a video for you, but the file is wayyy too large. Attending the orchestra does come for the price of a ticket, unlike the basketball game happening the same night, but there was a student discount and I can go to many, many basketball games, if I so choose. It was really nice to see other students at the orchestra, there to support their friends, sitting amongst the parents and family members who came to Mundelein Theater.

Out of all of them, I think my favorite piece played with a version of “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,” but the percussion played a song called “Guac is Extra” which made me laugh.

In addition to the orchestra, Loyola also has an exhibition space for student artists who make visual media like sculptures, drawings, and photographs, and lots of theatrical performances throughout the year. I have a close friend who was the costume manager for a recent production called Violet, despite not being too deep into the theater world herself. That’s what’s fun about our theater program – you don’t have to be a theater major or minor to join! There are extracurricular band groups, a cappella singing groups, and so on, so you don’t have to take a class or dedicate more time than you can.

If you ever come visit and you see that something in the Fine Arts going on, stop by! They’re usually open to the public, free or at a cost. I know I for sure am looking forward to the annual Joyola production, a holiday-themed performance from singing and instrumental groups alike.

Such a ‘Bler: My First Basketball Game (ever)

Such a ‘Bler: My First Basketball Game (ever)

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It’s embarrassing to confess as a sophomore that my first Loyola basketball game was last Friday. Sure, I watched the NCAA last year, but well, online or through a TV. Times never really aligned I guess, but after missing the first game of the season on Tuesday, I was determined.

Here’s what I’ve learnt:

  • If the game starts at 7pm, it starts at 6pm. The lines get pretty long quite quick so it’s best to come early, especially so you don’t have to wait out in this windy weather. I arrive at 5:30pm after class today and a quarter of the student seats were filled.
  • This was also my first live American sporting event, so I learnt that the national anthem is sung!
  • Sister Jean and her prayer before the game is a blessing (but we all know this already.)
  • ‘Blers are raised for good luck before a shot, especially if it’s a free throw.

  • The energy is addictive.
  • Sometimes there’s free stuff for the crowd (oOoOoOoOh)
  • I love the band and there are A LOT of chants, but you learn as they go – this is a lot of fun!

Fun fact: LU Wolf is actually a friend of mine from freshman year, but I’m not too sure it was in fact him that night. All LUs are friendly. Any guesses?

This was the scoreboard before things went crazy – we lost to a single slam dunk at 2 seconds to time. But the crowd was wild, and I was one happy Rambler.

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

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Such a ‘Bler: It Finally Snowed!

Such a ‘Bler: It Finally Snowed!

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Disclaimer: The above photo was taken on the first snow day of 2017.

Perhaps the snow is one of my top favourite parts about going to a university in Chicago. I know from interactions that I am definitely one of the few who will confidently say this, and that I moved to Chicago mainly for its weather. But it honestly is a tasteful experience – having 4 seasons!

There’s also the excitement of never really knowing when the turning weather points of are: my case, despite it being the second year around. I woke up this morning RIGHT BEFORE the snow ended. So, from my dorm window, this was the only snapshot I got… Nevertheless, the same, if not higher level of excitement was present.

One of my closest friends on campus was nice enough to send me this beauty on her way to the Loyola Information Commons though.

Get excited Ramblers! THE WINTER WONDERLAND IS FINALLY UPON US!

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:

Remembering the Kristallnacht at Loyola

Remembering the Kristallnacht at Loyola

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To be honest with you, one of my main hesitations about going to Loyola at first was that it’s a Jesuit university, and I’m not religious. But it’s been really great, these past four years, to see that Loyola is not just a Catholic university but one that thinks about the diversity of its students. I heard recently, although I don’t know if it’s true, that Loyola University Chicago is both the most diverse Jesuit institution and that a majority of our students are Hindu. Nevertheless, it’s the persistent idea.

The reason I’m writing about this is because I recently went to an event commemorating the Kristallnacht, the Night of Shattered Glass on November 9-10, 1938, in Germany and Austria.

Being a history major and that it was sponsored in part by the History department, I was reminded again and again to go – but I would have gone anyway. It was not a religious event, but it took into consideration the different religions and identities that Loyola students have even just to put on this kind of event. It’s like including the menorah in stereotypical holiday designs out there, next to Christmas trees and Santa hats and (although it seems like it’s getting rarer) saying “Joyous Kwanzaa” … Even though I don’t identify as a member of the group, I think inclusion is always good.

Dr. Elliot Lefkovitz was a really impressive speaker. It was heartbreaking to be there on the day that another mass murder was committed in the United States, and he read a letter from someone who had grown up in the Pittsburgh community where the Tree of Life Synagogue is, as well as a moving memorial of the lives lost. He especially emphasized that atrocities such as the Tree of Life killings and the Holocaust were killed themselves in abstractions: in learning that six million died in those short years of World War II rather than one plus one plus one plus one… and so on, and the same too at the level of eleven dead.

After speaking for a while, he played a short film he had made almost thirty years ago called ‘The Double Crossing’, interviews of refugees from Germany in 1939 who went to Cuba for safety but most were returned to the European mainland, over 200 of which were to die in the following years.

I was really amazed by it. I think one of the things that so drives me about history is the human experience of it all, and interviews like these, preserved memories of people who now have mostly passed away, are incredible. After the film ended, Dr. Lefkovitz read some quotes from Eli Weisel about the damage that indifference does in conclusion and answered some questions that had come up about the short film.

As always, I’m amazed by the variety of events you can find and go to at Loyola, and each one of them are exposure to unique things that I am so, so grateful I get to experience and learn about in my college years. When/if you tour here, you’re probably going to see posters for things you want to go to and clubs you want to join as well! When I applied to Northwestern University after touring it, my application letter was all about how I wanted to be involved in the different clubs and events I had seen on posters around the campus (although now of course! of course! I’m so glad I went here instead).

No matter where you end up, don’t be afraid to get out there and go to things. You’ll learn so much beyond the classroom!
A Series of Firsts: Who Am I?

A Series of Firsts: Who Am I?

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LU Wolf and I in front of the West Quad. October 2017. Go ‘Blers!

Hello, everybody! My name is Francesca Marchese González, and I am an international student from Guatemala. I am one of the new bloggers for Undergraduate Admissions Office, and I am really excited to share a little bit about my Loyola experience with you! Before getting into the logistics of this post, I’ll tell you a little bit about me and how I came to be at Loyola.

Like I said, I am an international student from Guatemala, and I am also Italian. I was born and raised in Guatemala, but my family and I really LOVE traveling, so we have been to different places in Europe, North America, and South America together. My favorite food is pasta, and a fun fact about me is that I know 3 and a half languages.

This is my second year studying at Loyola, and I’m trying to major in Global & International Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies, with a Minor in French Language and Literature. I am planning to study abroad in the future, whether that be at the Rome Center or in a French-speaking country. On-campus, I am part of a couple of organizations, like Womxn in Leadership Loyola and LUCES. I am also part of Global Engagement Programs, as the Chai & Chat facilitator. These are all spaces in which different perspectives are shared, in which learning is promoted and where we can all strive to be the best version of ourselves. And I feel like these organizations and programs have enhanced my experience at Loyola. I am an avid believer in that different perspectives have to be shared in order to get the bigger picture of something, so that if a single perspective is not the most popular, it still plays an important role in understand a community, like that which we have here at Loyola. And that’s what I am going to try to do through my posts: share with you a different perspective of Loyola.