New Ramblers on the block: Freshmen share their big dreams and big plans

It was 3 p.m. and freshman Uriah Tinianow-Perry was waiting in the Damen Student Center for a much-needed smoothie. He’d already had a big day—at 9 a.m., he switched majors, positioning himself for a very different kind of future than the one he came to Loyola University Chicago imagining.

All around campus during the first week of the semester, freshmen like Tinianow-Perry were finding their footing and getting a glimpse of what lay ahead. There was excitement in the air as new Loyola students figured out their majors and their schedules. Some had come from afar and some had come from nearby.

Tinianow-Perry arrived in Chicago from his hometown of Denver thinking he would study psychology on a pre-med track. But that morning, he changed to international business with a minor in French. “I wanted to expand on something that I already had, which was languages,” he says. “I’m not used to business but I’m used to languages and communicating with people so that’s why I switched.” (Tinianow-Perry says he took AP French in high school, was in the French National Honor Society, and received the Seal of Biliteracy.)

Jasmine Yassin didn’t have to travel as far to campus. She’s from Rogers Park—as is most of her family. When choosing a school, she knew she wanted to stay close by. “I’m a really family-oriented person,” she says. Even though she grew up in Chicago, she hopes that her time at Loyola will help her get to know the city better.

She’s also hoping Loyola will set her on a path that she’s been imagining since she was a little kid. “I want to be a surgeon,” she says. “I was really little when I discovered that.”

Growing up, Yassin saw commercials on television for organizations that helped children with cleft palates. “They kept on talking about how to fix their smile, make them smile again, so I was like ‘How can I do that?’ I asked my mom how I could help and she said, ‘You know, surgeons go out and help those children,’ and I said, ‘Well, that’s what I want to do.’”

All through elementary, middle, and high school, her goal to become a surgeon has remained the same. “It just stuck,” she says.

The drive to help people is what convinced Carolina Cervantes to study psychology. “I want to do art therapy,” she explained. “Originally, I wanted to be an artist but then I thought, ‘What can I do with my art skills?’” I like doing art and I like helping people express their emotions through therapy.” 

When she was younger, mental health challenges weren’t as openly discussed. “Now everyone is like, ‘It’s okay to talk about your mental health, it’s okay to get help if you need it,’” she says. “I know it’s not easy to get help if you’re struggling yourself. People need help.”

Elsewhere in the Damen Student Center, Alexis Alvarez was picking up a public transportation pass that would let her get around the city for free—something that would likely come in handy since her family lives in Archer Heights, near the Midway airport.  

When asked what she was planning to study, her answer came proudly and without hesitation: “Business.” Her family owns a Mexican restaurant, and she came to Loyola with the goal of one day owning and expanding the restaurant.  

“It’s been a thing since I was little, the restaurant,” she says. “For me, it’s been an easier way to look into college because I have something to do right away and an end goal.” 

In the meantime, college provides a place to develop her knowledge and herself: “I’m not usually on my own a lot of the time so having my own personal time growing as a student is great.”   

She’s also looking forward to spending that time on campus. “I love the greenery and the trees, the nature,” she says. 

The lake drew Joey Nguyen to Loyola from his hometown of Sunset Beach, North Carolina. (“I live close to where they film the show Outer Banks,” he says.) He was sitting on the balcony of Damen, figuring out his schedule. Back home, Nguyen surfs and scuba dives so he wanted to be by a body of water, although he will have to get used to the lake’s differences. “Something a little weird is I’ll miss the salt water, how it feels in my hair,” he says.  

Nguyen is adapting to life in the city, too. “I really like the school’s culture, Chicago’s culture,” he says. “It’s inclusive with all religions. Even though it is a Catholic, Jesuit school, I love how it’s inclusive of all people. My hometown—it could have been more inclusive,” he says. “I love all the new people I’m meeting. It’s just a little nerve-wracking but it’s a thing I love getting used to.” 

Downstairs, Tinianow-Perry was finishing his smoothie and doing his own reflecting on the school’s culture. “Here, I feel like there’s genuinely a community,” he says. “I mean, heck, it’s only been a week and I found my group of people.” 

For him, Welcome Week seemed to live up to its name. “Oh wow, this past week was amazing,” he says. “All the events they host were really nice to attend. You’re able to meet really cool, different people but then it’s also a chance to see who you really connect with and share similar interests, similar values, similar belief sets, which was nice.”  

His future as a student looks bright. “This past week was an eye opener of what’s yet to come and it made me super excited,” he says.