We are nearing the end of the school year, and that means that Loyola’s Class of 2019 is nearing the end of their undergraduate experience at Loyola. Being a senior myself, I wanted to capture some of these fun, yet real, stories from my peers in our last few weeks on this campus. Check out what this week’s senior has to say about her four years at Loyola University Chicago!
Meet Jen Dahms:
Hayley Accola: What is one stand out moment from your Loyola experience? A low point?
Jen Dahms: All of my favorite moments at Loyola are centered around my best friends. I am so grateful that I joined a learning community freshman year because the friends I made in Simpson Hall have stayed with me throughout these four years. My adjustment to college was extremely rough, but these friends gave me an overwhelming amount of love and support, which made the transition so much smoother. We have made so many amazing memories together, like celebrating the Cubs winning the World Series, watching Loyola get to the Final Four, going to concerts and events around the city, hilarious nights at 63 (RIP) followed by trips to Taco Bell, and so many more. They have become my family.
HA: Any plans for after graduation?
JD: I am pursuing my MOT (Master’s in Occupational Therapy) at North Central College in Naperville this fall.
HA: What do you consider your dream job/top career goal?
JD: I want to be an occupational therapist in a school for special needs children. I am an intern at a therapeutic preschool/kindergarten right now and it is the best experience I’ve ever had. Maybe I’ll end up working there after I finish OT school!
HA: What (or who) will you miss most about/from Loyola’s campus?
JD: I am going to miss all my friends so much!! I am seriously overwhelmed by how many incredible friendships I have made over the years. And I’m gonna miss the lake view from the IC! North Central’s library is so boring.
HC: If you could tell an incoming freshman one thing, what would it be?
JD: JOIN SOMETHING/ANYTHING! My biggest regret is not joining Alpha Phi Omega (Loyola’s service fraternity) sooner. It helped connect me to my school, to my community, and to my peers. There is a home for everybody on campus, so go find yours! My other piece of advice is to take as many videos and pictures as possible. Your four years will fly by and you will want to look back on all the fun you’ve had. Shout-out to Kristi Beltran for making videos of our memories after every single semester!
HA: Where did you do most of your studying on campus/where did you spend the most amount of time?
JD: I’m always crying somewhere in the IC/library. I like to switch up where I have my breakdowns.
HA: Best coffee on or around campus?
JD: Sorry, campus coffee is bad. Just go to McDonald’s.