Get involved

That’s me in the center, volunteering at the Anti-Cruelty Society.

First blog…EVER! I’m so excited to become a blogger! So, I guess I should start off by introducing myself. My name is Aneta Murphy and I’m a senior majoring in applied psychology and also working on my minor is sociology. I’m also a student veteran and served in the military for 10 years. Go Navy! I moved back to Chicago in the summer of 2013 to attend UIC, and I must say after living in San Diego and Virginia Beach for the past decade, the polar vortex made me think I made a mistake.  However, even a polar vortex can’t take away the beauty of a Chicago winter.

So, a few more things about me…I’m originally from Poland! I may be a little biased but Polish food is the best!!! Who doesn’t love pierogis?! I’m also the president of the Student Veterans Association (SVA) and a member of the Polish American Student Association (they all love pierogis too). I also write the monthly Student Veteran of the Month articles for UIC News. I’m a huge dog lover and volunteer with other members of the SVA at the Anti-Cruelty Society.

So, now that we have the intro out of the way, let’s talk about involvement. Being an older student was difficult at first when I came to UIC. I felt really out of place and wasn’t sure how to get involved and get the “college experience.” Then there was the Involvement Fair! This is a great place to meet new people and get involved with organizations around campus. I wouldn’t have met other student veterans and other Polish students if I had avoided the Involvement Fair. Last week was the Winter Involvement Fair, and of course the Student Veterans Association and PASA were there to do their meet and greet and hand out some awesome freebies! If you are a new student or even if it’s your last semester, it is never too late to get involved and make some new friends and start networking. It’s a new semester and a new start, so it’s the perfect time to get involved!

Aneta Murphy is a senior majoring in applied psychology and minoring in sociology. In her spare time, Aneta enjoys going to museums, hiking, biking, fishing and reading. You’ll often find her down on the lakefront trail riding her bike with her husband. She also loves to travel and explore new cities.