My First Day at University of Illinois-Urvana Champaign

My heart hammers a joyful rhythm against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat accompanying the exhilarating crescendo of anticipation, because the future stretches before me, a vibrant tapestry woven with the threads of possibility as I embark on this incredible adventure: university life.

The moment I saw the University of Illinois after arriving through Chicago Airport with my dad, my heart fluttered, and every breath I took on the UIUC campus was a continuous source of joy for me.

After checking into the hotel, I wandered around the campus, painting a picture of my future unfolding before me.

To be honest, I'm somewhat daunted about how to actually draw that picture on such a vast canvas.

Although it wasn't officially time for students to be offered meals yet, I stopped by the Ikenberry Dining Hall to get a feel for the atmosphere. It wasn't the official move-in date, so there weren't many people around, which made it easy to take pictures.

On the morning of August 20, 2025, I picked up my room key at Van Doren Hall, unpacked my luggage, and set up my bed. The weather was humid and hot, making it difficult to organize, but the thought of it being my space that would be responsible for my freshman year made my heart swell with excitement.

For your information, Van Doren Hall, located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was originally built in 1950 as a men's residence hall. It was designed to address the post-World War II housing shortage on campus. Over time, it transitioned to a co-ed dorm and has housed generations of students. Despite undergoing renovations and updates throughout its history, Van Doren Hall remains a vital part of the university's residential life by providing living space and fostering community for undergraduate students. Van Doren Hall is older than my dad. 😂

On August 21st, 2025, I went around to each and every lecture hall where I would be taking classes. Even though I took the school shuttle bus, I walked over 15,000 steps. Yes, this campus is much more vast than you might think.

One of the buildings I visited was the engineering building, and it seemed like the mechanical engineering department was making a lot of interesting things. As a souvenir, I took a picture next to a racing car!! My dad secretly took it for me…

Usually, when you think of a university campus, doesn't this kind of image come to mind? Well, yeah... My school has quite a few beautiful spots like this as well.

I stumbled upon a taco truck while wandering around. Yes, if you're lucky, you might find food trucks like this. I passed since I wasn't really interested in tacos, but anyone can operate a food truck on campus if they get the proper permits. I hope that someday I'll find a food truck I really like and share it with you all.

Like other schools, the move-in season brings a variety of programs designed to welcome new members. I was fortunate enough to experience many of these great programs, and it makes me think I'd love to have the glorious opportunity to prepare such programs for future students coming in next year or the year after.

Participating in this event, which welcomed students in a ridiculously large-scale, Colosseum-like venue, I was completely captivated by its grandeur and deeply moved by the passion of everyone who prepared it.

I really want to make the upcoming college life fun and fulfilling. ❤️