SIU is for You

Introduction
My biggest advice is to be well organized. That is the only way to make it through college. I have struggled with organization all four years and its something I have to master.

Campus Life and Social Life
SIU was known as a huge party school before i enrolled... but it has calmed down a lot since then. However, that is not to say that there isnt a party scene, there is, and its big. Its just that people dont get as crazy as they used to. Only this year have I noticed that students are getting more into sports, especially with our basketball team doing so well. There are a lot of clubs to join, everything from chess club to rock climbing club. The recreation center offers a lot of things to do as well, take kick boxing classes or sign up for salsa dancing. I read in another review that there is not much to do if you are a minority, I am hispanic and the spanish scene is getting bigger every year, theres places to go dancing, a lot of places with good latin dishes, there are more hispanic students every year. So in that aspect, SIU is diversifying. Advertisement
Academics
The classes are great classes, I personally have enjoyed just about every class. I believe what makes a class good or bad is dependent on you. If your not going to take it seriously then your going to hate it. The professors are great, generally very helpful and always wanting their students to think big. The work load is not all that much, but again its all about organization and avoiding that pesky procrastination bug that affects us all at one point or another.

Student Body
Most students are from Chicago or the surrounding areas. I've met a lot of international students as well. Coming from Chicago, its not at all as diverse but its okay. There are far more caucasean people here though.

In Closing...
SIU is a great school and its in the most beautiful place in Illinois, winters are brief and not too harsh and spring and fall are wonderful. Summers are hot but theres a lot of beaches to go to and there are literally hundreds of places to hike and rock climb. Camping is a huge thing here too. Its not that small of a town where there is nothing to do, but of course its not Chicago either. So if your into nature and want to experience something other than city life, this is the place to be.