The Action is the Main Attraction

by Cody Kaemingk

We’ve been in Chicago one month. Wow. It is honestly flying by and I laugh when I think just how much all of our lives have changed in just a month. Just a little bit ago most of us were on our college campuses as seniors - big fish in small ponds. Now our roles are opposite. To quote the great urban philosopher Drake, we are starting from the bottom, working our way up in our respective careers. After being in school the majority of my life it’s a refreshing change that I looked forward to, but at the same time it’s like jumping off a cliff and not knowing what to expect below.

My internship started with a difficult choice between three great opportunities that all appealed to me for different reasons, but in the end I decided to intern at eshots, Inc. They specialize in collecting marketing data (to put it simply) and I can already see myself growing in my professional marketing and project management skills, which is exactly what I came to Chicago to achieve. The office environment is relaxed but there are so many dedicated smart people here that the learning opportunities are endless. One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the amazing location! Our building is located on the corner of E. Wacker and Wabash, right on the Chicago River across from Trump Tower. For those interested in action movies, this building starred in the movies Batman Begins and Transformers 3. 

Other than working, we have certainly had time to see more of the city. For our Diversity and Inequality class we ventured to the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago where some of the other CSers live. Here we were able to see some crazy cool murals from local artists and learn about the history of the neighborhood and the people that live there. Afterwards a group of us went and found a great authentic Mexican restaurant and socialized while having some great food. I’m looking forward to all the different places we’re going to get to explore and learn about through this class. Chicago is a city with all spectrums of people and learning about how all of this came to be and how it fits into the greater American picture is very interesting. This will also help me fulfill one of the activities on my Chicago bucket list – get authentic food from at least 10 different ethnic neighborhoods. 

We were also able to attend a production of Alice at the Looking Glass Theater, which was in one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It’s a building with a lot of history and the show greatly exceeded my expectations. I often caught myself wondering whether it was at a play or an acrobatics show. I have to admit that I often don’t give the arts as much of a look as I should, but because I knew Chicago had some world-class art, I signed up to do the art events and I’m so glad I did! I have no eye for art whatsoever, but while I’m in the city I figured I might as well check out some of the art that people travel the world to come see – and it’s so much cheaper than if I were to do them on my own. We have seen a play, gone to the Art Institute of Chicago, and are heading to a ballet this week; three things you wouldn’t have caught me doing before I came to Chicago.

I found out this week that I’ll get to be a representative of the company I’m interning for at the Chicago Auto Show, so I’m sure the next update will be full of some great happenings there, as well as some sweet car pics. Now I’m off to have another action-packed weekend in Chicago! 

Ready, Set, ChicaGO!

by Cody Kaemingk

Hi everyone! My name is Cody and I will be giving you some insights on the adventures of me and my fellow CSers (Chicago Semester Students) as we venture out into the city for the next three months. I am a Business Administration major at Dordt College in Sioux Center, IA and have enjoyed it immensely. I am originally from Lynden, WA; just 5 minutes from the Canadian border on the coast of Washington state, so you could say I’m slowly working my way East. As a second semester senior, I believe the Chicago Semester program is the perfect transition from the college life to the working world, and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that it will present.

My adventure began at Midway two weeks ago Saturday where I landed and was amazed at how easy it was to find the CS recommended shuttle to Canterbury Court Apartments. Upon arrival at Canterbury, I was greeted by the friendly desk staff where I completed all the necessary lease paperwork and signed my very first rent check. I received my room key and took a short ride up to the third floor in the coolest old elevator I’ve ever seen and entered my room to find a great view of the city.

My first thoughts about the apartment were positive. I was told that the apartments weren’t the newest in the world so I expected nothing too fancy, but was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness and spaciousness of my 3-person apartment. The kitchen leaves a little to be desired as far as size and storage goes, but it should be just fine for my limited cooking skills. One thing I didn’t expect was the lack of available plug-ins, but a quick trip to Target for a power strip and extension cords solved the problem. The rest of the move-in went smoothly, and I was settled in the apartment after just a few hours.

Sunday night kicked off CS orientation with a few quick tips about city navigation and some pizza from Lou Malnati’s – which was spectacular! You always hear about how great Chicago deep dish pizza is, but words don’t do it justice. The CS staff was great and helped make a very new city feel like home. Yes, we had to play those awkward get-to-know-you games, but they really are the best way to break the ice.

The next day consisted of a variety of different activities geared toward learning the city’s neighborhoods and cultures, as well as how to navigate our way around the public transit system, which was something I was honestly worried about, but after a few days and some missed train stops you learn pretty fast. Interview placements were announced the next day, and we were given time to research our sites and complete some practice interviews with the CS staff. The rest of the week consisted of interviews for the general students, and lots of free time to explore the city.

I was very pleased with the internship sites I received. All of them matched my requests in different ways, so choosing my site after hearing they were all interested was difficult. I ended up picking a company that specializes in collecting marketing data and I couldn’t be more pleased. Starting this internship confirms my thoughts that the Chicago Semester program was a great decision. Stay tuned for updates on my first week in the office and more adventures around the city, and be sure to check out all the sweet pics from the group on Instagram using #CSSpring2015.