The city of Chicago has many fun places and events to offer. Once in a while, I make my way into the city to take advantage of it all! My father-in-law and I went to the Shedd Aquarium over the weekend. All the museums have certain days throughout the year where Illinois residents can enter free of charge, and we got in on one of those days.

From NUHS campus to the city, it takes a little more than a half hour driving without traffic. By the time we parked and got to the door, the Shedd Aquarium was just opening at 9 am. Since we got tickets online in advance, the line we had to wait in was short and moved quickly. Inside, we made our way to the popular areas first: to see the dolphins, whales, and penguins, then the stingray touch exhibit, and lastly, to see the sharks. After that, we went outside for a break and ate at a food stand. The weather was fabulous, and it was nice to get a break from the crowds indoors.

We went back inside for the aquatic presentation, which was beautiful; there were several trainers and the dolphins did synchronized routines. It was also educational, teaching us the similarities of how dolphins are trained like dogs. After looking at some of the other fish exhibits, we made the trip back to Lombard, which now took about an hour because of traffic.

I enjoy getting off campus once in a while, especially since I live, study, and work here! Lombard living is more quiet and relaxed compared to the hustle and bustle of the city of Chicago, and luckily it’s a short trip to enjoy the best of both worlds.