PROMPT: We've talked about the politics of mobility, of place, and
of food. With this in mind, how are you involved in the place in which you
live? How do you create place for those around you? How does what you do and
how you live participate in a kind of “politics”? I am interested in your
impact and effect in place-making/meaning-making. Develop your ideas based on
your first post and our readings.
How am I involved in the
place I live? How does my presence affect the place and those around me? It’s
not something I normally consider. My involvement, at least on a conscious
level, is minimal. Sure, I go to school at the University and live in the
dorms, but I don’t feel connected to much of the town of Reno outside of the
University. When I think of involvement in a town, I think of going to city
council meetings and doing volunteer work, neither of which I’ve had a chance
to do here. But perhaps that’s the cliché. Perhaps just by living in a town,
I’m automatically involved by default. Perhaps the small choices I make have an
impact on the town that I don’t consider as a part of my daily life.
So, with this mindset,
how involved am I in the place I live? Well, I go to school at the University,
which is huge. The University draws people from all over to the town of Reno.
The University is a huge part of the town, and I’m involved in that. The fact
that I chose the University over the other schools that accepted me (there were
twelve total) also says something. All of the other schools I was considering
were in California, from UC Davis to UC Irvine to UC Santa Barbara, and yet I
decided to go to my one out of state school. What does this say about me? My
movement from California to Nevada has changed my way of life considerably:
I’ve gone from a house in a suburb to a dorm in a city. The changes in the last
few weeks have drawn me closer to the place I live, although it’s not always
something that I consciously think about.
My presence here doesn’t
only affect me; I now have a roommate and neighbors, classmates, and friends
that this place has created. My roommate and I have effectively carved out a
niche in our residence hall, our dorm room our own little taste of home in a
new place. The once blank walls of our dorm are covered in photos from home and
comforting reminders. This is now our place, and we’ve had an obvious effect on
it, although it may not be a major long-term effect.
As for the impact I’ve
had here, well, I chose the University, like so many others, and because of
that I’m here, in Reno, instead of back in my home town. My day to day choices
may not seem very impactful to me at first, but when I think about it, just my
being here says something. Whether it’s a choice to eat locally one day, or buy
clothes and supplies secondhand, my presence will have an effect here in the
long run. I’m sure that as I spend more time in Reno I’ll begin to see more
ways that I affect the town, and as I grow, I may even see what effect the town
has on me.
No comments:
Post a Comment