The Assignment

I want you to get out and make the most of your resources in this urban campus. There are endless opportunities to experience culture in this city, so start looking for what interests you and get ready to explore. Remember that you have to write 4 entries. You should plan to do one for each calendar month that we are in class. In other words by the end of February you should have one experience posted here, then one for March, one for April and one for May. This way by the end of the semester you have a total of four posts. You are welcome to work ahead if you prefer, but don't be late. It is up to you to schedule time in your week for these experiences.

Step 1: Getting out

I have listed examples below, divided into 3 categories (events, museums/galleries, performances). Because I want you to get a variety of experiences I want you to visit places that fall into each of these categories at least once over the course of the semester.

Events: conventions, festivals, worship or spiritual gatherings, political events, meetings, lectures, Critical Encounters events, knitting circles, critical mass, marathons( any sort of sporting event as a participant, a volunteer, or a spectator)
Museums/Galleries: Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, C-Space Galleries, Center for Book and Paper Arts
Performances: fiction or poetry readings, plays, concerts or shows (anything from rock to classical), dance performances

These are simply examples to get you thinking. Anything you can think of that provides you with an engaging experience about which you can write will be great.

Step 2: Compose 500+ words (the equivalent of 2 typed double spaced pages)discussing your experience.
You might begin by explaining the basics of your experience, the where, what, when, how, and why of the event, place, or performance. Talk about why you decided on this place/event, what interested or prompted you to go. Perhaps you might begin by describing the atmosphere then discuss how you engaged with your surroundings. For instance, if you are writing about a gallery or museum you may choose to focus on one particular exhibit or piece. While it is a good place to start, you must go deeper than simply describing your experience though.

Ask yourself open-ended questions (you can include these questions in your entry). For instance, what do you feel the artist or author is trying to get across? Has your experience prompted you to make changes in your life? What do you know or feel now that you didn't know or feel before? What new questions do you have after digesting your experience? Have you found a new passion or rekindled an old one?


Step 3: Post your entry on the Journaling Chicago blog.

Step 4: Be sure to read your classmates journals. I encourage you to respond to one another's entries regularly. And I require that you respond to at least one other person's entry each month (and when I say respond, I mean writing more than a single word or even just one sentence.) I suggest following my lead once I begin responding.

Remember:
This blog is an extension of our classroom so I suggest you follow the same guidelines for respect that we maintain inside the classroom. This factors into the "attitude" portion of your grade.