ICSC Member Blog: Summer 2019 in Chicago

This past summer was the first time I’ve done an internship (yay!!). I’m not gonna talk about that much because life outside an internship impressed me the most about the City of Chicago, and how to allocate time when you have no homework and are under 21. (a disclaimer that I didn’t take any food pictures)


Set aside the possible debate of whether deep dish is a kind of pizza, I really enjoyed them as they are huge in size. Other than that, I had several Chicago Style Hotdogs in Museum Campus food truck and Taste of Chicago event. I always believe food is a city’s soul and pride. Through the three months, I enjoyed those that represent Chicago, and couldn’t help thinking back to my hometown Shanghai, where tourists just want to try those dumplings and breakfasts. This is what we call a hometown pride.



Like Ann Arbor, Chicago is rich in art scenes. I went to the Art Institute of Chicago, Hamilton performance and exhibition. To see these famous paintings and photos in person, I appreciated human innovations and boldness, and that arts and humanities matter in education as understanding human beings. Seeing Hamilton is a dream come true and a birthday present. This story of a Founding Father and a new nation still resonates today, as we trace back to The Federalist Papers and the Constitution for guidance on the future of America. The new exhibition was an immersion to the play itself, as we were educated on the history and those historical figures, about what they have said and done both in and out of Hamilton the musical itself.



Other than all of those mentioned, Chicago is fantastic in summer if you love music (Lollapalooza), free food (Taste of Chicago!!), inclusion of all (Pride Parade!!), shopping, and a huge city where you can different kinds of people (NOT a college town). I also was fortunate enough to attend a networking event organized by LSA Opportunity Hub, through which I heard from alumnx who went to law school about their career. This helped me plan for my future and use University resources to achieve my goal of becoming a lawyer and working for INGOs. As my first off-campus work experience, I treasured every aspect of it, and hope other international students enjoyed their summer as well.

Blog written by 2019-2020 ICSC Member Vivian Li