I have a very good experience with the many different groups on campus. Majority of my friends at Loyola are catholic and I have been to mass with them on Sundays quite a few times. Also, the president of my dorm last year as well as many of my classmates are a part of the LGBT community here at Loyola. I have been to many events hosted by the Muslim Student Association and the Hindu Student Organization at Loyola. Also, I have been to many meeting of the South Asian Student Alliance. I have also met with students who come from rich backgrounds with a family full of doctors or lawyers as well as students who lost family members due to gang violence in poor neighborhoods around Chicago. In other words, I have met so much diversity at Loyola. To me, any student who commutes to class from home would most likely feel out of place. This is due to the fact that many events and programs that bring students together happen after classes and usually end late, not allowing commuter students to stay on campus for them. Most students wear casual attire to class ranging from sweats to jeans and anything else that the weather permits. Occasionally you will see students dressed up in more formal attire usually for formal events taking place on campus or for interviews. Many students do interact at school whether it be in class or during lunch or even at an event. Sometimes, Loyola does tend to get a little clique-y with students only hanging out with kids from their respective dorm floors or from their own ethnic group.However, this does not prevent interacting of different types of students.
Its lunch time and there are four tables in the dining hall. One table is form the floor of the dorm that created a fraternity primarily consisting of kids form that frat only. Another table, a group of Asian students eating and talking about an event that the South Asian Student Alliance is about to put on. Another table, a diverse table with students of different backgrounds just eating and talking. Last table,consists of a group of kids working on a project while eating. Once again, this table is diverse including one LGBT student.
Most of these student are from various neighborhoods around the city of Chicago, where Loyola University is located. A few of them are from another state, usually around Illinois such as Indiana and Ohio. A select few are from another country doing a study abroad program here.
It is extremely hard to tell what kind of financial background most students come from do to the way students act and dress. One can not simply just tell if the student is from a poor or rich background. Many students are politically active if not aware. Students vote and even discuss politics and many run for class senator seats in the student government. It is hard to tell whether student are left, right, or center due to the fact that nobody usually shares this. Occasionally students talk about their future and what they want to earn. Some see themselves with very high salaries and being very wealthy while others accept the fact that they might not be rich at all in the near future.