Project One Reflection: Perseverance

When I first looked over the requirements for this assignment I was kind of nervous because I was not sure how I would write a four page analysis on a place on campus. I kept telling myself that it would be impossible to write so much about something so mundane and ordinary.

When I first went to the Memorial Union cafeteria to take notes I found myself lost because I did not know what I was supposed to observe. I was not sure if I was supposed to analyze and describe the physical environment or the people and how they were interacting with one another. To my surprise I posted my observation notes on the class blog and a good amount of people commented on my notes and told me that I did a good job at going in depth with my observations. With this new found confidence I headed into the process of writing the paper thinking that it would be easy, but I was soon proven wrong.

            There were both difficult and easy parts to this project and that is why I am so unsure about how well I did. Personally, I think that I did a pretty decent job at describing the physical environment and the various human interactions going on in the area. I made sure to describe the material the tables and chairs were made of, the various kinds of people that entered the Memorial Union, and even the fabric that the couches were made of. I also think that I did a good job at using descriptive and imaginative words to make sure that the people reading my paper had a good idea of what the area was like.

            With that said, I will admit that there were a few aspects of this assignment that I struggled with. I have not written a paper in a few months now and it is sad to say that I have forgotten a few of the rules of writing. I had trouble organizing my paragraphs and in my rough draft, I even forgot to clearly state my thesis and make sure to utilize topic sentences in my body paragraphs. Although the mechanics were somewhat difficult for me, I think applying a lens in my paper was the most difficult part. Initially, I had no idea how we were supposed to do this and I didn’t even know we were required to cite the actual authors in our essay. Eventually, I added in a lens into my work and I think I did a fairly decent job of doing so.

            Overall, I think that I did accomplish the task at hand and that I did reach the depth of analysis that was required for this assignment. I definitely learned much more about writing with this paper and I now know how to analyze an area. Next time I am out somewhere I might take some time to actually analyze a place and appreciate it for what it is instead of just looking at it from a close-minded point of view. This project has taught me how to analyze places and also how to use another person’s lens in addition to my own writing and hopefully these skills will come in handy sometime in the future. 

Analyzing a Place Worksheet Project One: The Memorial Union Cafeteria

Project #1 Worksheet                                                          

Your Place: The Memorial Union Cafeteria

What are the intended functions of the place?                      

-The purpose of the cafeteria is to provide a place where people can get food. People can choose from a variety of fast food outlets. It allows people to pick and choose their favorite foods from more than one different place. It also serves a place where people can meet friends, do homework, or even just relax.

What overt messages does the place send (i.e., openly communicated through signs)?

-The cafeteria sends a message of chaos. Everybody goes through the cafeteria.  However, it also sends a message of relaxation because people can just sit down and watch the TV screens or use their laptops whenever they please.

What covert messages does the place send (i.e., hidden messages)?

-The cafeteria sends a message of openness. Basically anyone can go into the MU cafeteria to get food. It also sends a message of community because some people go there often and create relationships with people they meet there and the people that work there. The workers are friendly and there is a sense of camaraderie between the people that work there.

Have previous users left traces behind in the place?

-People always leave behind their trash. Sometimes you will see crumbs on the table or dirty napkins scattered around on the floor. Additionally, there are some people who forget their personal belongings on the couches or tables.

Has the place been re-appropriated (i.e., beyond its original functions)?

-The cafeteria serves as a place to eat food, but people often sit in an open chair to just surf the web or do their homework. There are also people who go into the cafeteria to just watch football games.

What social or cultural customs did you observe (i.e., rules governing appropriate behavior)?

-The cafeteria is a pretty casual place and sometimes it gets very loud with people yelling at the TV’s and people laughing at other peoples’ jokes. There aren’t really any set customs or established norms in the cafeteria. The only rule I can think of is that one must pay for the food they get. There are even people clapping at the TVs.

Who has access to the place?  Are there insiders and outsiders?

-Everyone has access to the cafeteria – faculty and students visit the MU and even people who are in no way affiliated with ASU can go inside the cafeteria to get food. The insiders are the workers and the people who regularly go to the cafeteria and the outsiders are just the people who don’t really go into the MU cafeteria.

Who owns the place?

-Arizona State University owns the Memorial Union Cafeteria – along with the businesses and corporations that own the specific food outlets that are located in the cafeteria.

What is the place’s value (i.e., monetary or otherwise)?

-It has sentimental value to those who regularly visit the place and to those who like getting their food at the cafeteria.

Are there official representations of the place (i.e., online, in promotional materials)?  Do they accurately capture the place as you experienced it?

-There is a section for the MU on the ASU website but there are very few pictures and you can’t really tell what the place is like unless you go there yourself and see it. They have promotional brochures and posters on display but the pictures don’t really give you a feel for what the cafeteria environment is really like.

Is the place in transition, a changing place?

-The physical environment itself doesn’t really change, but the people who visit the cafeteria change.

What conflicts or tensions are there in the place?

-There aren’t really any conflicts or tensions in the cafeteria – only when there are people actually there arguing or yelling at each other.

What is the place’s history?  Do you see evidence of the past there in the present?

-Over the years the cafeteria has replaced some of the food outlets. The only evidence of the past I see are the stains on the carpet and the scratches on the furniture.

How does this place differentiate itself from other places?  What other places is it similar to, but how is it different from those places?

-It is different from other places on campus because it offers such wide variety of food outlets and not many other places on campus offer the same amount of food options. The only similar places on campus are the dining hall, but the cafeteria offers more options and you have to use your meal plans at the dining halls whereas you can use cash or M&G’s at the cafeteria.

What questions do you have about your place?

-Why is it so dead on weekends?

-Why is there no Panda Express in the cafeteria area?

-Why did the people in charge choose the specific chains that are in the cafeteria?

-Why isn't there an outlet that offers home-cooked style dishes?

Key Features / Profiles (taken from the Norton Field Guide (Goggin and Bullock) Chapter 16, pages 165-166)

An interesting subject.  What is unusual about your place?  Alternatively, is there something ordinary about it that you can show in an intriguing way?

-It is a very busy place and you can basically do whatever you please. Something ordinary would be the stores located in the area, but each outlets caters to a specific kind of eater.

Any necessary background.  What background information will you need to include about the place in order to situate readers?

-The only background information I think I need to include to situate readers is the menus and types of food each food outlet offers so that people will get an idea of what to get at the cafeteria. I also think describing the furniture and atmosphere of each area in the cafeteria will give people a gist of what they need to know about the place.

An interesting angle.  Rather than trying to tell readers everything about the place, what angle(s) might you use?

-I will try to use a more abstract angle describing the things that people would usually miss when observing the area.

A firsthand account.  Did you interact with people in the place or participate in some way?  What experiences did you have there that you can write about using “I”?  (Yes, first person point of view is encouraged, especially for this paper.)

-Yes, I did interact with people. I brought along some friends while I was observing the place and I also talked to some random people around the area asking them random questions about the MU cafeteria. I also spoke to some of the people who worked at the food outlets and cashier registers.

Engaging details.  What specific information must you include in your description of the place?  What potential does your place have for the use of sensory images, figurative language, dialogue, anecdotes, and showing rather than telling?  What do you want the dominant impression to be?

-I must describe the physical environment as well as food offered by the food outlets.

-Sensory images: Descriptions of the place may give other people an idea of the cafeteria such as the overall ambience of the area and what kinds of people go there.

-figurative language: I can compare the cafeteria to other food places on campus or other similar food places in Tempe.

-Dialogue: Give people a vague description of some aspects of the area so they will spark dialogue with the writer and with one another.

-Anecdotes: Give the audience a personal account of some of the things that I have experienced at the MU cafeteria.

-I want people to like my description and I want them to want to go to the cafeteria after I share with them the observations that I have made. 

Generating Ideas and Text (taken from the Norton Field Guide (Goggin and Bullock) Chapter 16, pages 168-169)

Explore what you already know about your subject.  Why do you find this place interesting?  What did you already know about it?

-I found it interesting because it seems so alive and everyone seems to go there at least once a day. I knew that people got their food at the cafeteria. I also knew that people watched TV there too

If you’re planning to interview someone, prepare questions.  What would you like to ask someone in the place in order to better understand it?

-How is in charge of the place?

-How much did it cost to build the cafeteria?

-Why were these specific food chains chosen to be a part of the cafeteria?

-How can I get a job here?

Do additional research.  Does your place have an online component?  How else might you gather additional research?

-Yes, there is a section for it in the ASU website, and I can also research each food chain individually through each of their websites. 

Analyze your findings.  What patterns, images, or recurring ideas or phrases did you use to describe your place?  What contrasts or discrepancies do you see?

-I found design patterns in the overall design of the area – the color scheme and furniture in the cafeteria. I found that each food outlet was different from each other and I also found that all kinds of people go to eat at the cafeteria.

Come up with an angle.  What is most memorable about your subject?  What most interests you?  What will interest your audience?

-The most memorable thing about the cafeteria is the amount of people that go there to eat or hang out. I think that the descriptions I made about the area will interest the audience the most – I observed things that most people would miss. 

Project One: Observation Notes 1

Page One

The cafeteria area:

Very crowded and busy especially during lunch time.

One half of the room is covered in glass and see through windows.

Patio is covered by a cement covering.

There are white metal railings.

There are various ramps and each level differs in height. The ramps make the patio and the general cafeteria more accessible to the handicapped.

There are tall red umbrellas used for when it rains or when it is too sunny.

The ceiling that covers the patio is held up by circular columns or pillars that are green.

I just saw a guy in a wheelchair drop his cell phone and a guy in a green shirt was nice enough to pick it up for him.

The tables on the patio are made of plastic that resembles marble or some sort of stone surface.

The chairs on the patio are made of metal and have a pattern that goes across the bottom and the part that people lean their backs against.

The color scheme of the patio is very boring and plain.

There is a strip of green dry wall that holds lights on near the entrance of the cafeteria.

Then there the majority of the ceiling is covered in pipes and ceiling lights – the pipes and the ceiling are painted black to make it less obvious and more hidden.

Near the window there is a bar style horizontal table accompanied by an array of bar style chairs. You can see everything that is going on outside when you are eating at these tables.

There is a section of couches and loveseats to the far left of the entrance.

The air conditioning vents are painted black and you can see the pipes that let out the air.

There is a guy in a red shirt with the biggest Mohawk I have ever seen in my entire life.

There is a station that holds all the napkins and utensils for people to use when they are eating their food.

There is a wall of five flat screen TV’s.

There is one leather couch surrounded by green patterned chairs along with circular tables. There is also a wooden table in the middle of the couch area.

The green loveseats are very uncomfortable and scratchy.

There are a lot of people who wear tank tops.

Starbucks: there are wooden tables and chairs.

There is a trio of shelves that hold various brews of coffee and other starbucks products.

There is a red, orange, yellow, and green painting of an elephant with the word “Kenya” at the top.

The back of the starbucks outlet is a wall covered in green, brown, and clear see through tiles.

Page Two

There is a weird circular figure on the ceiling that holds lights and something that looks like an air conditioning vent.

One of the lights looks like a gigantic Christmas light bulb.

There is a section with straw, stirrers, creamer, and sugar and right next to it is an emergency first aid kit.

Near the front of the cash register there is a large glass display of various breads and pastries – donuts, banana bread, muffins, and so on.

Underneath the pastries is an assortment of drinks.

The front of the refrigerator are covered in colorful writing – im assuming its some sort of chalk or marker.

There are two giant coffee grinders full of coffee beans.

QDOBA Mexican grill:

The tables are made of a mixture of both wood and metal and the chairs are made of wood and metal painted black.

The dining area and food line is separated by a metal and glass separator.

There are glass barriers that cover the food line.

There is a drink station that offers various drinks such as coke, orange soda, iced tea, and so on.

QDOBA offers something called a naked burrito.

The air conditioner vents and ducts are painted grey on this side.

Qdoba has a bunch of dirty grills where they cook the food.

On the left side of chick-fil-a there are four sections of booths.

The lines at chick-fil-a are constituted by black metal railings.

The food is stored in small freezers and little food heaters.

Inside the chick-fil-a kitchen there are a bunch of deep fryers. DUH 

This old guy is changing the trash can bags and is making a lot of noise.

It smells like chicken.

From the booth area you can see the chase atm machine.

The ceiling is comprised of boring white foam tiles.

There is a ramp that makes chick-fil-a more accessible to the handicapped.

There is a red trashcan and a green trashcan.

THE FRESH FIX: vegan, vegetarian, fruit, and salad

Open refrigerators that hold a variety of drinks

The other refrigerator holds an assortment of fruits and all kinds of salads and wraps.

I would probably never eat at this place.

There is a guy who has his phone plugged into the wall and he is talking VERY loud – I can hear him through my earphones.

Next to THE FRESH FIX there is an EXTREME PITA.

An Analysis of an Image: GQ November 2008 cover

In this November 2008 GQ cover, we see famed late night television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel smiling sort of awkwardly covered in lip stick kisses from Marilyn Monroe. This cover deviates from the normal covers we usually see from GQ which feature either dapper men in designer clothing or naked women in suggestive poses. The cover photo alone is very interesting because it can be interpreted in multiple ways.

Although this image can be perceived in many ways, I personally think it is a statement about corruption in the Political world. Many of us know about the supposed liaisons that John F. Kennedy shared with Marilyn Monroe and in this image Mr. Kimmel plays the part of JFK. I also feel that this cover shot is a social commentary about how hypocritical politicians can be. However, I do acknowledge that this issue also features an article about the twenty five sexiest women in film and Ms. Monroe’s appearance on the cover may just be in reference to that piece.

Through the years we have heard various stories about married politicians who either engage in affairs with other women or send inappropriate pictures of themselves to their lovers. This picture satirizes the fantasy that these politicians are perfect human beings. When politicians are out on the road campaigning for a position they want to be elected into, they sometimes create this façade of the perfect family man, but this cover indirectly says that we must be more skeptical when it comes to politicians, we must remember that they are human and that there is a possibility that they are lying to us.

Another striking detail about this cover is that the phrase “Jimmy Kimmel says vote democrat so this damn thing can finally be over”. I acknowledge that this cover was before President Obama was elected into office, but I feel as if Jimmy Kimmel is saying that voting democrat would end the political struggle in the nation. Little did he know that almost four years later, that wouldn’t be the story. Today, there is an even bigger political divide in the nation: one half wants a new president and the other half thinks that our current president deserves another term.

Ultimately, I think that this cover satirizes politicians and politics in general. We are often fed lies about those who work in the government and I feel that this cover is just warning us to be more wary of what politicians tell us. 

Analysis of a Writing Situation: Great College Degrees For Career Options

Deciding to get a college degree can be daunting.  Choosing what to major in or what course to take is an even greater challenge. Some people are able to make these decisions at an early age but sometimes others have to do a little soul searching in order to find their niche. According to a study conducted by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, it simply is not enough to have any college degree in today’s job market. This article is essentially about five college degrees that would increase one’s chances for acquiring a job in today’s market. The five degrees mentioned in this article include a bachelor’s in: business administration, accounting, computer science, psychology, and criminal justice.

            According to The College Board, a bachelor’s in business administration prepares individuals to successfully supervise and control an organization’s activities while at the same time gives you the opportunity to hone your leadership, reasoning, and critical –thinking skills. Individuals who earn a degree in business administration are well equipped to eventually become personal financial advisors or even market research analysts. If one chooses to pursue a degree in accounting, they will be on track to help others in their financial endeavors. People with a bachelor’s in accounting have many options to pick from and the two most popular of those options are either a position as an accountant or a budget analyst. Individuals who are tech savvy or interested in working with technology related gadgets can try to obtain a bachelor’s in computer science. As time has passed, the world around us has slowly adapted the idea that technology is king. Practically everyone uses a computer and many actions today require you to use technology in some way or another. People with a degree in computer science can choose a career as a software developer, one who creates and tests new software, or a career as a computer programmer. Psychology is a very versatile major as it can be applied into many different fields of work; two of the available professions you would be prepared for would be a social worker or a probation officer. Lastly, the article mentions a degree in criminal justice. Many people dream of being some sort of crime fighter when they are young and a bachelor’s in criminal justice would help that dream come true. People who pursue this degree can pick from a variety of careers, two of which are a position as a police officer or a detective.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Studying.jpg

            College can be a confusing place, and it is not uncommon for one to not know what to do after graduating. The author of this article, Chris Kyle, wanted to offer up suggestions to those who are unsure of what to study in college. We all hear of people drowning in debt after college because their college degree does not grant them enough opportunities in today’s job market and the author’s goal is to show people a list of degrees that would be beneficial in one’s future job search. Knowing that it is hard to pick a degree, the author most likely targeted college students when creating this article. Personally, I am still unsure of what I want to study and articles like these make it easier to make a decision. The author of this article utilized sources such as Riviera Advisors, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, and College Board to obtain information from for this piece. This document was most likely written because many colleges are starting to get back in session and people who are unsatisfied with their careers are choosing to go back to school, and the author wanted to provide information that would help people in their search for a college degree.