Category - Campus Life

College is more than a degree. It’s your life for 4 years, and a lot can happen in that time! That’s why our students so often talk about their everyday lives. We hope you enjoy their stories, both big and small.

Soundtracking Your Year

One of my favorite things in High School was to make a playlist every single year according to what grade I was in. I am a huge fan of music, so I thought it would be interesting to document music throughout my year...

A Peek into Alma’s Closet

She’s iconic, beloved, welcoming, motherly. Anyone who has stepped foot on the UIUC campus has seen her, always standing at the corner of Green and Wright. I mean how could you miss her? She’s 13 feet tall, 10,000...

Freshman Year: The Sequel

Coming onto campus this year as a sophomore, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what life on campus was like. I know my way around pretty well, couldn’t wait to revisit all of my favorite spots I had missed, and was...

Favorite Memories From Freshman Year

My freshman year at Illinois will always be a period in my life that I’ll remember fondly. Having participated in the RISE program over the summer (a new student program to help prepare incoming students for their time...

Best Photo Locations on Campus

The University of Illinois (in my humble opinion) has one of the most beautiful campuses year round! It would simply be reckless not to take advantage of its stunning scenes.  Whether you’re looking for some spots that...

How RSOs can help you grow in your major

Quad Day can be so much fun! It is a great event that introduces you to the hundreds of RSOs on campus–especially when it is your first year on campus and you’re trying to explore the many different...

Chambana Must-Eats

First of all, I just want to say welcome and congrats to the class of ’25 admits! You are in for a very exciting next four years.  One of the best parts of our campus, as I’m sure you’ve heard, is the food scene...

Tips for Living with Roommates

Living with roommates for the first time? It is one of the most joyful yet frustrating experiences of your freshman year of college. How are you feeling about it? Are you nervous, anxious, excited? All of these feelings...

My Favorite Things About Illinois

One disadvantage about living abroad is how difficult it is to actually know what campus is like. Before I came to Illinois, I had never taken a campus tour and had no idea what Champaign was like. I wanted to write a...

Smooth Sailing: My UIUC Vaccine Experience

In general, I personally have been pretty impressed with the way Illinois has been handling the pandemic. Now that we are looking towards vaccines becoming more widespread, I was very intrigued to see how the university...

The Moment I chose Illinois

Congratulations! You’re admitted to the University of Illinois, and you’ve either chosen to accept your offer or you’re choosing between a couple schools. There’s no doubt it’s a tough decision to make, but the moment I...

Why I Chose Illinois

Making decisions can be tough; making decisions that shape your future can be stressful. While this process may be overwhelming, remember that everything you ponder and feel is for a reason. Below are just a few of the...

How To Deal With Quarantine Fatigue

After almost of year of being in quarantine, I for one sometimes find myself staring into space wondering what time it is, what day it is, what month it is…I think you get the picture. While in quarantine I...

Don’t Change Who You Are

Why fit in when you were born to stand out? -Dr. Seuss It may seem cheesy, but the wise words of Dr. Seuss are a reminder that, despite what is going on around us, there is nothing more important than staying true to...

Day in the Life: COVID Edition

It’s kind of weird to think that we’ve been in quarantine for nearly a year now. The last day of in-person classes almost feels like yesterday – I’m surprised by how quickly time has flown by...

What to Do When Your Plate is Too Full

Before I begin, allow me to come clean—I had planned to write this back in November.  Quite obviously, I am no master of time management. But heading into a new semester provides us with a fresh start and the...

I’m ready to Zoom! Are you?

Where’s the motivation? I don’t know about you, but coming back from break was a bit more difficult this year. Any other year, I’d be excited about the chance to come back to campus, be reunited with my friends...

Finding Joy in the Small Things

The winter months can be great sources of stress for so many. Holiday family gatherings aren’t always a joyous reunion, financial stressors are amplified with gift-giving obligations, and the dreadful sunset at 4:00 PM...