Loyola University Chicago Top Questions

The most popular activities is DASO.

Loyola isn't a huge party school. There are parties, but you have to seek them out. They're not impossible to find, but they're a little less prevalent on campus. Greek like is not a big deal at all. The bar scene is more popular. Also, you have all of Chicago, so you definitely will never get bored on a weekend. We get an unlimited CTA (public transportation) pass included in tuition, so there's no excuse not to explore downtown Chicago. There is always something happening in the city, Student discounts are a wonderful thing. There are sports teams and a lot of people go to basketball games, but they're not nearly as big of a deal than at other schools. The freshman dorms are very friendly and I met a lot of my close friends because they lived on my floor. We also have a ton of student organizations. I am involved in Advocate. It is the LGBT and allies group on campus. There are so many things to do on and off campus, you definitely don't have to worry about being bored.

I think any social justice group is highly regarded among students. I am the co-president of the group Invisible Conflicts that holds awareness raising events about social injustices and fundraises for a non-profit in Uganda.

I would say Greek organizations. I am part of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity.

Loyola is very much into arts and music. The Loyola Theatre group is very popular and puts on plays and musicals throughout the year. The price is only $5-7 for Loyola students and $10 for non-students. I have seen some great productions and feel very lucky to be able to have the LUC Theatre group on campus! I personally am very involved with Hillel, the Jewish student organization on campus. I feel very blessed to be a part of it because it allows the minority Jewish student population a place to come to and meet other students. But I also feel that Hillel has an important presence on campus that other students and groups are aware of because we promote engagement between ourselves and other organizations! We want to work with them, and we have done many cool events together. For example, we paired up with the Latino Fraternity for Rosh Hashanah Manzanas Y Miel - the Jewish New year with Apples and Honey. It was Latino Month as well as the Jewish New Year so we decided to pair up! We also worked with the Muslim Students Association to make a women's tea party and also to create dialogue between our groups. I would say that fraternities and sororities are not very important on campus mainly because we are not allowed to have frat/soririty houses due to a law passed in Chicago in the 70s. Thus, even thoughwe have the groups, they are mostly service groups or cultural groups. People meet friends in their dorms as freshmen and sophomores, at the dining halls, in classes, and by joining organizations/religious groups. Many people feel comfortable leaving their dorm rooms open; I did when I was dorming. People also like to party in the dorms, even when the Resident Advisers are in. I don't know how they do it, but some do get caught. The RAs are supposed to be strict on alcohol in the dorms, and they are. People also like to go out to the two bars closest to Loyola (Hamilton's - Hammy's) and the Pumping Company (Pi-Co's). On a Saturday night, if people aren't at the bars or partying in the dorms/apartments near campus, students can go see plays/musicals, can go downtown and hang out in music clubs/restaurants/lounges. They can go to Millenium Park (ice skating during the winter!).All of these are off-campus options. On campus, Resident Advisers also try to plan fun, non-alcoholic parties and things to do in the dorms.

Some of the most popular student activities/groups on campus include the American Medical Student Association, The Unified Student Government Association, The Football and Basketball Intramural sports leagues, and a variety of others. Athletic events are not very popular. This is because our sports teams are not as great compared to other famous schools that students usually talk about or watch such as University of Illinois and Northwestern University. Guest speaker are somewhat popular because Loyola tends to bring in very notable people. For example, sometime soon, the Dalai Lama is going to visit the school. Theater is very unpopular. No students I know of are in any theater programs or plays and I have not been to one or even heard of one taking place at Loyola. The dating scene is very big at Loyola. Many of my friends have been or are still in a relationship with another Loyola student. I met my closest friends though the floor I lived on at my dorm my freshmen year in college. If I am awake on Tuesday at 2am it is most likely because I am doing homework or studying which is what you would find other Loyola students doing as well. If I am not doing that I am sleeping, or playing video games in my friends room. Many traditions and events happen. One very significant one which many of my friends and I attend is the presidential ball in the fall and the Damen ball which takes place in spring. Both are dances similar to those from high school. Other traditions include Finals Breakfast which is a huge dinner for students offered by the university held the week of finals where breakfast foods are cooked for students and when taking a break from studying, students can come and enjoy them. Another major event is the yearly concert. Last year famous singer Jay Sean performed and the year before that Flo Rida performed. People do not party very often due to the small size of the school. Also, since many students at Loyola are from Illinois, they tend to go home to their families on weekends. Fraternities and sororities are not very important. You don't hear much from them and they are only a few of them at Loyola to begin with. Last weekend a couple of friends and I went to the city of Chicago, which is only a 20 minute bus ride away, and ate dinner at a restaurant there. There is many things to do at Loyola on a Saturday that does not involve drinking. Some of them include going out to the city of Chicago where many restaurant, stores, sights, theaters, and events are located, going to the beach located right next to Loyola if the weather permits, attending an event hosted by Loyola, or going to a party that does not involve drinking ( which there are many of, happening throughout campus). Off campus, I am usually in the city with my friends or back at home with my family, which is an hour drive away from Loyola.

I have no idea. I feel like a lot of students go their separate ways and are involved in smaller clubs. The sports here aren't huge and the sororities and fraternities also play a very small part as well. As a freshman in the dorms, students did not leave their doors open. I found it hard to get involved here and the dating scene is absent. A lot of boys that go here are homosexual, and there isn't a large male population to begin with anyways. Unless you have a fake or are 21, a weekend is usually a time to stay in and watch movies or if you don't mind spending money, to go out on the town.

Every group/club/team is popular in some way to someone. I'm involved with a group called Up 'Til Dawn which raises money for St. Jude Children's Hospital. I met my closes friends at Orientation during the summer before freshman year and through various events. It is not hard to meet people at Loyola. You are constantly making new, awesome friends. If I am awake on Tuesdsay at 2am, it's because I am either studying for an exam or writing a paper. Loyola has different events that take place every year. An all-time favorite that is coming up is Finals Breakfast; a breakfast at 10p.m. on the Tuesday of finals week intended for everyone to take a break from studying, eat, and socialize. People party as much as they want to party. It's a personal decision or choice so there isn't really a standard. Fraternities and sororities are not that important. They exist on campus, but they don't define a person. You have 10,000 options for a Saturday night that doesn't involve drinking...you are in Chicago..the greatest city ever! There is always stuff to do. Off campus I like to go explore the city.

The popular sporting events students typically visit are Men's Volleyball and Men's Basketball. Students organizations that people get involved in can include a variety including intramural sports, greek life, social services, etc. Personally, I am involved in an organization called GlobeMed, which provides health care to under-developed countries, USGA, which is the student government association of Loyola, SASA (South Asian Student Alliance), and MSA (Muslim Student Association). Students are very open, especially in the freshmen dorms and quite often leave their doors open and are ready to socialize, as the dorms for upperclassmen get a little more private, so do their lifestyles in the dorms where the doors are often closed. I met my closest friends in my freshmen dorm - which is where most students typically make their friends. People often do "go out" to parties and the city on the weekends, etc. For anyone who doesn't wish to get involved with drinking, there is a DOP (department of programming) which provides late night programs available for all students which can include outings to Chicago, late night movies, etc.

There are many activites to become involved with but make sure you have time to do so. I worked 20 hours/week and had 17 credit hours, so I had almost no time to even hang out with my new friends. If you must or would like to work, work no more than 10-15 hours/week because it could effect you negatively. There's nothing wrong with taking 18 credit hours, but be prepared for the course-load by staying organized. After that, if you have time, join something! There are tons of things to join that relate to religions, academics, majors, future careers, keeping the earth green, creating peace, dancing, raising money for cancer socities, et al. There are tons of floor parties and get togethers. The people on your floor become your family, so you share the good and the bad, complain about the nasty bathrooms and how you wish the person next door would stop singing to that terrible song! Sharing is inevitable which can become rather handy, especially when the computer lab is closed and its snowing heavily outside. I lived in Mertz so the lounges were very open and social. Many people studied there and also goofed around -- this is where you can make your friends! Be open and explore!