- What is sense of place. Define sense of place, using literature we read, videos we watched (at the beginning of the semester and in class). Cite these at the end of the presentation,. Define in depth and explain what you mean. This should be an in depth paragraph or two. It should be somewhat scholarly written.
A sense of place is having a strong connection or in other words, identity, to a certain place: at a school, a job, a park, or a town/ city. My First Year Seminar class, Developing a Sense of Place Around Salem taught me what a sense of place is and what it feels like to feel connected to a place. In the class, we read several articles on what sense of place. One article that really stuck out to me was "Developing a Sense of Place
Through Native Science Activities." This article showed 25 different ways to develop a sense of place. For example, "Giving Back", "Finding Patterns", "Questioning", "Staying in the present", or "Listening to water" (Developing a Sense of Place Through Native Science Activities). Also, in my First Year Seminar class, we took many field trips. We took field trips to parks, around our college campus, and through the town (downtown) of Salem. Developing a sense of place to a new environment or to unfamiliar surroundings is easy when feeling connected to a certain place.
Depict in depth what your sense of place is in the TOWN of Salem. Include aspects you wrote about in #1 when you are showing what your sense of place is in the TOWN. This can build off your in class experiences, your experiences in town with friends...etc. For example if you wrote that sense of place is about people and places, then include those. If you wrote about typology of sense of place, i.e. super rooted or super placeless...then describe those aspects and why. If you wrote about the type of relationships to place, then include those and name them...This should be in depth and the equivalent of images and writings that are a tad extensive that capture your sense of place in the town. Use photographs, anecdotes, information, nature drawings, history etc
My sense of place in the town of Salem is different everywhere I go. If I were to visit a near by park, my sense of place there would be different than if I were to visit a History Museum. In other words, I would feel connected to different things in different places but overall, sense of place still has the same meaning. In my First Year Seminar Class, we went to a near by park two minutes away from my college campus. I felt as though this was relevant to talk about in this final blog because I felt more connected to the park than really any other place we went too in the class. Here is a picture I took of the park:
As I mentioned in question one about the different ways in the Native Science Article, to feel connected to a place, the one way to connect to a place that stood out to me was "Staying in the Present." This way of connecting to a place includes breathing in the air, being aware of where you are and/ or what is around you. It also is a type of Native Science that helps one recognize his or her past, how one to where he or she is at that very moment, and after all of that, help dictate how ones future will look. It is relaxing and I remember at this very spot this is where I used "Staying in the present". It was relaxing, comforting, and I felt connected.
Overall, my Sense of Place in Salem is my second home. The town makes me feel welcome because of the foundation I have built here just in my first year of school. I have made several friends, met amazing people, met great professors, adjusted/ adapted to living on my own without any supervision or parental guidance and the attachment I have to Salem will always remind me what my Sense of Place is in this town.
Depict in depth what your sense of place is to the SSU campus. Include aspects you wrote about in #1 on what sense of place is i this depiction. See #2 for examples. Use photographs and anecdotes. Explain in depth the places, as well as the reasons why.
My Sense of Place at Salem State University is different wherever I go. For example, The Dining Hall, different classes, different hangout places, The Salem Diner, The Library, etc.
Being at Salem State University (as well as this class) taught me what it feels like to be connected to a place and call it a second home. I have developed many memories here I will never forget. I feel connected to Salem State University because I am involved in many classes that I enjoy, have many friends, connect with many professors I have had already in this first semester, and because I feel accepted here.
Focusing more on my surroundings and environment around me, another way of developing a Sense of Place from the Native Science article I introduced in questions one and two, the way of developing a Sense of Place I used when adapting to the Salem State campus was "Questioning." To be honest, at the beginning of school I had many questions about the campus, sources I could contact if I ever had a problem with something, and/ or social events I could attend. Some sample questions were:
"Who could I go to If I ever had an issue with my health, or I simply was not feeling well?"
"Where is a good place to go eat around campus?"
"Who could I go to just talk to about personal problems?"
Throughout my first semester here and developing my Sense of Place around Salem, these questions were answered by myself.
Conclude your sense of place in Salem project with a statement about where you started in September, where you are now and where you think you will be in four years.
I started in September not really knowing what I wanted to do in my future. I was not entirely sure if I even wanted to attend college let alone Salem State University.
Where I currently am now: content with my life and well being. I am happy being at Salem State University. I went through a tough first couple weeks here switching my major from Criminal Justice to Business with a concentration of Marketing but now I could not be any happier. Feeling connected to the school and developing a Sense of Place really helped me adapt to this school and I will most likely take what I have learned from this class about developing a Sense of Place into my future.
Where I hopefully will be in four years: I hope to graduate Salem State University and get a full time job. I am not entirely sure what I want to do in my future but I hope to make great money that I will be able to support myself and also in the near future, a family.
