An Immersive Week in Chicago

Immersion week exceeded all of my expectations. Heading in to it, I was unsure if I took the right class, if I made the right choice by taking discover over explore, or even if Chicago would be too much for me as my future college campus. But, I was instantly gratified with my choices.
Walking through Chicago forced me to open my eyes and care a little more about the city. I noticed so many things that made me ponder endlessly and that wouldn’t of been the case if I was walking by myself to a destination. For example, when I saw construction going on and advertisements titled “Lincoln Common”, it made me think about what it would look like; how would it change the city and its dynamics? This led to a conversation with my classmates that lasted for at least 10 minutes. The city was giving us something to talk about, something to build on, and now I value a lot of relationships that I made with my classmates just a week ago. Curiosity sparks conversation and conversation can go a long way. This got me excited for the rest of the week, and although it was tiring and I was hungry every time we went walking, it gave me a sense of fulfillment and joy.

I’ve learned that Chicago is mysterious, you never know what you’re going to see. If I was walking by myself, with air pods in and my phone out (most likely), I wouldn’t have noticed this fire hydrant. I also wouldn’t of been able to snap this awesome picture! Although I’m not sure why water was rushing out of the hydrant, it made for a good picture and conversation. The power of noticing is grand; it opens new doors in your mind and allows you to question things more. The question usually leads to an answer, and there you are, amazed that you learned something new just by being curious. I’ve learned a lot about the city, but I think I’ve learned more about how to carry myself in general.

The day when we went to the top floor of the John Hancock building was when I felt most immersed in the city. We started with a birds eye view of the city, which made everything seem so small. It was crazy to think that millions of people live in the city. Then, at the end of the day, gazing back at the tower about 10 miles away from it was truly amazing. We had covered so much ground, and seen so much, but not nearly the entire city. It was a rather seamless transition but we got to see the city from very different lenses. Overall, I’m very happy that I took this class, and had the opportunity to see the city in a new light; the city that was just a 30 minute drive away for my whole life.

