Life as a CSer by Tegan

Take me out to the Ball Games(s)

2010-04-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

So my last blog was from shortly after midterms…and this one is from nearly the end of the semester. Wow, I feel like a slacker. If it’s any justification I do write for 8 hours a day at my internship. Actually, my second issue (the April issue) came out a couple weeks ago! I gotta say, it never gets old opening up that magazine and seeing my name in print. I think I have a few dozen extra copies lying, around in case I lose one.

So what has happened in past few weeks? Where to start, where to start. Well, we went to a Bulls game a few weeks ago! That was really sweet. I think they were playing the New Jersey something-or-others (I’m not that good with sports teams) and we crushed them. Can I just say though, the food prices are ridiculous! I bought a pretzel and split some nachos with my friend Liz, but I refused to pay the $4 for a bottle of water. I mean, it's water! I was halfway tempted to go to the bathroom and cup my hands under the sink. But half a plate of nachos and jalapeños later, I caved. But let me tell you, I savored that water like it was the last thing my mouth would ever taste.

We finished up our neighbor hood visits/presentations. My practicum group visited the Auburn Gresham community (And, might I add, Chicago Bulls player Derrick Rose went to school in the community!) I took a photography class at Trinity last semester, so I went around the neighborhood and took pictures for our presentation. We also got to help out at the community social services center. We moved stuff to get them set up for the painters who were supposed to be coming that weekend, so that was a great opportunity to volunteer and help the community. Our presentation went well, but apparently we had a little too much information because two of the three presentations went past the time limit. Our display board was really cool though. We decorated it with pictures of all the different places we went as well as pictures of us as a group throughout the community. Plus my friend Tyler made a replica from legos of the whole town …that’s right, legos. OK, maybe it wasn’t the entire town, but at least the main buildings we presented on.

And last night I went to my first Cubbies game! I even got a shirt just for the occasion. We had fairly good seats, but unfortunately it was in the shade which made it feel a lot colder than it really was. (I avoided the food and drinks completely this time.) The Cubs played the Astros and lost in the first extra inning. Bummer. Well, there’s always next time! Afterwards, I went to this place called Lucky’s for dinner. I had been meaning to go there all semester because it was featured on the show Man vs. Food (I have a thing for the food channel). The restaurant has these ginormous sandwiches; each one is stuffed coleslaw and fries, inside the sandwich! (Plus meat and cheese and whatever other fillings you want.) Whoever created this calorie-laden beast was a genius. They are de-licious. Lucky’s has a challenge where if you can finish 3 sandwiches in one hour, you get a t-shirt and a framed picture of yourself on the wall. Adam Richman, the Man vs. Food guy, was somehow able to complete it. Finish in under 30 minutes and the sandwiches are free. I barely put half of mine away and had to box up the rest. The guy who holds the record ate his in 5 minutes! How he did it, I have no idea.

St. Patty’s Celebration

2010-04-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe this semester is over half over! I know this is really cliché, but it’s going by so fast. I just had midterm evaluations last week with my editor and supervisor. It was pretty basic, just stuff I'm doing good on and stuff I need to work on.

So about that black-and-white tie event from my last post- I got to go! It was awesome! They had a silent auction going on, so I walked around and got to look at all the really cool items/vacations/gift certificates that I will never be able to afford. But hey, I can dream. They had a games gallery set up in another room; it had a few of your typical carnival games, like a basketball hoop and even a psychic! I told the PR head that I would just be staying for the gaming part, but as I grabbed my coat to leave and saw the amazing dinner being served, I realllllly wish I had said I would stay for the whole thing. But if there’s a next time…

My magazine also had their annual “Singles Event.” Every year they run an issue with the top 40 bachelor and bachelorettes in Chicago, then they throw a big party for all of them; the party was a little less than two weeks ago. It was a formal party so I got to dress up (I love getting dressed up) and help out at the party. My job was to follow a photographer and write down everyone’s name that he took a photo of, so it was a great chance to mingle and get to talk to people. However, I did make the mistake of wearing heels to work that day, and naturally I had to wear heels that night as well. So by the time I left at 11 o clock, after over 14 hours in heels, and irregardless of the cold rainy weather, I walked home from the party barefoot. If anything the cold just helped numb the pain a little more.

I also experienced my first St. Patty’s day celebration! A bunch of us got up early Saturday morning and headed to the river to see it get dyed green. Then we headed over to the St. Patty’s day parade, which was ridiculously packed. I think I saw a total of two minutes and only because I convinced my friend to let me sit on his shoulders.

That night we had an art event at Loyola University. THAT was an experience…not actually the event itself (though they were a very good choir) but GETTING there. First of all, my friend Christina and I left late---Oops. So when we actually got off our stop, we booked it as fast as we could to the campus (in the rain might I add). We found the campus, found the intersection we needed but there were about four buildings so we had no idea which one to go in. So we decided to hit the giant blue emergency button. A lady answered and asked us what our emergency was. We told her we were lost and as she was giving us directions she got disconnected (on the bright side, at least we weren’t getting mugged or anything). We pushed the button and she came back. She told us which building our event was in and we began sprinting yet again. We find the building, walk through the doors…..and hear dead silence. Now, call me crazy, but if a huge choir is in the middle of a performance, I would imagine you would be able to hear something if you’re in the same building. So we called Christina’s roommate, who gave us our teachers number, whom we called, whom called us back, who told us the name of the building, which we proceeded to ask a cleaner if he knew where it was, who didn’t know English and clearly didn’t know where the performance was, which is when we went back outside, ran to the building across the street and found our destination!!!! All in all, the choir sounded amazing…or at least they did the last 20 minutes of the performance. Let’s just say it was a St. Patty’s day I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

“Live Long and Prosper”

2010-03-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Brief update! Everything has been going great. Last week for our fine arts event we went to see the play Mrs. Caliban at the Lifeline Theatre. It was really intriguing. Mrs. Caliban is a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, stuck in the same routine day after day with hardly any interaction with other people. While she knows her husband has been having affairs, she has yet to leave him. Then along comes Larry. Larry is an alien from a different world who is running from the institution workers who trapped. So when I heard this synopsis, I pictured Larry as a human-like alien, like a Vulcan (Star Trek reference-if you don’t know what that is, I apologize. My dad is a huge Trekky and I was practically raised on Star Trek, so I guess it’s in my blood). However, far from what I pictured, Larry was actually a lizard-man, complete with bright green skin and an obsession with vegetables, specifically avocados. Larry and Mrs. Caliban develop an intense relationship. Larry is constantly questioning the practices of our world which makes Mrs. Caliban think like never before.

This weekend my friend’s sister came into town to visit, so the two of them, one of my roommates and I went to a Mexican place by Old Town for dinner called Las Piñatas. Best queso dip ever. It was pure gooey cheese with a touch of marinara sauce on the bottom. I got Monday off of work for Pulaski Day-never heard of it before, but hey, if it gives me a chance to sleep in I’m all for it. At work on Tuesday, I was making a call to a foundation asking them for pictures of an event that is to take place on Saturday. I later got an email from the PR manager saying she would gladly send me pictures and was wondering if I would like to attend the event. The event is like a fancy carnival: games, drinks, dinner…oh, and it’s a black tie event. Wondering how much I would have to pay, I emailed her back telling her I was not sure of my plans for Saturday and also asking her what the ticket prices were. She then replied that I would be able to come as a guest for free. I could just go to drinks and the games or to the whole thing. After receiving her email, I was curios how much tickets were. So I looked up the event online. One ticket to this event is $350!!!! And she was inviting me for free! I couldn’t believe she was offering me the chance to attend this fancy event without spending a thing. I was reading about some of the auction items and they were incredible. The most expensive thing I have seen at an auction is a spa certificate. This event is auctioning off things like 3 day trips to Hawaii. I still have to talk to my editor to see if there is a policy or anything for interns accepting invitations to events, but we’ll see. The biggest question still remains; if I go…what will I wear???

Metra Accomplishment

2010-02-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

So I’m sitting on the Metra right now. My first time..well, by myself at least. It was quite an exhilarating experience. First of all, if I didn’t mention it before, public transportation scares me to death. At least it use to. I’m learning to like the el…specifically the red line. It runs all night and is 4 short blocks from home. But anyways, I am making a trip out to the suburbs to see my boyfriend and his grandma. I usually take the el, but it doesn’t go straight to his town, so I decided to try something different. In my continuing attempt to avoid public transportation, I decided to walk to the Metra station. Unfortunately, I underestimated how long it would take me to get there (Side note: the time listed for the train is the time it leaves, not the time it arrives. Kind of important to know), so I decided to get a cab. I have never done this before and was trying to remember if there was a special hand wave or something to get the cab driver’s attention. After a couple failed attempts and questioning stares, I was able to flag one down with a simple “come here” hand wave. I took the cab to Union Station…and good thing too. I definitely would not have made it in time on foot. Once I got inside, I was so nervous that I would miss my train that I couldn’t even remember the name of my destination! I made it to the ticket line (mainly by following the crowd) and was able to calm myself down enough to recall the destination and ask the saleslady where my train would be. When in doubt, always ask. Had I not, I would have boarded the north trains and ended up on the completely wrong side of Chicago. All in all, I made it to the train with a few minutes to spare. Now, I know for many of you my excitement over such a small task, like catching the train, may seem pitiful… or just plain sad. However, if you were as directionally challenged and as intimidated by public transportation as me….trust me, you would be ecstatic too.

A quick update on the internship--I am really enjoying all the writing. I wrote a short beauty note about whether or not anti-aging products really work (surprise! They do). I just finished writing a story called The High Tech Workout about all the new products out on the market (did you know there is a sports bra made of coffee grounds?!). However, I still have not adjusted to the fact that I have to sit at a computer for eight hours a day. When I was waitressing before I moved downtown, I was constantly on my feet and moving around. Now I get excited for a trip to the bathroom. By the time 2-3 o’clock rolls around, I feel like I have enough energy to run a triathlon. Maybe two. The meeting I had with my editor about the internship learning contract actually helped me get a lot of those feelings out there. At first I didn’t think the contract was really necessary but it definitely helped me establish what I want to get out of this internship. It allowed my to express some of the emotions I had been feeling to my editor, who was really understanding. She said she would try to send me on errands so I could get a little activity during the day but that sitting at the computer for long periods of time was something I would have to adjust to. My hour lunch break comes in handy though…it’s a good chance to just get out of the office for a bit and stretch my legs…but again, I really am enjoying the writing. I can’t wait until the first issue comes out and I get to see my name in print.

Here are some pictures of the fun I've been having:

Until next time!

Lions and Tigers and Monkeys, Oh My!

2010-02-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

I’m not even sure where to start..so much has happened in the past week and a half! Where to begin, where to begin…well, the apartment looks AWESOME! It is actually bigger than I expected. Not huge by any means, but still more room than I had envisioned. Which I have found out is a good thing because three girls definitely pack a lot of stuff. I’ll admit it though-between the three of us, I definitely have the most stuff. Well, at least the most clothes. The sad part is, I even left some behind.

Introduction to classes last week went well. Ironically, both my practicum group and seminar professors where unable to attend the meetings, so I have yet to meet them. We did a city “scavenger hunt” with our practicum groups. My group had to find the First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple. The church looked like one of those classic old churches, with a balcony and stained glass windows and everything. My seminar group only met for like 20 minutes before we left. Oh, and did I mention there are only seven of us in that class…and I am the only girl?

I went to a lot of different places at the beginning of the week. A group of us hit up a few thrift stores around town. I am usually not a huge thrift store person, but there was actually some cool stuff at those places. All in all, I walked away the proud owner of a $1 wine glass…try to find one of those on the dollar menu. We also made a trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art. They had this really cool art “exhibit” called hide and seek where you had to try to find random stuff “hidden” around the museum, like a screw that screwed in and out of the wall by itself. We also made a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Granted, there weren’t a lot of outdoor animals but the indoor exhibits were all open.

I think one of the best parts of the week was the Lasalle dinner. There are four Chicago semester apartments in the Lasalle building, so we decided to do a potluck dinner; each apartment brought something different, while the host apartment made the main course. Then we played an extreme game of Catch Phrase. I’m pretty surprised we didn’t get noise complaints with how intense the game got.

And to finish off the week I started my internship at Today’s Chicago Woman! Most of the stories had already been handed out for the month, so I just picked up whatever needed to be done. I am working on a lot of short notes and summaries for picture pages. And the best part-I got to go to an event on my first day of work! It was called something like the Diva Media Event-a networking event for woman all around Chicago working in the media. We went to a bar and just talked with each other and met different people. And in case you’re wondering-no, I did not meet Oprah (that was one of the first questions I was asked when I got back). Maybe next time…

Street named after Today's Chicago Woman!

You know you’re not from Chicago when…

2010-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

So, as the week of orientation comes to an end, there are some things I have learned about being a true Chicagoan-a few things I did (or didn’t do) that made me stand out. One- not wearing a coat that goes down to your ankles. Warmth is THE priority. Everyone wears long coats, from the puffy kind, to cashmere, to leather (just be careful, throw in a ski mask and someone may start to think your going to rob them).

Two- hardly anyone wears shoes with heels greater than an eighth of an inch. I, however, happened to forget my winter boots in my friend’s car when she dropped me off, so I was stuck wearing 1 inch+ heels for the week. Trust me, there is a TON of walking (helps to burn off all the amazing food I have been eating) so flats and boots definitely come in handy. You may look great with heels, but you’ll pay for it later (can you say, blisters?).

And third, if either of those two things didn’t give me away, there is always the subway map I was carrying around. If that doesn’t scream “I’m not from around here,” I don’t know what does. But the maps definitely help. As intimidating as they can be, it is definitely a comfort knowing you have a guide with you.

All in all, orientation week went really well. My hotel roommate and I hit it off right way (she’s from Calvin). She and I decided to room with another girl from Trinity. It was pretty nerve racking when we had the housing lotto. We wanted to live in the Lasalle apartment building, which only had about 5 rooms available, so all of us were on the edge of our seats waiting for one of our names to get called. But no fear! We ended up getting in the Lasalle building, just like we wanted.

There were a lot of meetings taking place during the week. Overwhelming at times, but the information was important and the meetings gave me a chance to interact with more people. Since I already had my internship set, I was able to skip a couple meetings, which gave me more time to explore the city with my roommates. One of the best parts about the week-the food! We got to try so many different types! The first night I had Thai, the second was Costa Rican, the third was a pizza party, and last night was Italian! Plus, after the pizza party, a group of us girls went to this little coffee/wine/tea bar to hang out. It was nice to just get away from the hotel for a bit and get a chance to know more about each other. I can’t wait to explore all the different places around the city!

Tonight we are heading to a Shakespeare improv show. I guess they perform improv but use language from Shakespeare’s time. Sounds pretty fun! Then tomorrow the fam heads over and I’m moving into the apartment! Can’t wait! Now to see how classes go next week…

Aree Youuu Reaaaddyyy!?

2010-02-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

I remember the moment as if it was yesterday. It was my freshman year of college and I was prepared for what was sure to be another fun-filled day of American history. Only this day we had a guest speaker. For the first 15 minutes of class, a young woman spoke to us about a program called Chicago Semester. While the program sounded interesting, at the time I didn’t think it was something I would ever sign up for. Well, here I am four years later and will be heading downtown for the Chicago semester program in less than a week! The more I researched the program, the more I realized what a great opportunity it was to apply what I have learned from school into a real-work environment.

My name is Tegan. I am a senior at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, about 45 minutes from downtown Chicago. I am from the great state of Iowa, known for its corn, pigs, cows…and that’s about it. I have two younger siblings, a brother who is 18 and a sister who is 15...oh and I have two English Bulldogs that I absolutely adore!

I am a Communication Arts major (with a focus in journalism) and an Art Studio minor. A random fact about me: I graduated valedictorian of my class---of seven people. Yep, that’s right. Seven people (see, it sounds really good until you hear that part). I went to what I think was one of the country’s smallest schools-there were about 35 students in the whole high school. But hey, on the bright side, you automatically got to be on the sports teams! I mean, with an average of nine people a class, was there really any need for tryouts?

So I know orientation week is usually when students travel around town to have interviews for their internships. What I am really excited about though is that I already have my internship set! My boss likes to have her interns set before Christmas, so around Thanksgiving I did a phone interview with her. I am going to be an editorial intern at the magazine Today’s Chicago Woman. She told me that I will be doing tasks such as copy editing, calling back sources to check on stories, and even writing some stories of my own!

While it is great having my internship already set, I still have so many questions! Who will I room with? What will the classes be like? Will I ever figure out how to use the train system? Well… I’m about to find out!