Joshua
Williams
English 160
Response
Blog
Upon
entering UIC, I knew very little about the school. I knew that it is largely a
commuter school that is located by the train and bus system. I knew that UIC
has a traditional campus, unlike many colleges in Chicago. I knew that UIC is
well known for the research that it does. That is about the extent of what I
knew. I found my way to the residence hall where I would be staying. I knew
very little about the function of the buildings. I stumbled around the campus,
frequently looking at my schedule and the campus map. I didn’t have any friends.
Being new to UIC, you might share some of these experiences. I will tell you,
however, that it does get better. You will meet new people, you will learn your
way around the campus, and you will learn about the function of each building. Soon
you will be proud to call yourself a UIC student, and later you will be proud
to call yourself a UIC graduate.
The
University of Illinois at Chicago has a very unique and interesting history. The University of Illinois was founded in
1857. The various health colleges that the University of Illinois affiliated
with merged with the University in 1913. These colleges banded together and
eventually became the University of Illinois at the Medical Center (UIMC).
After World War II, student veterans wanted a college education, and the
University took the initiative. A Chicago Undergraduate Division was created on
the Navy Pier in 1946, and offered two year degrees. More people still wanted a public university
education and the decision was made to use the current location in 1961. This
campus, which was opened in 1965, was named the University of Illinois at
Chicago Circle. It offered four year degrees and was a research-oriented
school. The Medical Center merged with this new campus in 1982, and officially
formed the University of Illinois at Chicago. This pushed the schools research
to new heights, and drew in an increasing percentage of students wishing to
live in the residence halls. Due to this demand, the South Campus was created in
2000, to provide students with more living space. Throughout the years UIC has
only gotten better at providing its students for a bright and successful
future. The tools acquired here at UIC are gained through hard work, and will
help you wherever life may take you.
UIC Campus map.
I have
recently become acquainted with the buildings and resources here at UIC. The
first facility I got to know was Commons West, Commons South, and the
Courtyard. These are the residence halls where UIC students live. The building
is large and brown, with a gothic styled architecture. There are five floors
filled with great people, and the three residence halls are connected on the
third floor by walkways. The hallways look hotel styled, and are usually clean.
There are lounges strategically placed throughout the building, and the fifth
floor tour lounge is very nice, with its big screen TV, kitchen, piano, and
fantastic view. The mailboxes and laundry is on the first floor, and the front
desk is on the second floor only a short walk away from the rooms. Walking past
the front desk there is a computer lab, and walking past that I saw Student
Center East. Student Center East serves a variety of functions. There is a
large sitting area with a TV, which the students take advantage of to socialize
and work. There are a number of places to eat in the inner circle, including Subway,
Wendy’s, and a Burrito Bar, and all of these places are located on the second
floor. There is also a Dunkin’ Donuts and a Baskin’ Robins close by. The second
floor also hosts the UIC Station, a small store that sells snacks. On the first
floor there is the cafeteria and the UIC Bookstore.
I walked to
the Recreation Center which is on the other side of Halsted Street. This
building in large, and has large buildings. To UIC students it is free, and the
public can pay to enter. Once inside I saw a swimming pool, a large gym, a
track, and a couple basketball courts. There are also outside basketball and
tennis courts located next to the building. On the other side of Student Center
East the Quad is located.
The Quad is a large, circular, concrete space
with various benches placed loosely around the circle. This is a heavily used
area often with people walking to class, talking to each other, or simply
relaxing. The Lecture Halls are located around the Quad, in short buildings and
in a circular fashion. The buildings are named A through E, and each building
is in fair condition. South of the Lecture Halls is Taft Hall, Burham Hall, and
Adams Hall. These buildings are used mostly for small discussion classes. Further
south is the Science and Engineering building. Even further south there is a
collection of fields. Thomas Beckham Hall is located very close to these
fields, and houses a large number of upperclassmen. Walking from Student Center
East and through the Quad I saw the Richard Daley Library. It is a very quiet
and respectable place. There are an impressive number of books, and multiple
sitting areas. As an avid reader I felt a certain joy at so much knowledge
being at my disposal. Leaving the library and going northeast I quickly found
myself at a small group of buildings. They turned out to be Lincoln Hall,
Douglas Hall, and Grant Hall. Lincoln and Douglas Hall are connected by
walkways, and the buildings are mainly used for their classrooms. Inside
computer labs and lounge areas can be found, and it is very pleasant and
modern. Grant Hall is very important because it host the Writing Center, which
is a writing resource many of the student at UIC use. North of these buildings
is the Art and Architecture building and it is strange. It has the shape of a
double helix on the outside, which is very interesting, but the inside is
plain. West of the Art and Architecture building I found Henry Hall, Jefferson
Hall, Stevenson Hall, and University Hall. These buildings are used for the
classrooms inside. University Hall is the largest building on campus and is
imposing. Each floor belongs to a different subject, and so has a different
feel. To the left I saw the Behavioral Sciences Building. This building has
classes, a computer lab, and a cafeteria. Across the street (Harrison Street) I
saw the UIC Theater and walking west I saw the Student Services Building which
is interesting indeed. It used to be a mall and has been repurposed for a lot
of the offices of UIC. Inside I found all of the ethnic group offices, the
Office of Admissions, the Office of Career Services, the Counseling Center and
much more. I liked this building because the indoor trees seemed out of place,
and because it was a mall it was strange to see offices inside. As I walked
back to my room in the Courtyard, I couldn’t help but be in awe of all that was
there to help me on my journey. All-in-all I am really glad I got to know the
campus, and understand where the campus resources are. 
Lecture Halls during class hours.
I am
satisfied with the campus as a whole. Although there is a lot of concrete,
there are special areas of grass carefully maintained. The buildings of the
campus are varied, some old some new, some have great resources, and others are
just used for classes. The resources that are available make studying here
easier, like the abundance of computer labs, and the Writing Center. My time at UIC is just beginning, and I will
no doubt use many of these wonderful resources. The campus really seems to be tailored
to the needs of its students, and I am happy to be one of those students. Another
strong point for the university is its diversity, and I get the impression that
UIC strives to make sure students get to see other cultures. UIC is old, and I quickly
saw evidence of this age (i.e. the interior of some of the older buildings).
Furthermore, this university has struck a nice balance with many people busy
with their studies, but still making time for fun. I don’t know what the future
may hold, but I can say that my time here at UIC will help me to conquer
anything that I may encounter.
Galvin, Nicole. Area 1, Student Services Building.
Blackboard.uic.edu
Huizar, Yessica. Area
2, Behavioral Sciences Building. Blackboard.uic.edu
Tapoi, Elisabeth .
Area 4, AA,GH,DH, and LH. Blackboard.uic.edu
Williams, Joshua. Area 5, Residence Halls. Blackboard.uic.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment