The Transition: Marmion to Loyola
Coming to Loyola and Chicago, was, without a doubt, eye opening and much different then my upbringing. To give you an idea of what that means, I spent my whole high school career at a small, Catholic, all-boys, military high school in the suburbs of Chicago. Looking back on it, I feel like I grew up in a shell, not having seen the world much past my little circle.
Then came Loyola. At first, it was frightening. It was simply scary being all off on my own, being the only responsible for my life and time. But at the same time, it was exhilarating. It was amazing meeting so many people of different backgrounds and cultures. It was awesome to be able to leave the campus and check out a shop or restaurant half-way across town, exploring different areas and cultures. In fact, one of my favorite memories from my UNIV 101 was spending a Friday night in Wicker Park, checking out Myopic Books, local thrift shops and several memorable restaurants. To this day, it is one of my favorite places to visit on the weekends or when I have time to relax.
Loyola also came with challenges as well, especially in regards to academics and time management. Coming from a military-style high school, I was used to a very structured learning environment and felt like a "big fish in a small pond". This totally changed when I came to Loyola. It took me quite a while to get used to the freedom that Loyola came with, as well as the large, lecture-style formats many of my classes were taught in. Eventually, I adapted, however, and now have no problems with either! But this did not happen without a lot of hard work, dedication and many experiences.
Then came Loyola. At first, it was frightening. It was simply scary being all off on my own, being the only responsible for my life and time. But at the same time, it was exhilarating. It was amazing meeting so many people of different backgrounds and cultures. It was awesome to be able to leave the campus and check out a shop or restaurant half-way across town, exploring different areas and cultures. In fact, one of my favorite memories from my UNIV 101 was spending a Friday night in Wicker Park, checking out Myopic Books, local thrift shops and several memorable restaurants. To this day, it is one of my favorite places to visit on the weekends or when I have time to relax.
Loyola also came with challenges as well, especially in regards to academics and time management. Coming from a military-style high school, I was used to a very structured learning environment and felt like a "big fish in a small pond". This totally changed when I came to Loyola. It took me quite a while to get used to the freedom that Loyola came with, as well as the large, lecture-style formats many of my classes were taught in. Eventually, I adapted, however, and now have no problems with either! But this did not happen without a lot of hard work, dedication and many experiences.