As the sun rose on a beautiful Sunday morning, I realized how fortunate I am to be at NEIU, and living at The Nest on-campus residence community. My morning began at 3:45 a.m. I enjoyed a banana, had a cup of Joe with Splenda, and worked out at The Nest fitness center. Then I took a shower, ate breakfast, and decided to write this piece as I reflected on the last couple of days.

The Nest, from my initial observations, is luxurious living compared to the dorms at other public and private universities. The laundry facilities are clean, and so is my apartment pod, for the most part. As students living independently, we must respect each other and keep our home, The Nest, clean!

There were horror stories, last semester, that some students were not doing their jobs, and Dr. Terry Mena, Vice President and Dean of Students for Student Affairs, told me in a nice way that some students lack the skills to keep The Nest clean and tidy. That is why additional cleaning staff were hired, and signs were placed to remind students to be more insightful of cleanliness.

My apartment was clean when I walked in for the first time, unlike what a handful of other students reported in August 2022 and confirmed by Dr. Mena when I interviewed him in November. Although temperamental at times, the new 5G internet routers seem to work adequately, at least in my apartment, with my devices.

Each apartment comes furnished with a desk, table, dresser, beds, and a large communal Smart TV. The lobby has a pool table, ping pong table, several TVs with premium cable channels, and multiple video game systems for students to enjoy during their leisure time. According to emails from the activity director, there are semi-weekly activities for students to enjoy exclusive to those living at The Nest.

I am astonished at the size of the bathtub and the view of the Chicago skyline from my apartment. I love cooking my own food to my liking and having modern cooking appliances such as a stove, microwave, large refrigerator, and dishwasher. However, our dishwasher can be temperamental. It takes several tries and is tricky to lock. It came in this condition when my roommates and I moved in. If it keeps acting up, I will submit a repair request through the Resident Portal.

I already like being on my own and living with three other guys, who I consider my friends, not only roommates. Yesterday I walked three blocks west to Jewel-Osco to do grocery shopping. For students that are more budget conscious, an Aldi grocery store is half a mile away south on Pulaski, and Tony’s Market is east on Lincoln Avenue. The Albany Park neighborhood is friendly and bustling with activity. There is a nice Subway and Starbucks about two blocks east from campus down Foster Avenue.

I hope to continue making new friends with nearly every nationality represented by the residents at The Nest. I hope we can all do well in our studies and surprise the world with our talents, and the skills and lessons taught here. I look forward to a few years from now when my fellow students and I will walk down that aisle, wearing blue and gold, as we receive our well-deserved diplomas, shaking the hand of the president of Northeastern Illinois University.