The Writing Found at Case
The Writing Found at Case
Some may not notice, but it is true that, “…we all go through life surrounded by the printed word, and few of us have the will power to resist reading it,” as Dennis Baron points out in his article “Poll shows 1 in 4 Americans don't read books. But books aren't everything . . . “. On a college campus, Case Western Reserve University, specifically, writing is everywhere. This is because here on campus there are immense amounts of information to be communicated to all of the students. Because these students no longer live in the high school world where daily announcements are lectured to them every morning, it is their responsibility to obtain the information in a different context. However, here at Case, all you need to do is walk from your dorm room to your classroom get all the information you need.
Breaking down my typical week day, I will usually find myself in my dorm room, out in the common room of my floor, walking to class, or in the classroom. In each of these places, an array of different text is found. In my room at my desk there are post-it notes everywhere with phone numbers and to-do lists, text books, and letters from friends. I find a students’ desk to be very a personal space unique to each individual. It is one of the few places in a freshman college students’ life that is their very own. Therefore, my personal notes, letters, and reminders, along with the dictionaries and study guides represent not only my new life here at Case, but also, my memories of my friends, family, and life back home.
As I move out into the common room of my floor, I look around to find even more writing on the whiteboard and information bulletin board. However, these two separate boards portray completely different information and sentiment. The bulletin board is filled with organized, printed out posters and flyers about programs such as Emerging Leaders Program and upcoming events such as floor meetings. On the other hand, the whiteboard is filled corner to corner with inside jokes and quotes sloppily written in every possible space available. These quotes will come from day to day conversation, the infamous game of catch phrase, or the 2 in the morning pizza run. Looking at these two boards, I say it is an accurate representation of life in the common room. It is a place where studying and academia are frequently present, but is also a place where friendships are built and memories are forever engraved. The written communication in the common room of my floor represents the equally important balance of the social and academic life here on campus that occurs in this room.
Walking to class, I pass all sorts of writing such as chalk on the sidewalks, flyers on the bulletin post and writing on the graffiti wall. These include writings such as welcoming signs for the freshmen, where to go for the Community Service Fair, or advertising for a certain fraternity. This wide range of information being displayed all over campus represents the Case community. It takes people getting involved and wanting others to get involved to build such a community. Whether it is class elections, the Tae Kwon Doe club, or the next frat party, there is something to reach everyone’s interests, and it shows that people here want you to be a part of it.
Once reaching class, my peers and I pull out our notes. As I look around the room, there really isn’t that much writing except for the slides being projected filled with this week’s material. I believe that that in itself says a lot about how the focused text in the classroom represents the distinguished academics that takes place here at Case.
Here on campus, writing is all around you. Reading what is written has an informative side to it such as a key mean of gathering the information the university has to offer, and also a social aspect in making new memories and remembering the old. It is important to keep this in mind when going about your daily life and remember to keep your eyes open, for what you need to know is most likely written somewhere.
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