Category - Academics

You can only learn so much from reading. Get a closer look at what academic life is like at Illinois from people who have actually been there! From honors programs and research to specific classes and projects, our students have lots of experiences to share.

Civil and Environmental Engineering at UIUC

If you’ve ever found yourself fascinated by the built and natural environments around you, then Civil and Environmental Engineering might be a great path for you! Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is a...

History at the University of Illinois

During my sophomore year of high school, I discovered my love for studying History (with a much needed nudge from my mom, as I was struggling with the realization that my goal of becoming a doctor was not going to...

The Freshman Social Work Experience

An all-too-common misconception is that there isn’t much for a freshman to do that relates to and builds on the career the student is pursuing. The reality is that there are plenty of ways for first-year students to...

What it’s like to be an Undeclared Freshman

If you have no idea in what you want to major in, just know that you’re not alone. “I want to major in…?” As soon as I started my freshman journey here at UIUC, I didn’t have a clue to what I...

HDFS at UIUC

One of the hidden gem majors at UIUC–which people are seldom familiar with when I tell them what I study–is Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS). Within the college of ACES, the #4 HDFS program in the...

Virtual Life as an Education Major

No matter what age level or grade in school you are, everything is more different now than it has ever been before. Why I was excited? As a Special Education major, I was looking forward to this year. It was time for me...

Astronomy at the University of Illinois

My last blog post was about being a STEM major – for today’s post, I thought I’d jump into specifics and talk about my major. I’m a junior majoring in Astronomy, and I intend on going to graduate...

How to Take Notes Using Online Platforms

Since most of the classes at the University of Illinois this academic year have moved to an online platform, it is important for future and current students to possibly adapt to new note taking skills. I am a big fan of...

So, you want to be a STEM major?

Did you know about 1/3 of college students change their majors at least once? Picking a major is tough, and I get it! There are so many interesting fields of study, and it can be really difficult to settle down on one...

College tips: How to work from home

For most students this year, like me, we are spending much of our time working from home. Whether home is our actual home, dorm, apartment, or anywhere else that’s not in a classroom, I know the transition can be...

The Top 5 Places to Study on Campus

Picture this: we are three weeks into the semester and your professor mentions Exam 1 is in one week. You start to freak out, and go straight back to your dorm after class to start studying. Minutes later, your roommate...

Spending Your Summer Efficiently

It feels like summer has already started. I’ve been holed up in my apartment for nearly two months now, and I’ve lost track of time. Nonetheless, I need to plan what I’m going to do over the summer...

Keeping Up With Online Classes

I hate online classes. They’re hard to keep up with, and I don’t absorb as much material from lectures. Going to a physical lecture is a much better way for me to learn. Unfortunately, in light of recent...

Writing vs. Typing Notes

One of the important questions, or in this case, topic, in terms of taking notes during class is either using an actual pen/pencil with paper or your technology device. Depending on your overall process of absorbing...

The Costa Rica Chronicles: Part 2

In my last post, I talked about the projects that I worked on as a part of the WIE-GFX Global Sustainability Scholars class in Costa Rica over winter break, as well as a bunch of the places we visited and the...

The Costa Rica Chronicles: Part 1

During winter break, I had the exciting chance to go on one of my dream trips. Shortly after I applied to University of Illinois last year, I also applied to the WIE-GFX Global Sustainability Scholars program. This...

Choosing Courses to Help You Be Successful

Several college students are currently faced with the task of choosing courses for the next semester or trimester, depending on their schedule. While picking courses sounds like a simple and even mundane task, it is...

Exploring Other Majors While on Campus

A lot of people decide when they get to college that the major they thought they wanted isn’t for them. In fact, according to our Division of General Studies, over 50% of college students will change their major...