(R)- My Time at Chicago

Everyone that has been reading the blog knows how much I have enjoyed the Windy City.  I came in, not knowing if I would like an urban school, a big city, or the Midwest heat and humidity.  My experience has given me clarifications on (most of) my uncertainties and unknowns.  I stepped onto campus and felt right at home.  That feeling persisted throughout (the only exception is for times I had to become an average tourist and take pictures of all the things Chicago is known for).  I met amazing people and got accustomed to a new part of the country.  Overall, it was an experience I want to relive over and over.

One of my favorite things about Chicago: the Ocean Lake

Amazing monuments and sculptures line the streets.

There were so many people that made Chicago a great place for me.  First and foremost, Alice, Ernestina, Mauricio, and Alana.  I want to thank them for giving me a group to turn to regardless of what was going on.  Even when we met new people, we always could come back and blog and talk about what was going on, together.  To Addy, Sophie, Lorenzo, Kemba, Ellie, Julia, Devi, and Jeremy, thank you guys for staying Lavish the whole time and becoming a great group of friends.  To Tom, who is also Lavish, thank you for being a great neighbor that helped me out whenever I ran out of supplies or needed a hanger to dry my rain-soaked hat.  To Rik, another Lavish guy, thanks for being my best friend in the Am Law and Lit class and getting your witness part together. To Alex and Sonora, thank you for reading every single one of my blogs with the most drama possible and for being great classmates.  To Doris, thank you for your effort and time spent on our case, always keeping me on top of my work.  To Aaron, Kevin, Shiv, Shravan, Jim, and Eddie, thank you guys for being there since day one.  To all of my classmates, thank you for having enlightening discussions and giving me the best learning experience I have had in all my years of school.  Thank you to Kat for always giving me someone to laugh with and talk.  And finally, to Hannah, who, after only meeting me halfway through the session, became one of my closest friends.  Thank you for showing me what being a Chicagoan means, putting your hand in all of my pictures, always pointing out my tourist impulses, and racing me down the halls.  I have all of these people to thank because it was their actions that made me love Chicago.  We all showed up not knowing what to expect or if we would make any friends and we certainly did not expect to leave with such real connections.

Downtown is unbelievable

The class I took was in efforts to help me decide if I want to become a lawyer, and I have to say it has not cleared up my decision.  I am still right down the middle.  I have heard good things, and I have heard bad things.  I still have a long time to make up my mind but for now, I am happy to say I am undecided.  The class was still extremely helpful because I can hit the ground running this year in mock trial and hopefully lead my team to the "playoff" rounds of the competition.

Coming to the University of Chicago, I wanted to decide if an urban school was right for me.  I have had reservations about going to school in a big city, but Chicago has made me change my mind. Chicago is so vast, I never felt like I was in the middle of a busy city.  The campus and surrounding areas all feel relaxed.  The weather was similar to home on most days, and I loved the rain when I was not caught in it.  My reservations about Chicago in the winter are all gone too.  As I walked the campus sidewalks, I pictured it all covered in snow.  I ski and visit the mountains all the time so I am no stranger to cold and I would love to live in a place with four seasons.

Clear skies can turn into thunderclouds within an hour

My time on campus and in class has turned my hesitations into desires. I would drop everything to head to Illinois if I were lucky enough to get accepted. Since all the applications opened up yesterday, I guess now I know where to start. Through all the emails telling me to apply to schools from all over the country, UChicago will stand out above the rest.

Views of the city from the lake, right next to campus.

And that is all the stuff I love about Chicago.