A Not-So-Quiet Quiet Place
A walk through the city for me is a roll of the dice, certain streets in this city cause me great fear, some great happiness. For me, the street is only scary if I have not been on it before. Most people find that crowded streets give them the most anxiety but for me, Jackson Street, a highly traffic street, has a calming nature to me. This is because every day I walk along Jackson from Union Station to the redline, creating a route that is like second nature to me. My favorite street in this city is Michigan Avenue, another highly trafficked street. People are usually turned off by this street due to its crowded nature and busy traffic, yet I have been on this street all my life so for me it feels like home.
In contrast to this, streets that are new to me such as Division street, gives me anxiety. It seems that the further away you get from the loop, the more open streets become, which, for me, makes them more confusing. Also, the intersections seem to be bigger and all blend together, giving me anxiety when I don’t know where I am going. These issues are easily correctable, as I simply need to walk these streets more. I cannot imagine walking the streets of Chicago and feeling comfortable if I was scared by large crowds.
Field Notes
11:50-the next 30 minutes: traffic from the street I front of me
construction from 2 blocks down the road where they are working on the sidewalks
people talking all around me from behind me on the steps and walking in front of me on the sidewalk
11;52 There is a group of tourists wanting to go to the Skydeck, but they are considering if it is worth it.
11:56 Another group of tourists is trying to find something on their phone; they ask me what street this is and where Wacker is.
12:00 A young lady walks past with a dog and a stroller.
12:15 A group of employees from the big bus tour staff are laughing at their booth.
12:27 A bicycle cab goes by on the street and almost gets hit by a car.
11:50–12:30 A lot of people walk past but I’m so used to seeing people I don’t notice them.
