November 14 Readings

Quite honestly, I was definitely expecting both of those readings to be a lot longer. The chronology seemed to cover just the basic basics. And the overview of the redevelopment of the South campus, well, it states exactly what it had planned to do. It was weird for me to read it, though, since everything's been built accordingly. But either way, it made sense.

But when I was looking at the pictures they put there, I was a little put off. Just because in one of the pictures--well, drawing--it shows Maxwell, I'm pretty sure, looking East from Halsted. And it makes the street look so much more friendlier than it actually is and it shows it basically crawling with people. Sadly, that's not the way it is. I mean, sure, the whole thing is really new and maybe they're not completely done with the redevelopment of the neighborhood, but it still threw me off a bit.

As far as what would I add to or subtract from the UIC campus, I have plenty of ideas. No, I'm not crazy and didn't just come up with all of these ideas, but ADH had signs up all last semester about various places on campus and what its pros and cons were as far as its level of friendliness. I remember reading them and for almost every different part of campus that was covered, it was stated in some way, shape, or form that the campus had a cold, dark feeling. It's the high levels of concrete and metal beams and cinderblock walls. One thing that I think would add so much to the campus, and I don't even think it would cost all that much, would be to change the light fixtures. The light poles are so industrial and ugly that it gives the campus such a distant feeling. If they were more "suburban," the campus might feel more like a campus. Sometimes when I'm walking down the sidewalks, I try to picture them lining the walkways instead of those ugly things and it works--the campus instantly gets a new feel. It's strange how something that seems so little can do a lot to change the feel of an entire campus. Of course, we all know that the buildings definitely look like bomb shelters, and that's going to have to be worked on. Especially--especially--the library. I absolutely hate going in there. Not only is it confusing as all get out, but it's just so ugly. It's hideous on the inside and it doesn't even feel like a library. I don't know about everyone else, but I can't do work in an environment that I feel uncomfortable in. The library, along with the streetlights, gives the campus an incredible industrial feel. That's now how a campus should feel like? It seems like the University is working on it though, because Grant Hall is a little bit more like a campus building, een though it does still kinda look like the rest of the lecture halls. It's weird walking through the campus when I've seen the likes of Loyola and U of I. Their campuses definitely have us beat, hands down. Hopefully, while I'm still here, the school can start to feel more comfortable and not so industrial. Even if I have gotten used to it.