First Observation

Detail categories of first site observation...

Sight: -green 60's carpet with brown diamonds weaved into it.
-lots of green couches,loveseats, and chairs that line the walls
-five tables with four chairs around each of them
-one clock hanging by the door
-there are two fans
Sound: -you can hear girls typing on their laptops
-sometimes girls have their headphones turned up rather loud
-the fans humming
-the door swinging open
-the lights sometimes make a humming noise
Smell:-it smells like a ninety year old man's house.old and dusty.
-sometimes someone will bring in popcorn and that smell fills the room

I might have to go back and observe and take notes on how the girls act while in the study lounge, both when it is study hours and when it is social hours. I need to take notes on what the girl's habits are while studying.

The study lounge on the fifth floor is not very big at all. It always smells like old man and is probably the most outdated of all the study lounges. The carpet is most likely from the 60's with it's green and brown diamond pattern. It is always hot in there due to no air conditioning. The fans help a little but only for the people the fans are facing. The noise in the study lounge is very minimal. All you ever hear during study times are keys being touched, faint music coming from headphones, and the humming of the fans and lights. When it's not study hours you will find girls in there eating together and even playing games. Also, the floor holds meeting in there once a month to discuss important floor decisions and problems and plan floor activities.

Ideas for Paper Three

The next paper I have to write is about a place that is important to my subculture. I have to go to this site and observe and maybe even do some interviewing while I am there. Going there a few times will definitely give me more information than just going once. There are a couple sites I think would be good for this paper, the study lounge on the fifth floor, and the 6th floor study lounge. The fifth floor study lounge is where all the girls from this floor go to study and sometimes play games. There are lots of couches and chairs that line the walls of this room. The six floor study lounge is much bigger than the fifth floor study lounge. It covers the entire sixth floor on one wing. The girls go there to have meetings, study together, and play games if no one else is up there.

First Interview with Kesha

My interview with my roommate, Kesha.

Question: What do you like most about living on the fifth floor of Knotts?
Kesha: "I like how the girls mostly get along and no one tries to start problems. I also like how the girls that live right next to you become your best friends.That's nice."

Question: What is the worst thing about living on the fifth floor?
Kesha: "The worst thing would probably have to be the fact that the RA at the end of the hall doesn't really like me that much. Oh, and I don't like the quiet hours thing."

Question: What do you like most about Lifetime Movie Nights?
Kesha: "The best thing is probably the food. Everyone brings mass food to share and we always have a blast."

Conclusion-Paper One

I want to study this subculture and this site because it’s where I live and where a lot of my new friends live. I never knew it could be so interesting to just sit at the end of the hallway and watch what all goes on in one little hallway. It really is like a tiny little community stuck inside of a building. Also, studying this subculture will be another way to learn more about the girls I live with and how they interact with each other. Studying something I am apart of just makes sense and I want to tell people how great it is to be a part of a community where everyone has something to share or teach you.

Conclusion-Paper Two

The artifacts I have discussed serve an important purpose within the subculture. They may be small things to most people, but the fifth floor girls really appreciate them and have fun with them. Without the television in room 526 no one would have Lifetime Movie Nights, or just the random walk-in TV show marathon sessions. If the bulletin board was not there, there would not have been an awesome ice-breaker or a helpful place to go for advice. These artifacts connect the fifth floor girls of Knotts/Edwards Hall. These artifacts are more than just objects, they are an important part of the core of our friendship.

Introduction-Paper Two

There are many items in the subculture I am studying that would be considered important artifacts. They all have a special meaning to everyone in the subculture, even though they may seem like ordinary artifacts to people outside of the subculture. An object does not have to be an old piece of history or a shard of pottery to be an artifact. An artifact in a subculture can be something as simple as a television, a bulletin board, or even a movie that you watch on the television. In my subculture of choice there are two different artifacts I will talk about.

Introduction-Paper One

Knotts Hall, fifth floor, that’s where I live. I am part of a subculture that is my community, my floor in Knotts Hall. The girls on this floor are extremely friendly, towards certain people. At first glance everyone seemed nice and I thought we were all going to be friends and no one would form clicks like back in high school; I was wrong. Everything about this subculture changes on a daily basis, from friendships to roommates.