Undergraduate Student Life

Four weeks of winter break went by way too quickly! I had an amazing time with my family for the first two weeks before leaving for the best vacation of my life so far. I went to Copper Mountain in Colorado for a week with 200 students from the University of Illinois. We took a 21 hour bus ride (the only bad part of the trip) before arriving at Copper for a week filled with skiing and snowboarding. I am a skier by trade, but I was able to spend a day taking snowboarding lessons. My body is still aching, but it was such an amazing experience. We stayed in beautiful condos at the base of the mountain and were able to explore the village at night after a long days of skiing. I was extremely reluctant to leave; I even contemplated missing the bus and staying in Colorado. :) Sadly, I made the trip back to Illinois, but I was able to spend another great with with my family. 

I can't believe second semester is here already. I hit the ground running already by applying for the Accountancy Masters Program, a summer study abroad program to Granada, and winter internships for spring 2013. I can't believe how much has happened already in the last three days. Spring semester always seems to go by much faster than the fall. I am so excited for all the amazing opportunities that will come my way this semester.

High school was great. Primarily, because most of us didn't have to study in high school. How I miss those days... As you can all see, I'm writing this post at 3:45am. Normally, if I'm up this late, I'll be working on some new project for photography, video, or music stuff. But no, not tonight. Tonight is dedicated to studying for finals.

As this semester comes to a close, all the students here are thinking about which classes to take next semester. Students in the College of Business must fulfill their University requirements as well as their College of Business requirements (also known as the "Business Core" requirements). If you don't plan ahead it can get difficult and confusing to stay on track. But if you meet with your counselor or an older student it can be really simple.

We're all back from Thanksgiving Break and gearing up for the rush before finals. For those people heavily involved, which should be everyone, that means one other thing: leadership turnover! Around this time of the year, many organizations select new leaders. For freshmen who got involved right away this Fall, that means they can lead organizations in just their second semester here.

We're gearing up for our last week before Thanksgiving Break, which is always an exciting time of year. Group projects are wrapping up, classes are starting to wind down, and exams are right around the corner! Even with all that, it's one of my favorite times of year for a completely different reason--RSO Leadership!

This coming weekend is Dad's Weekend on campus. It is one of my favorite weekends because I miss my dad throughout the year! It is a perfect excuse to hang out with my dad and let him get a feel for what I do while I'm away at school. There are so many sporting events to check out this weekend. My dad and I are going to the Men's Hockey game on Friday night. My dad has been anticipating this night for some time, ever since we asked me to buy reserved tickets two monthis ago. :) Saturday morning we plan to wake up early to tailgate. The rest of my family is also coming down Saturday morning to enjoy the day and football festivities with us. Hopefully our team will bounce back from the past few disapointing games. My dad and I are planning on going to the Women's Volleyball game with my roommates and their dads on Saturday night after the football game. We'll finish the weekend on Sunday morning with brunch at my sorority house. I cannot wait for what's in store for us this weekend. I haven't been able to hang out with my dad in a long time, so I am super excited to spend the whole weekend with him!

Monday night was one of my favorite philanthropies of the semester - Mr. Business! Mr. Business is a male beauty pageant for the men in the four business fraternities and Business council. It's hilarious to watch my friends compete in this silly competition every Fall.

Its is that time of year again, when everyone goes into their respected remote locations around campus; the Business Instructional Facility and its many corridors, to put in some hard earned hours before the clock strikes test time. Test preparations almost always get in the way of personal life, but have no fear freshman and prospective students, today is your lucky day. I am going to share with you the list of signs one may start to notice when preparing for college exams. But don't worry young one (yoda's voice), this is just what happens when you go to one of the top business schools in America.

The DBC (Dean's Business Council) hosted a dinner last Thursday that I attended. It was an awesome opportunity that the College provided students to network with successful alumni.

After living in a public dorm and my sorority house each for a year, I had no idea what to expect when moving into my first apartment. All I could think of was the freedom I would finally have of living on my own. However, I failed to realize the amount of responsibility that also comes with that new found freedom. Never have I washed so many dishes, dusted countless countertops, and consistently cleaned a bathroom in my entire life! I have come to appreciate my parens much more because of all they have done for me. I never realized how much they spoiled me as a kid. Now don't get me wrong, living in an apartment is amazing! I have three roommates who have become my little family here on campus. I have my own room with a full size bed, a step up from my twin at home; I can choose what I want to make for dinner each night; and I have met so many new people. Although living in an apartment can be stressful at times, it is something I think all students should experience. I feel I have grown up in the three months I have been living on my own. I have learned so much more about myself and have had such an amazing time along the way!